My sister-in-law's suffering made me certain that I had made the right choice for my life's work. A native of Colombia, she has been married to my brother for almost three years, and their daughter just turned one. Although she is very happy here in the United States, she misses her family desperately. She send them videotapes of the baby, but, because there is so much legal red tape involved, she has been unable to visit her homeland or have any of her relatives come to visit her. Her mother has been trying to arrange a visa, but Colombian officials are reluctant to grant her request, fearing that, once she joins her daughter and new granddaughter, she will refuse to return to Colombia. I have become very close to my sister-in-law and have come to share her torment at the legalities that can separate families. I have always been interested in law as a career, and her case has shown me what a difference I might be able to make. By understanding and mastering the legal system, I would be able to use my talents to help people whose lives are disrupted and torn apart by immigration rules and regulations.
My sister-in-law's case has helped me see that I could do work that genuinely matters in people's lives. Hofstra has always been my first choice of schools that can enable me to realize my dreams.
I received my BA in criminal justice in December 2000, from Long Island University, CW Post College. As an undergraduate, my courses included the study of criminal law, criminal procedure, and a course in gender and its relationship to the law. I was a member of the National Criminal Justice Honor Society and was awarded my degree magna cum laude. I completed an internship program at the Education and Assistance Corporation (EAC), a statewide nonprofit organization for first-time offenders who have either been convicted of shoplifting offenses or who have anger-management problems. In this position, I was able to work with pro...