Sophia Burger and Audrey Riesbeck, both seniors at Seaver College, will attend top-ranked law schools this fall, according to a May 1 announcement. Burger has been accepted to the University of Chicago Law School, while Riesbeck will attend Harvard Law School.
Their story highlights how academic collaboration and shared experiences can shape students’ futures. Both women became friends during their first year at Pepperdine University and developed a close bond through three years in the Great Books program.
“We question a lot how we became friends,” said Riesbeck. “We’re not really sure how it happened, but Audrey just ended up on the beanbag my roommate and I kept. She was there 24/7,” added Burger.
As Regents Scholars, they participated in rigorous courses that challenged them to analyze classic works from Homer to Dostoevsky. “Isocrates wrote that the Greek spirit of competition, agron, was about improving performance, not winning or losing,” said Michael Gose, a professor of education at Seaver College who taught both students. “I understand that more completely, knowing the two of them. I revel in their friendship, and in the fact that two such exceptional students can become such great friends.”
Both pursued internships through Pepperdine’s Washington DC program—Burger at the Department of Justice and Riesbeck with United States Representative Mike Turner—which contributed to their law school applications along with strong grades and LSAT scores.
Reflecting on her preparation for law school interviews, Riesbeck said: “The Great Books program has been a huge help in this process… In interviews when they asked ‘Why do you feel prepared for law school?’ I said ‘Because I’ve read all these great texts; I can do it quickly; and I can find the key points.’”
As they prepare for graduation and new challenges ahead at different institutions across the country, both expressed optimism about maintaining their friendship despite distance. “It’s scary but I’m not worried about it,” said Riesbeck. “We text all the time. I’m sure we’ll FaceTime a lot.”