Legal and Administrative Offices Services graduate gives back

Shovandah Toliver had multiple job offers as she approached graduation from Metro Tech's Legal and Administrative Office Services program in May 2019. A single mother to three young children, Shovandah overcame many obstacles to achieve success during her time in the program. It was overcoming those obstacles, she said, that led her to a career helping families.

"I love the law and have wanted to be an attorney for as long as I can remember. The first time I visited Metro Tech's Legal and Administrative Office Services program met Ms. Anderson, I knew I was meant to be there," Toliver said.

Toliver originally enrolled in 2016, but went blind during a pregnancy due to gestational diabetes. Her vision returned two weeks after giving birth, and she continued in the program. She went on to win eight gold medals at the state level and a gold medal at the international level competing in Business Professionals of America, a CareerTech student organization that offers leadership and scholarship opportunities. She was named a merit scholar and qualified for the National Technical Honor Society both years at Metro Tech for achieving excellent grades and attendance. Managing her coursework and family was not easy, Toliver said, but it definitely paid off. Today, she works at Legal Aid as a paralegal after being offered a full-time position once she completed an internship.

"Everything I learned in my program at Metro Tech I use daily in my work. I work for 10 different attorneys in several areas of law, and when I accompany them to court and see the things I learned in action, I know I chose the right field. I have the opportunity to help so many families in their time of need," she said.

Toliver credits Metro Tech for helping her become the best version of herself and plans to continue her education to become an attorney.

Metro Tech's Legal and Administrative Offices Services is a full-time program open to high school and adult students. The program offers students an opportunity to develop a foundation in criminal, family and civil law as they learn to perform office management responsibilities in a corporate environment.