Tiffany Hogue
Georgetown University Law Center
Tiffany Hogue graduated from Baylor in 1995 with a BA in Political Science. She then earned her Juris Doctorate in 1998 from the Georgetown University Law Center. After practicing employment law at a firm in her hometown of Phoenix, Arizona, she returned to Baylor in 2000 as assistant dean for academics at the College of Arts and Sciences. From 2003 to 2011, she served as Assistant Provost, a role in which she directed Baylor’s re-affirmation of SACS COC (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges) accreditation, wrote Baylor’s first QEP (Quality Enhancement Plan), coordinated the Engaged Learning Group Program, developed new assessment instruments for the academic deans, and authored multiple faculty personnel policies. In 2011, Tiffany became Chief of Staff to Baylor’s Executive Vice President and Provost, where, among numerous roles, she helped design and implement all aspects of the two-year campus-wide strategic visioning process that resulted in the adoption of Pro Futuris. She now has joined Baylor's School of Education in the role of Clinical Professor of Higher Education in the Department of Educational Administration. She will teach graduate courses in the areas of education leadership, governance and law and teach undergraduate courses in the Leadership minor, a program she initially will direct.
What is your best advice to current pre-law students about the LSAT, law school applications, and undergraduate work as a pre-law student?
First, to find some trusted mentors who are lawyers who can walk with you through this process, who can be sounding boards, encouragers, and can help you make some decisions at the various crossroads you’ll face as a pre-law student. Once you know, you want to take the LSAT early (in the summer after the junior year) – that way, if you score well, you won’t have to worry about it in the fall of your senior year. If you don’t score as well, you can re-take it in the fall and still not be behind. I also strongly encourage all of my students to turn in their applications ideally on the first day possible. Many schools admit on a rolling basis, so you have _____ if you submit applications early. I also encourage students to spend a lot of time on their personal statement and to share it with seasoned academics and lawyers. It’s a really unusual piece to write and a lot of students don’t have experience with this kind of writing. You need time to write many drafts and receive that needed feedback. Work hard to keep balance in your life during this time. It’s an intense but an exciting time. It’s easy to become pretty isolated when you’re working on all of the application materials, but you still need to be connected – to God, to friends and family. It’s also a really special time in your life as an undergraduate – time to work, play. Plan well in the big picture – know when you’ll take the LSAT and submit your applications.
What is your best advice for recent graduates who are about to enter law school?
It’s an exciting season. You’ve most likely just finished something monumental – you’ve graduated college or a year of work and you’re getting ready to start something you’ve been dreaming about for maybe many years. Fill your tank. I traveled a lot and spent a lot of time with family, and I’m so thankful I did. It’s a time to be quiet and think about your dreams and priorities for the next few years. Make sure to not start law school burned out. Start with a full tank. Allow yourself to pour into lives of others and allow folks to pour into you. Do some special things that have nothing to do with law school. You need to focus on doing non-legal things in the summer. Try to earn some money. Law school is really expensive, wherever you are and whatever your aid package is, it’s probably going to be more expensive than you guessed. If you can save some money, that’s great. Try not to work your first year – focus on your classes.
When you were at Baylor, what activities, clubs or internships helped you in your application process to law school and finding solid community?
I chose to focus on a few activities, and go pretty deep into those. I did not become a member of many organizations, but, rather, I chose the three that meant the most to me and stuck with them and increased in my leadership qualities. I was a member of Baylor’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity for all four years (Baylor was the first collegiate chapter) and I was president for the last two years – I got to meet former president Carter when he came to Baylor. ___. Of course, the construction skills were terrific to cultivate. IT helped me think about my understanding for housing for the poor, and what are call is as a Christians. It helped me hone my leadership skills. I was also fortunate to work for a congressman in my senior year – I was a political science major, so it was a really fun job. I got to know our congressman, and he became a strong advocate and was able to write a recommendation for me for law school. I was also a member of a sorority – I did intramurals and bible studies and service projects. For me, that was a joyful time.
What are three books that have significantly impacted your life?
Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott
Mile Markers: The 26.2 Most Important Reasons Why Women Run by Kristin Armstrong
The Joy of Cooking by Irma Rombauer
How did your faith factor into your work as a law student at Georgetown? How would you encourage Christian pre-law students to enter the field of law and law school?
It was, of course, central to my identity as a law student because it’s central to my life. I joined the Christian Legal Society the fall of my freshman year, and was really excited about finding likeminded students who shared my faith convictions, but also shared my hopes and dreams as aspiring lawyers. To be honest, it was a little discouraging to learn that the meetings were often arguments about certain bible passages. I decided to see if I could make that a more encouraging time, and became president. I also participated in something called Georgetown ULC Outreach, and tutored every Tuesday at a boys-and-girls-club where kids went after school for help with homework. We’d put our cares and worries aside for an hour and worked with kids who could care less that we were law students.
Find a church is key. I opened up the yellow pages, and, from their little descriptions, metro lines. It was one of those times that was a little bit quieter. You go from Baylor, where you go from a church for everyone in a town from Waco and friends to join the church with you. I felt like I was by myself, and it was a time of strengthening my faith and it was a significant time for me. I started teaching three-year-old Sunday School. Regular commitments apart from law school.
The contrast from Baylor to Georgetown was significant. I went from having a lot of Christian friends to a few deep Christian friends. I got to enjoy, for the first time, developing friendships with people of many different faiths and no faith. I was tested a lot by friends questioning my convictions, and that was a wonderful time for me – providing cohesion for my beliefs.
How did your career progress after law school?
I joined a large firm in Phoneix, Arizona (my hometown) and practiced labor/employment law. It was a terrific experience. I very much enjoyed the intellectual stimulation and the opportunity to conduct depositions, to go to hearings, to do a lot of high level things in my first few years. Compared to my friends who stayed in DC and NY and LA, I was actually flying and conducting depositions. I realized pretty early on that I didn’t aspire to be a partner at a big law firm. I started praying about what my next step might be. I began interviewing female judges and lawyers in Phoenix, and through those conversations and thinking and praying, I decided to consider academic. I was fortunate enough to express interest at Baylor at a time when an assistant dean position had just opened up. I loved that position, working with bright students all day on scholarship applications, law school applications, and I also taught constitutional development. That was really fun – to work with undergrads and help them … From the college of Arts & Sciences, I moved to the provost’s office and then served as chief of staff to our provost for five years. Most recently, I just took a full time faculty position.