Columbia, SC – July 10, 2024
Beyond Sports Internship Provides Valuable Insights for Ella Zeigler
Going the distance is nothing new for South Carolina rising junior cross country and track and field distance runner Ella Zeigler. Now, she’s learning about doing the same with thorough investigation as she spends time in the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office as part of the Athletics Department’s Beyond Sports Professional Development and Summer Internship program.
“I’m really interested in becoming a criminal investigator,” said Zeigler, who is double majoring in marketing and management while on a pre-law track. “I always thought I wanted to be a lawyer since I was eight years old because my uncle was a lawyer. I took a more practical route with business and took the business law class that was required, and I knew that law was what I wanted to do. So, I decided to go on the pre-law track and looked at different routes to go to law school. I saw the ‘3+3’ program in the Honors College and thought it was perfect.
“In the Honors College, there’s a path where you do three years of undergrad and three years of law school in conjunction with the USC Law School.”
For her Beyond Sports internship, Zeigler is working in the criminal division in the Sexually Violent Predators unit.
Eye-Opening Experience
“All of the cases I look at are convicted sexually violent predators,” Zeigler said. “A lot of what we do is look at them and decide whether to recommend them for release or for recommitment. We look at their case and their psychological evaluations. We have different SVP programs where they go and get mental health treatment to see if they can make progress on their intrusive thoughts of being predators and see if they can make progress in being reintegrated into society. That’s a pretty heavy thing to look at. So, part of what we do is to protect public safety.
“We also have opportunities to sit in on trials and listen to hearings. It’s interesting to see the behind the scenes work of how attorneys are preparing for trials or hearings as well as what happens if the convict is recommended for release, and we disagree. To see what happens behind the scenes before someone is put back in jail or released is very interesting.”
Confirming Career Path
Zeigler noted that the Beyond Sports internship helped her confirm that she has made the right choice for her career path. “It’s very eye-opening to see the type of people we’re dealing with every day,” Zeigler said. “I think I’d like to work in the investigative area, doing interviews, and interacting with the criminals. I definitely want to work in the criminal division. I’ve made a lot of incredible connections already, and I know this experience is going to look good on my resume going into law school and eventually getting a full-time job.”
Coming off some injuries the last couple of years and being one of the veterans on what will be a young cross country team this fall, Zeigler looks forward to taking on a leadership role for the Gamecocks this year.
