Better Than He Found it
Growing up in Morgantown, West Virginia, Ben Peters L'25 spent all of his spare time exploring the Appalachian mountains. His father, a wildlife biologist, made it a point to show his son the striking mountains, streams, and wildlife of their state as well as the forces that challenged their survival.
"West Virginia is one of the most naturally beautiful places in the world. Yet, because of the lack of regulation regarding corporations, the beauty of the state is threatened," the dual degree MMA and JD student explained.
Peters, who first discovered an interest in environmental law during an elective course at West Virginia Wesleyan College, came to Roger Williams University School of Law to become an environmental lawyer.
"My goal in life is to leave everything better than how I found it," he said. "I chose environmental law to ensure that something is left for the next generations."
When Peters first arrived at RWU Law, he didn't know a single person. And that was the point.
Having spent his entire life in West Virginia, Peters came to Rhode Island to expand his horizons in a different region. He was also drawn to the joint degree program which offered a Masters in Marine Affairs at the University of Rhode Island. Back home, the Atlantic Ocean was a seven-hour drive away, and the opportunity to experience and research a new ecosystem thrilled him.
"Moving here was a big leap for me," he admits. "But once I met my two roommates, who were also starting RWU Law, and we hit it off, everything became much easier."
Although he quickly found community, Peters’ first year wasn't always smooth sailing.
A biology major in college, he'd been trained to take notes in class that focused on numbers and data, skipping over text. However, succeeding in law school required studying in an entirely new way. That's when Elizabeth Colt, Professor of Legal Practice, stepped in to help.
"Things improved when she taught me not to skim through legal briefs and exactly how to pick out the important information," he said. He expects that skill to carry him through to litigating in courtrooms one day.
"The faculty at RWU Law don't want you to fail. Everybody here wants you to succeed, and they will stick with you until you do," Peters said. As a Student Ambassador, he shares his journey with prospective students, helping them to make the same transition he did to law school.
In the spring of 2024, an externship with the local Salt Ponds Coalition offered Peters invaluable hands-on experience. In this role he monitored town councils in Southern Rhode Island to learn if new projects might affect local salt ponds and surrounding wildlife. He researched new initiatives and wrote letters to local government officials on the nonprofit's behalf.
Executive Director, Alicia (Eichinger) Schaffner L‘09, an alumni of the RWU joint degree program herself, stepped in as his mentor. "I got the chance to conduct scientific research and blend it with my knowledge of the law. After seeing Alicia at work, I can now visualize myself doing something similar in the future. The entire experience affirmed that I was on the right path.”
This fall, that path will lead Peters to URI, where he'll begin his graduate coursework. "Protecting the environment is my passion, and this degree is going to give me the knowledge and expertise I need to advocate for it in the future," he said.