Ricky Hanzich ’17

I chose to come here as a transfer student, not because I had some bad experience at George Washington. I actually really, really enjoyed my time there. But there's something about YLS that's really hard to pass up. And just knowing the people that were here, some friends from college. And just hearing their stories. And just knowing some of the professors that were here. I knew that this was a place that I could really just explore academically and professionally, and it seemed to be the right fit. And I was just really fortunate to be able to come here.

So as far as tech law goes, the future after this semester is to go to the Bay Area, and I'll be starting at Latham and Watkins in their Silicon Valley office. So I'm really excited about that. Always been interested as a hobby, but at Yale there are a lot of opportunities through Tech Soc and through reading groups. I think it's a great way to meet people in a more relaxed environment. To talk about things and nerd out together. And so I'm taking a reading group right now on artificial intelligence and its legal implications. And it's fascinating. And it's really fun to share our ideas without having any pressure to try to impress the professor or anything. And just talk about things that we really care about.

I've loved being a dean's advisor. I feel really lucky to be able to build community with the new transfer students and the current transfer students, of course. But to be able to get that funding through the student affairs office, that's something unique to Yale. They really have that financial support, so that we can have beginning-of-year barbecue. Or we can get together to play board games or poker.

There are so many different people, different backgrounds, and religions, and communities, and professional backgrounds. It's really incredible. And people from the military and people who have a master's or a PhD or pursuing the PhD. So it's really just an impressive crew, and it's always like a humbling experience to go into class each day. But I really learn a lot from them and sometimes more than from the professors. It's just a great place to be. And I think that's one of the unique things about YLS-- the people. The students.