Georgia State University law students are trading the comforts of a traditional classroom for a hands-on educational experience at the Paris Olympics this summer. As part of their Legal Life course, Professor Moraima "Mo" Ivory is leading more than 30 students on an all-expenses-paid trip to dive into the business and legal intricacies of the global sporting event. This opportunity, primarily funded by a donation from Delta Airlines, builds on Ivory’s innovative approach to teaching that routinely brings stars like Steve Harvey and Rick Ross into the mix for insider legal discussions, as informed by WABE yesterday.
Their weeklong journey to France will not just involve sitting in the stands but engaging with the Olympic ecosystem, exploring the Olympic Village, and attending opening ceremonies. Through this, students are expected to receive an immersive education, engaging directly with legal and business concepts in a real-world context. Ivory believes in illustrating lessons through pop culture and by doing so aims to both enhance their academic experience and create new professional opportunities for them.
According to a previous article by WABE, the Legal Life curriculum tackles various topics such as NBC’s broadcasting rights, intellectual property ownership, and the structure of the International Olympic Committee. The students have also been privy to insights from esteemed guest speakers like Edwin Moses, an Olympian, and Andrew Young, the civil rights icon and Atlanta’s mayor during the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Once in Paris, the students have an agenda that goes beyond spectating: participating in a scavenger hunt for trademarks and spending time with a local law school. As Ivory took her class by surprise with news of the Olympic trip, she saw how Delta Airlines jumped at her proposition only 48 hours after the pitch, a testament to the value seen in educational investments like these. Ostensibly, the trip is meant to offer more than knowledge—it’s a direct conduit to practical skills and potentially pivotal industry connections.
One of Ivory's students, Hannah Nodar, was keen to share her excitement with WABE about the trip, not only as an opportunity for personal growth but as a unique talking point in job interviews. "I think it’s more practical, especially in a legal sense. I think it’s really cool to be able to go into an interview and describe what a licensing agreement is or what a record deal entails," Nodar said. Furthermore, another student, Ayanna Grant, highlighted the importance of this experience, considering her background and aspirations to become an entertainment lawyer, stating, "Seeing who’s putting on and helping to make the Olympics happen, that’s an amazing opportunity," in an interview with WABE.
