From the Great White North to one of the warmest places in the United States to several regions in-between, second-year law student Maggie Mae Lee has experience with quite the range of cultures and temperatures.

“I am Canadian, born and raised. I have lived in Canada my whole life.” Because of a family situation, Lee made the trek to Tennessee in her high school years and then to Miami, Florida subsequently. “I decided that I wanted to go to school in the United States because my younger sister was diagnosed with leukemia. The first time she was able to complete the treatment in Canada, no big deal. But then the cancer came back. After three years we realized it was a more complicated case. And that's when we moved to the United States for further treatment.”

“We went to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Tennessee. I did that year of high school by correspondence because I wanted to be with her. It was that experience that introduced me to the United States. The U.S. market really excited me. It is where things happen and the future is made.”

While Lee was in Tennessee finishing up high school, she applied to U.S. universities to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Her sister was still in the States, and Lee wanted to stay close to support her. Taking a chance on Florida, she moved further south to attend the University of Miami where she majored in international studies and political science and minored in English.

“Looking back, I think my English degree really helped me prepare for law school, and that's a major or minor that I would suggest to anyone who's going to law school.” More specifically, she explains that it taught her how to pick apart and separate ideas—critical tools for the legal profession.

“It was a really big culture shock, in a good way, going from Canada to Tennessee to Florida and then to Iowa. It is really cool to be exposed to the diversity of the States.”

Taking the leap to head to Miami was also an opportunity for personal growth. “I was able to become more personable from all the different challenges of putting myself out there and getting out of my comfort zone in Canada.” But it also came with challenges. “It was sometimes tough to focus on school when I'm in this whole other world and far from home. But I think it added to my overall education of becoming a more well-rounded person.”

Deciding to stay in the States for law school, Lee chose Iowa as her new home. “What drew me to Iowa was the connection to the East and the Midwest, as well as the affordability. When I found out about the Legal Research Assistant program, I was like, wow, that is major.” The Law Research Assistant program allows out-of-state students to receive benefits, such as in-state tuition, by working for a faculty member during their second and third years. Lee is currently a Research Assistant for the law library. The Iowa Law library is one of the largest library collections in the U.S.

Various student organizations at Iowa Law helped Lee to get connected right away, which was especially important to her as an international student. “I’m half Chinese, and it’s been really nice to connect with other international students.” She wanted to build relationships with classmates and help other students in similar circumstances navigate their situations.

Lee is the treasurer of the Asian Pacific Law Student Association and a member of the Organization of Women Law Students and Staff. Between the law school tailgates for the Hawkeye football games and the quality of teaching by Iowa Law professors, Lee has enjoyed her time in Iowa City. “Iowa is super welcoming, and everybody is really nice in the Midwest. That reminded me a lot about Canada.”

She tallied up yet another region of the U.S. this past summer while working at an insurance and criminal defense firm in Virginia, just outside of Washington D.C. Lee loved her experience on the East Coast, and it was during that time she realized her passion for corporate law. “I would really like to work with small businesses and help them grow.”

Lee will be returning to the Northeast for her 2L summer working for Phillips Lytle in Buffalo, New York. She is especially excited because she will only be about an hour from her family in Toronto, and the law firm even has an office in Canada. Venturing back north to enjoy both countries with her sister, who is in great health today, is an opportunity that Lee looks forward to in the upcoming months.