Crystal Bultje grew up in west Michigan, and she felt that MSU offered a competitive program close to home. “MSU Law offers quality programming that's also backed by a big name,” Crystal said.

She’s found additional support for her academic endeavors at the MSU Law Library. “The librarians and circulation staff at MSU Law Library constantly go above and beyond for students. They genuinely believe that our success is their success and are always willing to do anything they can to help us,” Crystal said.  

As a student, Crystal sought out opportunities to gain real-world experience. “I worked for a judge with the Michigan Court of Appeals. I wrote research reports and proposed draft opinions similar to what actual judicial law clerks do. That experience helped me learn to write clearly and succinctly—skills that will help me in any legal position in the future,” she said.

But the highlight of her MSU Law experience was triumphing over 202 other teams from 118 other law schools to win the nation's largest advocacy competition with her teammates Ashley Chrysler, Crystal Bultje, and Ashley Byers. "There were a lot of great teams. The last round was incredibly intimidating, especially with the federal court judges and the crowd watching," said Crystal. "We were so surprised to go as far as we did in the competition."

Unlike Crystal, the team's coach, Professor Phil Pucillo, was not surprised by their series of wins. He'd watched them prepare for months, mastering the case from every angle and honing their performance skills. "I loved coaching this team," he said. "It was an absolute honor to support them, and to see all their preparation come together into a flawless performance."