Miami Scholars - Class of 2010

Aryn Emert

Having been interested in psychology since high school, Aryn finally realized her true calling after taking a class entitled “Law and Psychology.” Her passion was sparked. Since that time she has been fully committed to making an impact on the community, acquiring various prestigious recognitions on her way.

One avenue of this pursuit manifested itself when Aryn founded a non-profit organization to build the self-esteem of disabled children through sports activities. Sports Esteem, Inc. was designed to teach children social skills, particularly self-advocacy skills, in order to make them feel more comfortable interacting with others.
Her desire to help others grew as she became involved in two other significant projects- A Place to Talk and Peace by Peace. The former organization is one to which Aryn was specially selected by John Hopkins University to mentoring college students in the Baltimore area, where she was a student. She represented the project as a peer leader for two years. Her desire to mediate conflict and assist others was further advanced with her involvement in Peace by Peace. She was eventually elected to the Executive Board and it was through the organization she worked to develop alternatives to violence in the inner city, utilizing mediation and advocacy.

Aryn received the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, a $10,000 grant for research and travel to China where she would explore “China’s forced incarceration of political dissenters to psychiatric facilities,” she relates. She notes, “My research includes a first hand account at Peking University in Beijing.” Inspired by her Chinese language teacher, who had related horrific stories regarding forced re-education and “political psychotics” oppressed by the mental health institutions in China, motivated Aryn to complete her research. She says, “I learned much about a political system far different from our own. It caused me to appreciate the freedoms in our country and to bring them into deeper focus.”

Marya Farah

At the University of Chicago, Marya received her Master in Public Policy which she plans to utilize, along with the skills acquired at law school, to continue helping the community, not only locally, but internationally. Marya comments that, “At the risk of seeming like my head is in the clouds… I find it hard to differentiate between a legal career and public service.” She also says, “Public service, either at a domestic or international level, is crucial to upholding equality and bringing societal issues to the forefront.”

One of the experiences that helped her realize the importance of access to legal assistance and equality under the law occurred recently. Marya spent nine months working with Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, where they have limited rights. With no mobility or political power, these individuals are dependent on the United Nations, including the Education Program at the United Nations Relief & Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), the program with which Marya taught elementary school children.

She hopes to continue working on human rights and refugee issues, specifically pertaining to the Middle East. “I think that a degree in international law would be invaluable… in redressing the grievances of those that have been dispossessed or do not have their basic rights met,” she says. In addition to creating a more stable regional environment, she hoped it will allow the children she met to grow up in a more secure setting.

Shannon Greco

California native Shannon Greco attributes much of her desire to pursue public service to her parents and the way in which she was raised. Having visited forty countries on six continents, Shannon, by her own description, “has seen some dire living conditions in far too many parts of the world.” Hoping to follow her parents’ example, she is dedicated to “researching and correcting human rights violations, and helping women and children obtain access to better health and educational services.” Aspiring to one day work for the United Nations, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights or the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Shannon is off to a strong start.

Having double-majored in Latin American Studies and Spanish, with a minor in Portuguese, she mentions that she has a special desire to stop human trafficking, especially in the Americas. She is also skilled in Japanese and has basic knowledge of Russian and Arabic. Other than her linguistic skills, which have allowed her to develop a means of communication between a wide variety of people, Shannon was highly active at the University of Virginia and in the surrounding community. Shannon worked at a Chesapeake public school as a substitute teacher and also taught as an English teacher for the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program.

“A lawyer,” she concludes, “is a defendant of the law, has the immense duty and responsibility to assure people the protection of their rights, and therefore to provide them with access to the tools needed to advance and succeed.”

Tamara Kosic

During her stay at De Paul University in Chicago, Tamara completed a double major in political science and journalism, while also leaving a significant mark on the college community. Not only did Tamara graduate with highest honors, placing her at the top 1% of her class, but she was also selected as graduation speaker and was extremely active at the university.

A Mock Trial participant, she won numerous awards for her involvement and helped lead her team to Nationals for the first time. Tamara also helped one of her professors co-write a chapter for a book. The piece, entitled “Communication and Conflict in the 21st Century,” relates to some of the issues that have emerged in a globalizing world.
After graduation, Tamara joined the Peace Corps and served in Morocco for over a year. During this time she became fluent in Tamazert, one of the Berber dialects. She traveled to Nogales, Arizona to help Mexican immigrants through an organization called No More Deaths. Tamara’s efforts fit in with her lifetime commitment to service, which she realized was a key factor in influencing her journey to law school.

In the hopes of one day representing Amnesty International, the American Civil Liberties Union, or the National Organization for Women, Tamara recognizes the important role that lawyers play. She states that “as the world becomes closer, information freer, and tensions higher, lawyers will become critical players in the future of the United States and international community.”

Regan Kruse

Equipped with a B.A. in International Development Studies (with an emphasis on the Political Economies of Latin America and Southeast Asia) from the University of California Berkley, Regan Kruse is well prepared to investigate the problems and prospects for development in regions of the world. “My interest in the major stemmed from my international travel, volunteer, and study abroad experiences,” Regan explains. “I chose [that course of] study… [in order] to better understand the causes of international inequalities, and to acquire the knowledge needed to work towards social justice.”

Having become fluent in Spanish, Regan was better able to immerse herself in legal work, serving as an immigration paralegal at Revilla and Goldstein, P.A. and the Law Office of Robert Jobe. Through her work, Regan acquired an in-depth knowledge of US Immigration and Naturalization Law, judiciary, and penal systems.

Regan also taught in Hue, Vietnam as part of the University English Teacher Volunteers in Asia, taking charge of a class of approximately 15 students for two months. She served in the Peace Corps in Guarambare, Paraguay. During her term, she completed workshops on Latin American public health, including HIV/AIDS prevention, to best explore the depth of issues associated with rural Paraguay. “I have observed the social divisions and inequities… and am drawn to Public Interest Law by my desire to battle social injustices,” she states. “It is my hope that I can use my knowledge of the law to help empower disadvantages communities.”

Monique Lavender

Monique Lavender graduated from the University of Connecticut Magna Cum Laude with a double major in Economics and Political Science. Inspired by her mother to rely on work ethic and education, Monique successfully balanced many commitments at once to arrive at where she is today.

She served as District Press Secretary and Grants Coordinator for Congressman John Larson, a position she earned after working as his Staff Assistant. Having more than doubled Larson’s news coverage with her attention-grabbing press releases and informative editorials, she utilized her writing skills to catch the attention of the press and the district’s constituents.

During this time, Monique also completed two major papers entitled “Gender Discrimination in the American Labor Market” and “How Religion Crippled the Medieval Economy: Christianity, Judaism and Islam.” The latter examined the interaction between social values and economics, while both projects served to cultivate her research and writing skills.

In the future, Monique hopes to work on the behalf of the economically disadvantaged. “I am especially interested in the fields of economic justice and international human rights law, and hope to pursue a career in advocacy based on either of these issues,” she says. “I am confident that I will find my niche in public interest law.”