Lucy Christensen has visited 37 different countries and is passionate about international affairs, human rights, and getting hands-on experience, including researching eye care as a global health researcher in the Indian Himalayas.
Education is a priority as well, and Christensen earned an associate degree from Idaho State University the same year she graduated from high school. Two years later, she graduated from the University of Utah in international relations while also working as a student advocate at the university’s Financial Wellness Center.
With no intention of stopping, she enrolled in the S.J. Quinney College of Law’s Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program in fall 2025.
“I chose the online MLS program because it gave me the flexibility to keep moving while still moving forward. I wanted my master’s degree by the age of 21, and this program made that possible without putting everything else on hold,” she says.
Christensen has enjoyed the MLS program and has continued to work in student advocacy with the university’s student housing team and as a leadership trainer for TEAMTRI, delivering workshops to middle and high school students about education and finances.
“The most challenging part of the MLS program has been starting without a legal background. It really does feel like learning a new language,” Christensen says. “The most rewarding part is learning mediation. I like work that sits in the middle of conflict and actually tries to resolve it.”
But what she appreciates most is the open and inviting community at Utah Law.
“People are approachable, and there’s a real sense that you belong here, even if you didn’t come in through a traditional law path,” she says.
Despite enrolling in the online MLS program, Christensen has immersed herself in the college’s community by participating in the Student Bar Association (SBA) as the online MLS representative for the 2025-26 academic year. She’s learned a thing or two from this role.
“It’s different representing people you mostly know through screens. It forces you to be more direct, more intentional, and actually listen, because you don’t get the benefit of the casual in-person interaction,” she says.
This June, Christensen looks forward to traveling to North India to research women’s legal literacy and public-space sexual harassment. She will graduate from the MLS program in August and is full of ideas for applying her degree.
“After graduating, I plan to teach English in Thailand for a year, then work in mediation and human rights, focusing on conflict resolution and women’s rights. Long term, I want to work in international affairs. I may pursue a JD or Ph.D, but my priority is hands-on experience applying what I’ve learned in the field,” she says.
Learn more about the Master of Legal Studies program.