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A Passion for Students and Justice: Christine Leavitt’s Bryan University Journey 

Emily Bradshaw

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Attorney. Educator. Long-distance runner. Pianist. Mentor. Mom. Bryan University’s Paralegal & Legal Studies Program Director Christine Leavitt wears a lot of hats, but one theme runs through all of them: passion that can’t be missed. 

A heasdshot of a smiling woman

Whether she’s guiding students through legal concepts or encouraging learners who doubt themselves, since joining Bryan University in August 2014, her work has been grounded in connection, energy, and possibilities.  

Before working in education, she worked as in-house counsel and spent time traveling internationally with USAID, including time spent in Ukraine and Moldova. There, she taught at law schools to bring updated legal practices and information to students abroad.  

“I really enjoyed interacting with students,” she recalled.   

That enjoyment eventually sparked a career shift. During a time when she had four young children and a need for flexibility, she began exploring teaching opportunities, and she found BU.   

She was initially hired to teach business and contract law, but before long, her role evolved, and she moved to introductory courses where she could work even more closely with students at the beginning of their academic journeys. 

For Christine, a career in law almost seemed inevitable. She recalled being told she was always argumentative and should be a lawyer. But in actuality, coming from a family of medical professionals, she started college on the pre-med track. 

“I did well in all my pre-med classes, but I really liked my political science and liberal arts classes a lot more,” she said.  

That realization, combined with the influence of her grandfather, an attorney, helped reshape her direction.  

“He has been a huge role model to me for my entire life. Just an amazing person,” she said. “He went through law school, and that kind of geared me towards political science and pre-law. And funny enough, my brother also went to law school, and he is also now a professor.”  

A woman taking a selfie in front of an Arizona landscape

She said it was how her grandfather practiced law that left the deepest impression. 

“I think my grandpa was a big influence in our lives because he wasn’t that contentious, argumentative stereotypical lawyer,” she said. “He was more about bridging gaps, bringing people together, and solving problems. He was always super charismatic, kind, and loving, and I think we both saw that in the career of being a lawyer.”  

She brings that same mindset into her work with Bryan University students.  

“I love working with students, and especially those who may not know that they can do it, or not know the possibilities, and how incredible, and how smart, and how capable they are.” 

Hearing that a student has landed a job in the field is one of the most rewarding parts of her role, along with knowing that those opportunities can reshape entire families’ lives.  

“To get a career where they can work during the day so they can be home with their kids at night, and they can still provide for their families with one job and not three. That is, I think, the most rewarding part of my job, and why I stay here, because we are changing lives, and we are changing families.”  

Many Bryan University students are first-generation college students, and she understands the challenges that can come with non-traditional pathways.  

“I get student responses saying their family is not even supporting them in school, and their family is asking them, why are you doing that? Why are you spending your time and money?”   

She’s especially passionate about believing in and supporting those students. She recalled her own experience starting law school while she was pregnant, which was not her plan. 

“I had teachers who believed in me and family that were supportive,” she said. “I think it’s so important for students to know that even if your circumstances are not what you planned, it’s never too late for you to go into a new field, start a career that you’re truly interested in, and begin working at a job that is best for you and your family and is something you’re passionate about.”  

That perspective is deeply tied to why she believes in Bryan University’s mission. 

“That’s something that I really believe in, and that’s why I believe in the Bryan University mission, that it doesn’t matter what zip code you’re from.”   

That student-first mindset is reflected in the paralegal program itself; from day one, students operate as if they’re part of the fictional Bryan & Associates Law Firm. They engage in realistic casework that evolves across courses and legal disciplines.   

“In the real world you aren’t getting knowledge dumps and then vomiting back out what you crammed for. You’re getting feedback, making corrections, and resubmitting,” she said.  

She continued, “I don’t like busy work; I don’t like stuff that’s not going to matter. I want our students to get real value from their time spent. I want our students to be able to think critically, I want them to have opinions, and I want them to be able to use AI the right way.” 

Just as important to her is fostering connections in an online environment — something she’s poured into endlessly.   

“Those are things that we very, very intentionally try to build,” she said. “In the Paralegal and Legal Studies programs, we have live events that you can be involved in five days a week.” 

Through homework hours, study groups, weekly industry workshops, inter-university debates, and the student-led Paralegal Club, the program puts academic and professional community at the forefront. 

“We are very student-centric and have a lot of community-building opportunities,” she said.  

She speaks with pride about her department and faculty, most of whom are practicing attorneys. 

“One of the things that’s really important to me is that we have instructors who are working in the field and are able to be mentors for students,” she said. “They love the students, and they want to give back, and they believe in education.” 

She added, “Our legal instructors are here to make a difference and change lives. They’re not here to get a paycheck.” 

A smiling family in front of an Arizona landscape

Outside of work, she brings the same energy and intensity to life.  

She’s an avid outdoor enthusiast and long-distance runner; she enjoys hiking, paddleboarding, and traveling with her family, at times even living months out of a trailer. 

She’s also candid about her personal quirks — she’s not organized or clean; she can’t live without her Tevas or her water bottle; and she’s an accomplished pianist.   

She’s also a PhD Candidate at ASU, on the AAfPE outreach committee, on the board of Cherish Families, and she even served as the managing editor of Feminist Criminology for three years, and more.  

Underlying everything she does is a deep commitment to justice.  

“There’s so much inequality, there’s so much injustice, there’s so much harm being done to people because they either don’t know their legal rights, or our system is so inaccessible.”  

A woman standing on a mountain with her hands in the air

That’s reflected in what she said is the best advice she’s ever received, which is about controlling your destiny.  

“It’s easy to sometimes just feel like life is dictated for you, and yes, there are absolutely priorities that need to happen. But you can also choose. That’s where the both/and mindset comes into play,” she said. “Learning the concept of both/and, not either/or, has been really helpful in my life. I love knowing that we can change, and that what I’m doing today, if I get tired of it in five years, I can do something different, and that’s okay.”  

For those considering a career at Bryan University, her perspective is simple: “I would encourage them to do it.” 

“It’s fun to work with people who believe in challenging the equity and justice of higher education, to really help students change their lives as well as the lives of their family. That needs to be the true north if you are going to work here. That is why we do everything that we do,” she said.  

Each month, we shine a light on one of our amazing team members through the Bryan University Employee Spotlight. Every employee is eligible. Want to join our team? Explore Careers at Bryan University! 

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