By Abigail Lauten-Scrivner, UM News Service
MISSOULA – The tale of David and Goliath is well known. Simply put, the underdog, against all odds, triumphs against the bigger, bullish opponent. University of Montana senior Stephen Hayes wants to add to the story: He wants to support the Davids of the world as their lawyer.
“I feel compelled to be on the side of David fighting against Goliath. Fighting for the little guy is something that’s important to me,” Hayes said. “Because that's the case, it naturally lends to wanting to investigate that from an academic standpoint.”
A nontraditional undergraduate and member of the Davidson Honors College, Hayes spent the past four years doing just that. While taking on extra legal work and volunteering, he achieved double majors in history and philosophy, as well as a minor in African-American Studies. Facing the bittersweet moment of graduation, the rigors of UM’s programs have brought Hayes one step closer to his goal of representing the underdog in a court of law.
For most of Hayes’ life though, he commanded audiences from a concert stage rather than a courtroom.
His journey into academia began in the early 2000s at his local college, the University of Denver, where he applied his talent as a musician to his major, music. After a few semesters, Hayes realized studying music was stifling his enjoyment of it. Needing a change of scenery, he left for Missoula in 2004, sight unseen, to connect with musician friends who attended UM.
“I...
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