You name it, Marley Nelson did it at her law school home away from home.
“The place that is the most ‘Illinois’ to me is the Pavilion in the Law Building. Every morning before class, in between classes, and sometimes long into the night, I spent a rather large portion of my free time in that space,” says the Columbus, Ohio-based assistant state public defender (JD ’10).
“I’m pretty sure I met the man who eventually became my husband in the Pavilion, although he may have more auspicious memories of our first meeting. We graduated in the same law school class, and have photos with family and friends in the Pavilion.
“I coached the undergraduate mock trial team at Illinois, and my students and I often used the Pavilion to practice direct and cross examinations. Plus, the Pavilion is always where the College of Law had the best free food. There were cookies every week.
“The Pavilion was where I went to smile, to laugh, to study and to escape from classes for a few minutes — or hours — before I had to once again venture into those Socratic minefields.
"Just thinking of the Pavilion puts a smile on my face.”
