Broadening Horizons

Florence, Italy

Student Spotlight - Sather Gowdy

I had the privilege of meeting Sather within a few days, if not the first day, of orientation our 1L year. He has an infectious spirit that brings happiness and joy to all those around him, and if there is an “upperclassman” incoming students should know, he is at the top of the list! Sather has been jet-setting around Italy this summer, and I can’t thank him enough for humoring me with these questions.

First, here is the obligatory back story that everyone will share countless times in law school – where you’re from, where you went to undergrad, and what you got your degree in. Sather was born and raised in Spokane, is a Mead High School grad, and received his Bachelors in Sociology and Pre-Law from Whitworth University in 2011. Now let’s get this show on the road!

Nicole – Well we might as well start with the question I think every law student has been / will be asked at 50 times before the end of their first year ... Why did you want to go to law school?

Sather - I was that “weird little kid” that has wanted to be a lawyer since I was 7 years old. When the kids in my neighborhood used to play “cops and robbers,” I would always demand that when the robber was arrested he’d be given a “fair trial” with me as his lawyer. I would then insist that the game transform into a courtroom drama.

I remember one morning before going to school I was listening to NPR with my dad, and there was a story about a black man who had just been released from prison (somewhere in the South) after having been exonerated by DNA evidence and already serving something like 40 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. I remember the man talking about how over the 40 years he was in prison, his family had stopped coming to see him, his wife had left him, and even his closest friends doubted his innocence. The only person who stood by him (later winning his eventual release) was his underpaid/overworked public defender from his original case. In an interview, the man said about his attorney, “Sometimes heroes don’t have capes, just ratty briefcases and wrinkled suits.” This really hit me, and I’ll never forget it. At that moment I decided I wanted to be a hero for those people who are historically at a disadvantage in our justice system. Someone has to be there to protect the rights of those people, and that’s what I want to do.

N – What made you choose Gonzaga?

S – GU Law has always been the one (and only) law school I wanted to attend, and it’s the only one I applied to. Growing up in Spokane, I knew very well Gonzaga’s reputation as a place that truly cares about providing access to justice for people of poverty, minority groups, and others who are historically at a disadvantage in our justice system.

N – What did you think was most challenging thing about 1L year?

S – The first year was challenging for me because there’s nothing you can do to prepare for how much work it is. The homework/reading you have to do is honestly never really “done,” but rather you just have to teach yourself to stop for sleep, to eat and take care of yourself. 1L year really does “change how you think,” and that’s a slow and tough process, but in the end, if you stick it out and do the work, it can be an amazing experience.

N – And what was the most rewarding thing about your 1L year?

S – Towards the end of my first year I was out with my family and we saw a person slip and fall on a wet floor at a local store. Without even thinking about it, I rattled off the prima facie elements of a negligence tort and the look on my mother’s face was priceless. It was at that moment that I knew that all the hard work of my first year had paid off and that I really did “know” the material. That was a truly rewarding day.

N – So I’ve been following you on social media this summer and what you’ve been posting from the Florence program looks amazing! You’ve had the opportunity to go twice now . . . what was your favorite take away each year?

S – I’m extremely fortunate to have been accepted to the GU Florence program these last two summers. Ever since I was very young I had dreamed of visiting Florence and as someone who loves both art and history, there are few places in the world where those interests meet in such a spectacular way. Over the last two summers (at the time of this interview) I have visited 73 of the 89 official museums/churches/historical sites in Florence. I hope to see all 89 before the end of this year’s program.

Aside from soaking in all the art and history in this amazing city, one of my favorite things (both years of the program) has been the chance to meet, compete against and become friends with the Italian law students from Florence University. In this world that is becoming more and more interconnected, it is extremely valuable for us students to have a chance to build relationships, both professional and personal, with people from other countries and cultures. It not only makes us more well-rounded, but can only serve to better us in our future careers as lawyers.

N – What was the most challenging aspect of the Florence program?

S – The first 10 days or so of the Florence program is a lot of work, and maybe the most challenging part of the entire program. Not only are most of the students adjusting to a rather significant time difference (and the inevitable travel mishaps that are bound to happen) but we hit the ground running. We dive right into not only the classroom routine but also into preparations for the International Mediation Competition that we participate in against the law school students from the University of Florence.

After the Mediation Competition takes place, things start to calm down and it becomes much easier to enjoy the sights and culture of Florence.

N – . . . so tell me about this project/ challenge you've been doing finding and recreating scenes from Hannibal . . .

