Southeast law professor retires after 17 years of teaching

~Dr. Mary Johnson enjoyed teaching upper-level law courses as well as bringing her students to the Supreme Court of Missouri

Dr. Mary Johnson has dedicated her time teaching law classes at Southeast Missouri State University for the last 17 years. Her career at Southeast will be coming to a close soon, as she will be retiring at the end of the semester. Johnson has taught a variety of law courses over the years, including upper-level honors courses that she is currently instructing. Her teaching methods have involved students being able to experience several "real world situations" outside of the classroom, including a trip to visit the Supreme Court of Missouri in Jefferson City in October.

Her love of the subject of law, being involved in the Civic Education Committee and the high achievement standards she has set for her students have shown that this instructor holds education and professional organization membership as a high priority.

Q: What sort of professional experience have you used over the years to relate material to your students about law?

Johnson traveled with 10 students to Jefferson City, Mo., in October to visit the state's Supreme Court as part of their contemporary legal studies class. Submitted photo

A: I have a Juris Doctor degree and a Master in Business Administration degree. I am an attorney licensed to practice law in the state of Missouri. I also am a member of the Civic Education Committee of Missouri. I was appointed by the Supreme Court of Missouri to serve a four-year term on the court's Civic Education Committee, which was formed to carry on the work I began when I was selected to be the state's first faculty fellow for the Supreme Court of Missouri in 2010-2011. I took a leave from Southeast to go to Jefferson City to work with the court at that time.

Q: What has been your favorite moments while instructing here at Southeast Missouri State for 17 years?

A: I had the pleasure of taking my students from an honors course I teach this semester, Contemporary Legal Studies, to Jefferson City this October to visit the Missouri Supreme Court. It was my hope that students would understand the challenges that the judges face when they are wrestling tough issues. The students were put in the position of the judge for different scenarios, having to decide for a very controversial case that had legitimate arguments on both sides. They were able to think for themselves, realizing the true difficulties of having to rule on a case of great significance.

Q: What steps did you take for your students to be able to experience time with the judges?

A: I have been working very closely with the court, so it was a natural fit for me to have my students come up to Jefferson City. They were able to provide feedback for the materials the Civic Education Committee is developing with the court, and for these students to see the way the court actually functions when they are hearing oral arguments and real cases. I think it was a benefit for both the court and the students.

Q: Have you involved your students in any other hands-on or real-life situations outside of the classroom?

A: This is the first time I have taken students to meet with the members of the Supreme Court of Missouri. In other semesters, I have taken students to see cases before the Missouri Court of Appeals in St. Louis. On several occasions my classes have observed the Missouri Court of Appeals when they came to campus to hear oral arguments. I have also taken students to the federal courthouse here in Cape. My students have observed a variety of cases both at trial and on appeal. They have observed sentence hearings in criminal cases and witnessed a naturalization ceremony for new citizens of the United States.

This semester our class observed a city council meeting and a Board of Regents meeting. I strongly believe that experiential learning is important and that students should be exposed to real world situations to help them see the relevance of what they are learning in class and how it applies in the real world.

Q: What would be the best advice you could give to future students about making the most of their education?

A: Your education is your own investment in yourself, so get the best return on your investment you can. That means study harder and smarter, learn as much as you can and partner with your faculty. They want what you want -- to see you succeed!