UConn Law 1L Experience

New Club Alert! RECESS: The UConn Law Social Club

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RECESS co-founders,
Nicole DiBenedetto, Elena Salm, and Christina Clouser

Student organizations play an important role in life at UConn Law. Alongside rigorous academics and professional training, student-led groups create opportunities to build community, foster connection, and support one another beyond the classroom.

RECESS https://www.instagram.com/uconnlawrecess/ is a new organization founded by 2Ls Nicole DiBenedetto, Elena Salm, and Christina Clouser, who wanted to bring more school spirit and community to the law school campus. Seeing how stressful and isolating law school can be, the founding members created RECESS to give students a chance to connect, unwind, and enjoy campus beyond the books.

The founders of RECESS believe law students deserve a break, an actual recess, from the stress and worries of law school. Their mission is to create a space where students can connect, share interests, and build community off the record.  They aim to host 2–3 events each semester that bring joy to campus and give students a chance to step away from the books, recharge, and touch some grass!

 

RECESS’s next event will take place Tuesday, February 10th at 12:15 – 1:30 in the Library Cafe. Join RECESS preventing burnout, one recess at a time!

Brought to you by the co-founders of RECESS, Nicole DiBenedetto, Elena Salm, and Christina Clouser

RECESS co-founders,
Nicole DiBenedetto, Elena Salm, and Christina Clouser

Follow RECESS on Instagram @uconnlawrecess to stay up to date on all events!

 

 

Meet Michael Ampofo: A 1L’s Path to Advancing Health Equity

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Photo of UConn Law 1L Michael Ampofo
UConn Law 1L Michael Ampofo

In honor of Black History Month, we’re excited to feature Michael Ampofo, a 1L focused on the intersection of law, public health, and equity. With a background in public health and plans to pursue a dual JD/MPH, Michael brings an interdisciplinary lens to legal education and advocacy. In his own words, he reflects on how the law can shape health outcomes and protect vulnerable communities.

“My name is Michael Ampofo, and I am a 1L from Bristol, Connecticut. I earned my undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut in 2023 in Allied Health Sciences, with a concentration in Public Health and Health Promotion. My academic experiences sparked an early interest in the structural factors that influence health outcomes and the ways in which legal and policy frameworks can either reinforce or dismantle inequities.

Before beginning law school, I worked with UConn, AmeriCorps, and College Advising Corps as a College and Career Adviser at Bristol Eastern High School from 2023 to 2025. In this role, I assisted high school juniors and seniors with post-secondary planning, including résumé development, career and college exploration, applications to colleges, jobs, and trade schools, and navigating complex financial aid processes such as FAFSA, AACTUS, the CSS Profile, and scholarship applications. This experience strengthened my commitment to advocacy and exposed me to the systemic barriers many students and families face—barriers that often mirror inequities in other institutions, including healthcare.

My decision to attend law school was shaped by my passion for health equity, which developed during my work as an Honors Scholar at UConn. My thesis examined the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on health disparities, particularly how an overwhelmed healthcare system contributed to increased discrimination by healthcare providers toward Black patients, women, people with obesity, and low-income individuals. Patient experiences highlighted the tangible consequences of discrimination in healthcare and reinforced my belief that legal advocacy and policy reform are essential tools for protecting public health.

Looking ahead, I plan to pair my JD with a Master of Public Health (MPH), focusing on epidemiology and health policy. By combining legal training with public health expertise, I hope to engage in policy development, legislative advocacy, and impact-driven legal work that advances health equity and strengthens protections for marginalized communities.

As a law student, I am motivated by the belief that the law is a powerful mechanism for addressing systemic injustice. Through my legal education, I aim to contribute to solutions that promote equitable health outcomes and ensure that public health considerations remain central to legal and policy decision-making.”

 

Law School, Live on TikTok: Student Blogger Arianna Barker’s Inside Look

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We’re excited to welcome 1L and valued library employee Arianna Barker as a guest blogger! Also known to thousands online as “Starianna” on TikTok, she documents law school life with creativity, honesty, and a touch of music. Originally from Florida’s Panhandle, Arianna brings a strong commitment to public service, a passion for civil rights, and a belief that law school doesn’t have to come at the expense of creativity.  Below, Arianna shares her experiences in her own words – from her path to UConn Law to building community and creativity through TikTok.

“My name is Arianna Barker, also known as “Starianna“ on TikTok.  I am from the Florida Panhandle. I attended the University of South Florida, where I double-majored in psychology and political science. After graduation, I worked at the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections office for two years. While it is unique to see a Floridian move to Connecticut, a place with a near-opposite climate, I ultimately chose UConn Law because it emphasized community, valued diversity, and supported me with financial aid.

 

My end goal is to become a civil rights attorney who works for marginalized communities. I am heavily inspired by individuals such as Ben Crump and Bryan Stevenson. Moreover, I grew up in a military family, so I have always felt acquainted with public service and justice.