S – Haha. Oh wow, this is a bit embarrassing. Well, Silence of the Lambs is one of my all-time favorite movies and books, and I think Dr. Lecter is one of the greatest villain characters of all times. He’s an intellectual and enjoys only the finest things in life and even though he’s “evil,” he also has a strict ethical code – he only eats “the rude.” The character of Dr. Lecter defies (at least externally) all of our assumptions of what a monster is. I love the complexity of the character, and I also really enjoy the sequel film “Hannibal,” a large portion of which was shot in Florence. Because I really enjoy the world and characters created by Thomas Harris (the author of the Lecter Saga) and because I figured it would be a creative way to get to know Florence, on my first visit I made it my mission to find the locations around the city used (or referenced) in the movies and TV shows.

Some of the locations are easy to find because they are important, or famous spots around the city, but others are very obscure and have been harder to find – they require exploration of places in Florence that are off the beaten track! When I find one of the locations, I usually take a picture, and then use a still from the movie(s)/TV show as an overlay to show both the location depicted on screen, and what I see when I’m standing there. It’s definitely a nerdy way of exploring Florence, but it’s also has provided a really fun way to explore every nook and cranny of Florence.

N – Did you have the opportunity to travel after the program last year, if so where did you go? And where are you going this year?

S – After the Florence program last year, I spent a week in Rome with my father and had a wonderful time exploring that city, walking the same paths walked by the likes of Caesar and touring the treasures of the Vatican. This year, after the Florence program concludes I’m going to visit Paris for a week, where I will meet up with a former exchange student from France that lived with my family a number of years ago. Then, because Winston Churchill is my favorite historical figure of all time, I’m going to spend another week in/around London, visiting Churchill sites such as the Churchill War Rooms, Chartwell (Churchill’s home for most of his adult life), and Blenheim Palace (where Churchill was born and where he is buried).

N – Who would you recommend participate in the Florence program?

S – I would recommend the Florence program for anyone who has an interest in international law, in Italian art/history, for those who are looking for a way to expand on the legal education that is offered in the traditional classroom setting, and for those who want to step out of their comfort zone and want the chance to have meaningful interactions with students from other parts of the world.

N – Shifting gears a little, let’s talk about Heal Spokane, an awesome non-profit you’ve started, while in law school (and during the madness that is 2L year no less). I’ve had the privilege of seeing you speak on the local news and to Spokane City Council about the organization and how you are on a mission to heal the community through service and kindness. It is such an important cause and has received a lot of positive feedback since you’ve started it. How do you balance growing this non-profit organization you've created with the rigors of law school?

S – I think part of my success in balancing the rigors of law school with my responsibilities with Heal Spokane is that when I started the non-profit, I had no idea how much work it would actually be. There’s something to be said for the enthusiasm of starting something new, without any conception of the difficulties that come with it. Also, I have many people– from my Board of Directors, too many volunteers–that all play a vital role in furthering the mission of Heal Spokane. I am also a firm believer that you can make time for almost anything if you plan and maintain a detailed schedule, and make whatever “it” is a priority in your life.

I have decided community service, and inspiring others to get involved to community service, are going to be priorities in my life, alongside all of my other responsibilities of law school. That means that sometimes I will have to put service before my free time, or before other leisure activities, but when it’s a priority it doesn’t feel like a sacrifice. Not to mention when I am serving others, or doing a speaking gig, I feel very restored in my soul, and while sometimes it’s hard to “find the time” to go out and serve others, I have never once regretted it.

N – What is the best way for new students to get involved?

S – First, let me say that I’d be honored if any new students wanted to get involved with Heal Spokane. The best way to get involved is to check us out / follow the organization on social media. There is a Facebook group, our website is www.healspokane.com, and we are on Instagram too. These platforms will keep you up to date with what Heal Spokane is doing around town and any upcoming service opportunities that we are be planning. I can also be contacted personally via the website, or if you see me around school, I’d love to chat in person about how people can help.

N – Is there any other wisdom or words of advice you'd like to share?

S – Over the past eight months, I have become convinced that people are capable of withstanding any adversity as long as they believe in the “rightness” of their cause, and as long as they maintain what Winston Churchill called “an unconquerable willpower.”

We all will experience times of great stress, pain, and sorrow in our lives, and in those hours, it may seem like everything is telling us to doubt ourselves and to give up. However, if you remain committed to what you believe, and refuse to quit or stray from the course of action that you know to be right, then you will become an unstoppable force. Whether it’s with law school, your future career, or a cause that you feel called to support… “Never give in.”