I’ll never forget the moment in my childhood that single-handedly was the most motivating event in my life and continues to propel me forward. My older brother Andrew, is four years my senior. As young children, we would often keep one another occupied. I remember the day my family gave him a giant aircraft carrier. It was six feet in length. It was an exact replica of a carrier. Unbeknownst to us, he would be spending much of his adult life on one very similar. I can remember his favorite movie (Top Gun) which I found myself always watching with him. One day he turned to all of us and said, “This is what I am going to do for the rest of my life.”I don’t think anyone gave this statement much thought because children say lots of thing without any rhyme or reason. Well, we were certainly wrong.
When he was a young teenager, he became a private pilot. We grew up in Wallingford, Connecticut. There was a small airport in the neighboring town where he was able to receive the training for the private pilot certification allowing him to receive his license by age sixteen. His love of flight began. Andrew’s next goal was to become a navy fighter pilot. I didn’t really put much thought into what this would actually mean when we were younger or how this would impact our entire family in the years to come. My brother graduated at the top of his high school class and was accepted to the United States Naval Academy. He graduated in 04 and completed flight school two years later. Lieutenant Commander Andrew M. Imperatore is an accomplished Navy F18 fighter pilot who has served multiples tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He continues to fly living his dream which takes him to every corner of the globe.
This is where my story begins. Because of my brother’s perseverance, tenacity and tremendous accomplishments at such a young age, it inspired me to pursue my dreams. I always knew I wanted a good life for myself and my future family. I just wasn’t sure how I would accomplish that. I remember watching A Few Good Men when I was quite young. I immediately was drawn to Tom Cruise’s character as a military lawyer who defended two Marine’s accused of murder. I clearly remember the scene at the end where Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee was able to get Colonel Nathan R. Jessup to admit he ordered a “code red,” proving his case. That left a profound lasting impact even though I was very young. I knew I wanted to bring justice where it was deserved and be able to help people I just wasn’t certain where that journey would take me.
During college, I wasn’t quite sure what undergraduate career path to take. I dabbled in communications but realized that was not something I absolutely loved and could imagine myself doing for the rest of my life. I changed my major to sociology and graduated with my Bachelor’s Degree in that field. I desired more. I saw a few of my friends move onto law school. My life took me into the world of marketing .I was able to land a handful of really good opportunities, learn the business and craft of marketing and master the many facets of this field. My superiors took notice of my strong work ethic and desire to constantly grow and learn. In the back of my mind, I always wondered if I had made a mistake not pursuing law school after college.
Fast forward to the present day where I am working at an amazing law firm. I work with a team of great people and am able to observe the “attorney world” on a daily basis. The president of our company has been an inspirational mentor and motivator in addition to my brother. My boss ignited the spark within me to pursue my dream and revisit the possibility of attending law school. I realized that the time is right for me. I am now ready to take on the challenge and make my dream a reality. I want to be able to help people, have a great career while in turn doing something to enrich others lives.
I have encountered a few obstacles along the way. I have learned not to be discouraged by these challenges but rather to learn from my mistakes, trials and tribulations and press on. Success is just around the corner. We learn more from our mistakes than we do from our successes. I surround myself with good, positive and uplifting people who are likeminded in the sense of self improvement and motivation. I know I can and will succeed in law school.
Everything that has happened to me thus far has helped me to grow and shape my future. If I didn’t achieve the initial desired result at first, I’ll take the necessary steps to make sure it becomes a reality Life is not about being perfect and it is not always smooth sailing. Making mistakes shapes who we are. I have set a goal for myself and know I have what it takes to make it a reality. I am grateful to all of those who believe in me and most importantly, I believe in myself and have the desire and motivation to succeed in law school.
– Alissa Imperatore, Marketing Director at Callagy Law
My Journey of Personal Development on the Road to Law School
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