As a community that champions our students and alumni we’re hoping the entire John Jay College family will rally behind alumna Lisa Cho ’20 and help her win the One Lawyer Can Change the World Scholarship by voting for her essay by July 17. In it, Cho details her incredible journey as an undocumented immigrant and her steadfast commitment to advocate for others. If she wins, the $10,000 scholarship will help pay for her first year of law school and enable her to continue uplifting minority voices and create real, positive change in all communities.
At John Jay, Cho,who earned her degree in Criminology and a Dispute Resolution Certificate, helped usher in an era of remarkable change for the College’s immigrant and undocumented community, reviving the DREAMers club, creating safe spaces for the community to honestly discuss its experiences, and helping to establish the College’s Immigrant Student Success Center (ImSSC)—the first of its kind in the City University of New York (CUNY) system. Her incredible drive to make the world a better, more inclusive place for all has earned her a finalist spot in BARBRI Law Preview’s One Lawyer Can Change the World Scholarship, which recognizes students entering law school who are working to effect change. As one of the 10 finalists, Cho will receive a free BARBRI Law Preview law school prep course to ready her for what’s ahead as a 1L student, and she has a chance of taking home the $10,000 grand prize, which would help pay for her first year at CUNY School of Law, lifting the financial burden that often deters many from earning postgraduate degrees.
“Winning the One Lawyer Can Change the World Scholarship would make an incredible impact on my life. It means I wouldn’t have to worry about paying for my first year of law school and can instead focus on my education and getting good grades.” —Lisa Cho
Taking Her Shot
Cho’s status as an undocumented immigrant means she has no access to federal financial aid and has to rely on merit-based scholarships to help put her through law school. “Winning the One Lawyer Can Change the World Scholarship would have an incredible impact on my life. It means I wouldn’t have to worry about paying for my first year of law school and can instead focus on my education and getting good grades,” says Cho, whose dream is to advocate for immigrants and other marginalized communities. “My hope is to be in the top percentile of my class and earn a spot in CUNY School of Law’s Immigration & Non-Citizen Rights Clinic [INRC] which would enable me to work with professors and other law students to support and advocate for the immigrant and non-citizen community, providing legal resources and awareness, and helping with cases, like asylum cases. It’s work that can transform lives for the better.”
“The work I do isn’t for my own benefit, it’s for the people coming up behind me. I want to open the doors for those who are often overlooked, that includes people from the undocumented, immigrant, and low income communities.” —Lisa Cho
Diversifying the Bar
The One Lawyer Can Change the World Scholarship contest requires all participants to submit an essay detailing how they intend to use their law degree to help change the world. For Cho, the answer came quickly and straight from the heart. “As a woman and undocumented immigrant, I recognize the lack of the diversity in many of our systems, including our legal system. I want to help diversify the legal profession and bring a new perspective. We need more diversity at the table to make sure no one is alienated by the law. We need different, empathetic points of view to ensure the issues that matter to underserved communities are carefully thought about and that the solutions to those issues are positive and impactful,” says Cho. Recognizing her determination to uplift others, Cho admits it comes from a desire of wanting to see others succeed and thrive in life. “A lot of the work I do isn’t for my own benefit, it’s for the people coming up behind me. I want to open the doors for those who are often overlooked, that includes people from the undocumented, immigrant, and low-income communities. I want to show that despite the adversities you face, you can overcome them and do amazing, inspirational things with your life.”
“We need more diversity at the table to make sure no one is alienated by the law.” —Lisa Cho
Casting Your Vote
Being named a finalist is an honor Cho sincerely appreciates. “Every single student on the list is so incredible and doing amazing work to be a change agent in society. It’s inspiring to be listed among them,” she says. Discussing her future, Cho is hoping to earn her law degree in 2023 and go on to work for a non-profit. “I want to be able to help people, make them smile, and see them achieve their dreams.” As she heads off to law school, Cho reminds us that she’s keeping her John Jay College community close to her heart. “After I earn my law degree and get my career going, I hope to one day come back to the College and donate my time or money to the Immigrant Student Success Center, the Ronald H. Brown Program, and the community as a whole,” says Cho. “John Jay College has given me so much that I want to give as much as I can to help the next generation of John Jay students succeed. They all deserve a chance to earn their degree, pursue their dreams, and help change the world for the better.”
Vote for Lisa Cho’s Essay in the One Lawyer Can Change the World Scholarship contest
