Scholar Entries - Hispanic Lawyers Scholarship Fund of Illinois

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Are you a past recipient of an Hispanic Lawyers Scholarship Fund award?

Name

Lohatany Argueta

Current Mailing Address

752 George Avenue
Aurora, IL 60505
United States
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Permanent Address (only if different from Current Mailing Address)

United States
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Phone

(630) 888-6095

Connection to Illinois

Resident

In what city do you intend to practice law upon graduation?

Aurora or Chicago

Name of Law School

University of Illinois Chicago School of Law

Class year

1st year law student

Full Time or Part Time Student?

Full Time

Date you began attending THIS law school

08/25/2025

Anticipated Graduation Date

05/07/2028

Current GPA

3.02

Name of Undergraduate Institution

Nova Southeastern University

Degree (BA, BSE, etc.) and Concentration/Major

BS in Law and Education

Undergraduate Graduation Date

05/05/2025

GPA

3.8

Undergraduate Honors, Awards, or Special Recognitions

Cum Laude
Deans Award
Deans List x4

Were you employed in 2025?

yes

If yes, please identify your employer(s).

Target
Nova Southeastern University

What was your immediate family’s (including you and your spouse or domestic partner, if applicable) estimated income from all sources for the 2025 Tax Year?

n/a

Do you expect to be employed in 2026?

yes

If yes, please identify your employer(s).

Target

Please estimate your immediate family’s (including you and your spouse or domestic partner, if applicable) income from all sources for the 2026 Tax year

n/a

Please estimate your parent's average annual household income over the last five years

75,000

Do your parents own or rent their home? Please describe, if necessary

Own there house

Describe your parents' health insurance situation. Do they have employer-sponsored health insurance, health insurance through the exchange, or no health insurance?

Employer health insurance

LIST below your total EXPENSES for attending law school for ONE YEAR (Please refer to example in FAQs)

Total Tuition Cost $

$37,440.00

Books Cost $

$1,400

Fees Cost $

$4,640.00

Housing Cost $

$6,000

Food Cost $

$5,000

Total Expenses $ (add above entries)

$54,480

LIST below your total FUNDING sources you plan to use to pay for these expenses (Please refer to example in FAQs)

Student Loans $

$35,956.00

Scholarships and Grants $

Personal Contribution (Savings/Employment) $

$18,524

Family Contribution $ (include parents, spouse, partner, etc.)

Total Funding $ (add above entries)

$54,480

For 2Ls and 3Ls, what is your current TOTAL loan debt from the previous law school years?

Please list any community service activities with which you have been involved in the last ten years, paying particular attention to activities in support of the Hispanic community. For each activity, please include the dates of your participation, a short description of the organization and the community they serve, and a description of the activity you performed to help them. (Please read FAQs before completing)

Translation Work
Dates: Approximately 2015–2026
Community Served: Hispanic and immigrant families
I grew up in an immigrant household and regularly helped my parents and other Spanish-speaking families navigate school, healthcare, and legal systems. I often acted as a translator and advocate, helping families understand forms, appointments, and communications they received. I have also translated in a more formal place, like the NSU Immigration clinic, and through UIC's immigration partnership with the NIJC's clinic.

Teaching and Educational Support
Dates: 2022–2025
Organization/Community Served: Public school students and families
As a teacher, I worked closely with students and families from diverse backgrounds, including many Hispanic and immigrant households. I helped families understand school procedures, special education services, and student support plans, and often served as a point of contact between families and school staff when language or system barriers were an issue.

Teaching Citizenship Exam
Dates: 2022–2025
Organization/Community Served: Nova Southeastern University (Pro Bono)
As a teacher, I worked closely with my students who were preparing for the Citizenship exam. We held class twice a week, and I taught them CIVICS and english.

Junior Chamber of Commerce & Community Engagement
Dates: 2023–2026
Organization/Community Served: Local community organizations and underserved populations
I worked with the Junior Chamber of Commerce in several roles supporting community initiatives. My work included assisting with pro bono-related projects, research, communications, and social media efforts that supported outreach and access to community resources, including programs benefiting immigrant and Hispanic communities.

Our Lady of Good Council Teacher
Dates: 2016–2022
Organization/Community Served: Religious education teacher
Led Sunday school classes, events, and community programs, fostering skill development.

Please provide a statement describing your background and focus your statement on your reasons for pursuing a legal career and your legal career goals. This statement is important. Please give it appropriate attention. (min. 1000 characters) (Please read FAQs before completing)

I am pursuing a legal career because I have seen firsthand how difficult it can be for Hispanic and immigrant families to navigate legal and institutional systems without support. I grew up in an immigrant household and, from a young age, often acted as a translator and advocate for my parents in legal, educational, and everyday matters. Those experiences exposed me early to how overwhelming the law can feel when language barriers, lack of resources, or fear of authority are involved, and they shaped my desire to become an attorney who serves families facing those challenges.

Before law school, I earned a degree in education and worked as a teacher. In that role, I worked closely with students and families, many from Hispanic and immigrant backgrounds, who were navigating school discipline, special education services, and administrative processes. I saw how legal issues often appear in educational settings long before families realize they need an attorney, and how the absence of advocacy can affect children’s long-term outcomes. Teaching reinforced my interest in working with children and families at the point where education, immigration, and child welfare intersect.

I am currently a first-year law student at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. Throughout law school, I have intentionally sought opportunities that align with my goal of immigrant child advocacy. I have accepted a Summer 2026 legal internship in Washington, D.C. with the ABA Center on Children and the Law, where I will work on issues involving child welfare and immigration. This experience will allow me to develop practical skills in legal research, policy, and advocacy while learning from attorneys engaged in national efforts to support children and families.

My long-term goal is to work in immigrant child advocacy, ensuring that children and families receive fair treatment and meaningful access to justice. I am also interested in administrative law and hope to eventually serve as an Administrative Law Judge, where I can contribute to equitable decision-making within government systems. As a Hispanic law student, former educator, and daughter of immigrants, I am committed to using my legal education to serve my community and advance justice for those who are often unheard.

Please upload a copy of your financial award letter labeled as follows: LastName.FirstName.FinAwardLtr*

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Argueta.Lohatany.FinAwardLtr.pdf

Please upload a copy of your resume labeled as follows: LastName.FirstName.Resume*

Please upload a copy of your law school transcript labeled as follows: LastName.FirstName.LSTranscript*