Pursuing a Master of Legal Studies (MLS) at Seattle University School of Law gave Roxanne Pascoe the tools to think differently, communicate more effectively, and expand her impact in food safety, public health, and regulatory compliance. “My path to this degree was shaped by a convergence of personal loss, career clarity, and a long-held desire for growth,” she says.
You Might As Well Work Towards It
Roxanne’s path to graduate school wasn’t linear. For years, earning a master’s degree felt out of reach, until personal loss “shifted my understanding of time and the privilege of aging. It pushed me to stop postponing the goals that mattered to me.” She recalls advice from a colleague that has stuck with her ever since: “The time is going to pass either way. You might as well work toward it.”
Roxanne made the decision to begin, balancing a full-time career while pursuing her MLS degree one course at a time. With a background in foods and nutrition from Seattle Pacific University, she had built a career in food safety and public health, working with organizations like Ecolab’s Ecosure division and Metropolitan Market. She realized, through her experiences, how often meaningful safety improvements intersect with legal, regulatory, and compliance questions. That realization ultimately shaped her decision to pursue this degree.
“I kept running into barriers framed as ‘legal reasons,’” she explains. “I realized I needed to understand the language of law to move ideas forward.”
Advancing a Career Through Legal Knowledge
Today, as a Senior Public Health Advisor at Starbucks on the Global Food Safety & Quality Governance team, Roxanne applies what she’s learning in real time. “I don’t intend to pursue a JD,” she says, “but a master’s in legal studies gives me something equally valuable: fluency. It teaches me the language and logic of law, tools I can use to advance safety, compliance, and public health in meaningful and practical ways.”
The MLS program has strengthened her ability to:
- Navigate legal frameworks and regulatory systems
- Conduct in-depth legal research and analysis
- Communicate effectively across legal, compliance, and operational teams
- Evaluate risk and support organizational decision-making
“The degree has helped me translate between operational realities and legal frameworks,” she says. “It’s made me more strategically useful.”
Inside the MLS Experience
Roxanne quickly discovered that success in an online MLS program is all about sustainability. After initially taking on a full course load, she shifted to one class per semester, allowing her to fully engage with the material while maintaining balance with her career. She found particular value in courses like:
- Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing, which transformed how she approaches research and argumentation
- Contracts, which directly connects to her work in governance and compliance
- Risk Management and Auditing, offering practical insight into operationalizing risk
- Organizational Investigations and Employment & Labor Compliance, deepening her understanding of workplace law and accountability
She is also proud of the ways she has pushed herself, building more nuanced legal arguments, exploring unfamiliar areas of law, and applying classroom insights directly to her work. The relationships built with classmates and mentors have been equally meaningful.
Real-World Impact and Career Growth
One of Roxanne’s proudest accomplishments is how quickly her education has translated into career advancement. During a recent reorganization at Starbucks, she was selected for a global governance role that closely aligns with her MLS studies. “I remember thinking, ‘I feel very seen,’” she shares. “It was one of those rare moments where the effort, late nights, and discipline suddenly felt very tangible.”
She’s also applied her learning in practical ways, including building an internal legal resource library for her team and strengthening cross-functional collaboration with legal and compliance partners. “This degree is helping me carve out a niche as a non-lawyer legal expert in food safety, public health, and governance. It’s broadening the types of roles I can grow into, especially those that require bridging operational expertise with regulatory and compliance insight.”
Advice for Future MLS Students
For those considering a Master of Legal Studies degree, Roxanne offers straightforward advice: “Don’t wait for the perfect moment, create a structure that works for your life and begin. Take the classes seriously, lean into the research, and stay curious. The program rewards people who explore, ask questions, and bring their real-world experiences into the classroom.”
The perfect moment is right now. If you’re ready to invest in your future, apply for the MLS at Seattle University School of Law.
