Sister Act
The term “mundane” doesn’t exist in the Drygass family vocabulary. For sisters Heidi JD’03 and Holly JD’05, growing up on the rural outskirts of Fairbanks, Alaska, meant that adventure was only a step out the door.
When it came to their education, however, the chance to study law at Willamette beckoned with a different kind of opportunity — one that promised to test the ruggedness of their minds.
“We like the idea of being challenged. We've never shied away from anything, and law school presented a new and exciting opportunity.”
The only sisterly rivalry between Heidi and Holly Drygass is who can talk most glowingly about Alaska. The closeness they display comes from a tight-knit family and the fact that they lived miles away from other kids their age. They were raised together on a steady diet of the Alaskan outdoors — hiking, skiing, fishing, snowshoeing and camping. “Those are the hobbies that we’re used to because that’s how you entertain yourself in Alaska,” explained Heidi, the eldest sister by two years. “There certainly aren’t any amusement parks in Alaska.”
Why did these sisters leave the splendors of Alaska to study law in Oregon? Heidi and Holly have a simple explanation — they were looking for a challenge. “We like the idea of being challenged,” said Heidi. “We’ve never shied away from anything, and law school presented a new and exciting opportunity.”
“I knew that the profession of law would challenge all of my faculties,” said Holly. “I also knew that I would never go to work and feel bored or find myself doing something mundane.”
For Heidi, studying law at Willamette tested her limits mentally, physically and emotionally. She also described her time at Willamette as one of the most stimulating in her life. “I miss that atmosphere of being with people who really want to learn,” she said. “The people who go to law school, especially at a place like Willamette, are driven and want to discuss important issues in law and in life. They are also just down-to-earth and fun to be around. They’re normal people with extraordinary abilities.”
Those same qualities piqued Holly’s interest in Willamette. Having her older sister at the same law school was “icing on the cake.” She had someone to show her the ropes and provide a steadying hand during the challenging first term of law school. “Heidi used to tell me, ‘don’t panic, it’s going to be over before you know it and you’re going to do great.’” recalled Holly. “The best advice she gave me was to take time for myself, exercise regularly, cook dinner and relax a bit, because otherwise I would go crazy.”
In her third year at Willamette, Holly had her sanity firmly in hand — a feat she credits in no small measure to the College of Law’s collegial spirit. “The biggest reason I like Willamette is that I don’t feel like a number,” she said. “Everyone tries to help you. I suspect that doesn’t happen at a lot of schools.”
Upon graduation, Holly hoped to use her legal abilities to help influence the lives of others in a positive and meaningful way. “I like the idea of being a problem-solver and a counselor. I really see myself doing that and being happy.”
Holly wasn’t so sure she’d follow her older sister Heidi’s lead and return to Alaska after graduation. Heidi spent her final year of school clerking for a superior court judge in Fairbanks. The work was intense, complicated and exactly what she was looking for. Her diverse caseload involves everything from civil and criminal law to family law. “I think I’m lucky because I get to work on such a broad range of issues,” said Heidi.
Heidi’s clerkship also gave her a unique glimpse into the advantages and challenges of practicing law in a tight-knit community like Fairbanks. “You have to build a good reputation for yourself because everyone knows who you are,” she said. “At some point, you’re bound to cross paths with every attorney in town.”
While life and their careers may eventually take them to different areas of the country, both sisters know that they can always go home to Alaska to find love, camaraderie and renewal. For them, Alaska is more than just the place where they grew up. It is the bedrock of their identity formed by the most important people in their lives — their family. “My parents are the people who have influenced my life the most,” said Holly. “They’ve been very supportive of what we’ve wanted to do. I know it was hard for them to see us leave Alaska, but they pushed us to go to Oregon because they knew we wanted to practice law.”
Leaving home may have been a difficult decision for Heidi and Holly, but it is clear from the choices they have made that Willamette College of Law was a challenge they simply couldn’t resist.