College of Arts and Sciences
Major: Political Science
Current Occupation: Assistant Corporate Counsel, ATMI, Inc.

Heather Schroder’s mom will tell you that her daughter was destined to become a lawyer. After all, by junior high school Heather was involved with the junior Chamber of Commerce and Young Republicans. But, for Heather, the path to a law career was further down the road. She elected to major in business at first. “I thought it had the most potential of any major to help me become successful,” she explains.

Despite her 4.0 GPA, though, Heather didn’t really find her passion until Dr. Gary Rose’s First Amendment class. “It was the greatest class ever,” she remembers. “We had weekly debates about controversial issues involving freedom of speech, religion and the press.” She immediately switched her major to political science and, with Dr. Rose’s encouragement, completed an internship at the Capitol with then State Senator David Cappiello, where she discovered a whole new world—and loved it.

Heather went on to Syracuse University College of Law, earning her law degree as well as her Master’s in Public Administration. After almost a year with a law firm in New York City, she returned to Connecticut and became assistant corporate counsel for ATMI, Inc., a company that specializes in process solutions and manufacturing for both the semiconductor and life sciences industries. She’s also teaching a new core curriculum course at SHU called “The Individual and Society,” conveying her enthusiasm for the law and politics to Sacred Heart students.

“It’s so much fun to be back at Sacred Heart,” she says. “This is a school where students are given a broad, diverse, meaningful education. In the Catholic intellectual tradition, Sacred Heart ensures that students graduate with all the tools needed for a successful career and a successful life.”