2011 Entering Class Profiles

Matthew Hoisington , 2012, United States

Why I chose Fletcher: I chose Fletcher because I wanted to gain an education in international law that incorporated perspectives from outside the law.  My own feeling is that law can provide part of the answer, but for complex problems, understanding the other forces at play is vitally important.  The multi-disciplinary curriculum at Fletcher, and the opportunity to study with non-lawyers, helps put international law in perspective and allows me to see issues from various angles. Aside from that, the second I walked into the Fletcher school I felt at home. There's a sense at the school that "we're all in this together," and the collegiality and support of my professors and fellow students represents something very special.

Something that has surprised me about Fletcher: One of the things that has surprised me since my arrival at Fletcher is the accessibility of the faculty. Prior to arriving, I was in awe when reading some of their CVs. It might be easy for such an accomplished group to keep themselves at a distance and attend to their own intellectual projects, but at Fletcher, my experience has been exactly the opposite. Whether it is Professor Glennon, Professor Johnstone, Professor Chayes, Professor Schultz, Professor Trachtman or one of the various other faculty members that I have come into contact with, I have found them to be extremely friendly. Professor Chayes even went so far as to invite the entire LLM class to her house for dinner! Overall, the willingness of the faculty to engage with the students makes the Fletcher experience singularly unique.