Arianna’s first day of law school!

During my time at UConn Law so far, I have experienced and learned a variety of things. In addition to learning about Bluebook citations and diversity jurisdiction, I learned that law school is not the most creative environment, however, it doesn’t have to be this way.

Arianna performing at her high school’s graduation ceremony,

When I was younger, I sang at multiple venues and performed in my school’s plays. I have a huge passion for singing and songwriting that I hope to always keep with me, even as a future lawyer.

I started documenting my life, both inside and outside of law school, on TikTok. TikTok has served as both a creative outlet and a community filled with other law school students across the nation. On top of creating content around my life, I also post singing videos. My biggest video to date, with almost 1.5 million views, is a singing video about the concept of negligence written in the tune of “Irreplaceable” by Beyoncé (my all-time favorite singer!).

 

 

As well, I use my TikTok account to share law school admissions resources, since I am a first-generation college/law school student who knows the struggle of navigating resources for law school.

 

Arianna at a Beyonce concert – her favorite singer and inspiration for some of her videos.

Law school inevitably changes you. It forces you to work harder, study longer, and balance life in a new way. As a creative person, I thought law school would eliminate my creativity. Surprisingly, law school has made me even more creative! I hope to be an example of someone who didn’t give up their passions for law school.”

 

 

Law School, Live on TikTok: Student Blogger Arianna Barker’s Inside Look

Posted on by
We’re excited to welcome 1L and valued library employee Arianna Barker as a guest blogger! Also known to thousands online as “Starianna” on TikTok, she documents law school life with creativity, honesty, and a touch of music. Originally from Florida’s Panhandle, Arianna brings a strong commitment to public service, a passion for civil rights, and a belief that law school doesn’t have to come at the expense of creativity.  Below, Arianna shares her experiences in her own words – from her path to UConn Law to building community and creativity through TikTok.
“My name is Arianna Barker, also known as “Starianna“ on TikTok.  I am from the Florida Panhandle. I attended the University of South Florida, where I double-majored in psychology and political science. After graduation, I worked at the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections office for two years.
While it is unique to see a Floridian move to Connecticut, a place with a near-opposite climate, I ultimately chose UConn Law because it emphasized community, valued diversity, and supported me with financial aid.
My end goal is to become a civil rights attorney who works for marginalized communities. I am heavily inspired by individuals such as Ben Crump and Bryan Stevenson. Moreover, I grew up in a military family, so I have always felt acquainted with public service and justice.
Arianna’s first day of law school!

During my time at UConn Law so far, I have experienced and learned a variety of things. In addition to learning about Bluebook citations and diversity jurisdiction, I learned that law school is not the most creative environment. I learned it doesn’t have to be this way.

Arianna performing at her high school’s graduation ceremony,

When I was younger, I sang at multiple venues and performed in my school’s plays. I have a huge passion for singing and songwriting that I hope to always keep with me, even as a future lawyer.

I started documenting my life, both inside and outside of law school, on TikTok. TikTok has served as both a creative outlet and a community filled with other law school students across the nation. On top of creating content around my life, I also post singing videos. My biggest video to date, with almost 1 million views, is a singing video about the concept of negligence written in the tune of “Irreplaceable” by Beyoncé (my all-time favorite singer!).
As well, I use my TikTok account to share law school admissions resources, since I am a first-generation college/law school student who knows the struggle of navigating resources for law school.
Arianna at a Beyonce concert – her favorite singer and inspiration for some of her videos.

Law school inevitably changes you. It forces you to work harder, study longer, and balance life in a new way. As a creative person, I thought law school would eliminate my creativity. Surprisingly, law school has made me even more creative! I hope to be an example of someone who didn’t give up their passions for law school.”

 

 

Student Blogger Dominic Bellido: “Reflections from 1L First Semester”

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Winter break flew by and Spring semester starts Tuesday, January 21st. The 1L’s are back in action, and there are likely a multitude of emotions that arise after those intense first months as a 1L. There were likely unanticipated challenges, but also growth in ways unimagined.

Returning 1L Dominic Bellido reflects on some of the key lessons he learned as a returning 1L:

After finishing my first semester at law school, I am grateful for the support I’ve found. I’ve learned a lot from the resourcefulness of my friends, and talking about our lives outside the classroom has given me a new perspective to look at my own experience here. Each new person I meet comes from a different background, and their unique skills contribute to the culture and diversity of our campus.

Dominic noted the importance of mentors throughout his journey and how he intends to pay tribute to them:

The best way to honor my mentors is by ensuring more students will have the same access to support networks as we did, and more. This way, we can build upon the connections between grades and share our knowledge. I hope that, as a student body, we can continue to give back to the people who make this school what it is….What it could be.

UConn Law 1L’s….and all of UHere’s to the journey ahead!!!!

Image of students studying in the library