Mary Beth LeFevre ‘03

Position/Title:  
U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), Boston , MA

Address:
Williamstown , VT

Major:
Paralegal Bachelor's Degree

What inspired you to go back to school?
I was 26 years old, sitting in my lawyer's office filling out forms to obtain child support from my ex-husband and after making several helpful suggestions about useful approaches to filling out the paperwork, my lawyer turned to me and said he thought I had the capacity to be a good lawyer. My reaction was: “Who me?” I had the usual excuses – I was too old and I already had two kids.  My lawyer said simply: “It's never too late.” It wasn't long afterward that I made the decision to apply to Woodbury College to earn a bachelor's degree in Paralegal Studies.

Why did you choose Woodbury College ?
I chose Woodbury College because of the ability to work and go to school at the same time.  The weekend schedule was a huge inducement for me.  Once I attended an introductory session, I never looked back.

What stands out about your program at Woodbury?
The practical aspects of the program stand out the most. I learned how to do the things necessary to be successful in the legal field by actually doing them, rather than just reading about it.  This hands-on learning style is what I found to be most beneficial at Woodbury.  This experience assisted me when I was a law student looking for work and when I was interviewing for both a judicial externship and a clinical externship.  The interviewers were impressed that I already knew how to do many of the things that were part of job, such as drafting complaints and answers and performing research.

How is your life different now?  Are you using the skills you used at Woodbury?
Prior to studying at Woodbury I had worked in the manufacturing field for a number of years doing manual labor.  The differences between now and then are enormous.  At the time, I knew there was more out there for me, I just did not know how to find it.  Woodbury helped me do that.  I use the skills developed at Woodbury every single day.

Have you continued your education since you attended Woodbury?
I graduated in 2003 and graduated from Western New England College School of Law on May 19, 2007. I have since accepted a position with the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) in Boston Massachusetts where she will enforce Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and related rules and regulations.  I will be conducting and participating in civil and criminal investigations and financial examinations of employee benefit plans, services providers, insurance companies, bank trust departments and other financial entities having relationships and transactions with employee benefit plans. Through its work, the EBSA restored $829 million in assets to plans and individual workers in 2006.

Is there anything you'd like to say to prospective Woodbury students?
Follow your dreams.  For a time I thought that a college education was out of my reach because I had started a family and began working so young.  Then I thought a college education was out of my reach because I was too old and had too many commitments and responsibilities.  Then I realized that you never reach the finish line if you don't take that first step .  Don't get me wrong.  There were a few who told me that I wouldn't finish, or told me that I was nuts to take on something else.  Don't let those kinds of people direct your life path for you.  I take great pleasure in meeting up with those people now