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

Emma #1509A

Current Mailing Address

1933 Polk st ch
#1509A
Chicago, IL 60613
United States
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If mailing address is temporary, expected date when current mailing address is no longer valid

05/19/2026

Permanent Address (only if different from Current Mailing Address)

806 S Damen Ave
Chicago, IL 60612
United States
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Phone

(626) 206-5724

Connection to Illinois

I moved to Chicago to attend law school.

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

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

08/26/2025

Anticipated Graduation Date

05/02/2028

Current GPA

3.55

Law School Class Rank (if known)

Unknown

Law School Honors, Awards or Special Recognitions

None

Name of Undergraduate Institution

University of Southern California

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

BA and Law, History, and Culture

Undergraduate Graduation Date

05/09/2017

GPA

Undergraduate Honors, Awards, or Special Recognitions

Dean's List

Were you employed in 2025?

yes

If yes, please identify your employer(s).

Public Counsel
Address: 610 S Ardmore Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90005

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?

Do you expect to be employed in 2026?

If yes, please identify your employer(s).

I am a full-time law student and do not work.

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

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

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

Own

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

My mother is disabled and receives Medi-cal.

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

Total Tuition Cost $

46,800.00

Books Cost $

1,400.00

Fees Cost $

4,640.00

Housing Cost $

10,000

Food Cost $

7,100

Other Costs $ (describe)

3,626.00 (transportation), 4,500.00 (personal expenses) 1,700.00 (loan fees)

Total Expenses $ (add above entries)

79,766.00

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

Student Loans $

63,414.00

Scholarships and Grants $

Work Study, if any $

Personal Contribution (Savings/Employment) $

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

Other Sources $ (describe)

Total Funding $ (add above entries)

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

n/a

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)

I served as a Spanish interpreter for Advancing Justice Southern California, a nonprofit organization providing legal services and advocacy for immigrant and underserved communities, particularly within the Hispanic population. I assisted an immigration attorney by interpreting for an asylum-seeking client from Central America during the preparation of their asylum application. My role helped ensure the client could accurately communicate their story and access critical legal protections, contributing to their ability to navigate the immigration system safely and effectively.

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 was twelve years old, sitting beside my mother in the West Covina public library, struggling to spell the word “Yahoo.” My mom, a monolingual Spanish speaker and immigrant from Mexico, needed help sending a simple email. We did not own a computer or internet due to our financial circumstances, so the library was our only option. I had translated for her countless times — at doctor’s appointments, parent-teacher conferences, and while reading official mail but that day, I felt powerless. I could see her frustration in having to rely on her child yet again to communicate with the world. Worse, I had witnessed others dismiss or mistreat her because of her “broken” English. I wanted to protect her the way she protected me, and in that moment, I felt I had failed. It is only now, in retrospect, that I recognize this experience as foundational to who I am today and who I hope to become.

Growing up as the daughter of immigrants shaped my identity, values, and aspirations. My mother’s resilience as a single parent navigating unfamiliar systems inspired me deeply. When she was diagnosed with cancer during my undergraduate years, she was unable to work, and I became financially responsible for my education. I worked part-time throughout college to pay for tuition and living expenses while balancing academics and caregiving responsibilities. These challenges strengthened my perseverance and discipline, and deepened my understanding of how illness, poverty, and immigration status particularly for families like mine.

As an undergraduate at the University of Southern California, I served as a Spanish interpreter at the Gould School of Law Immigration Clinic, where I interpreted client meetings and visited immigration detention centers. Helping immigrants communicate their stories taught me the power of language access and culturally competent advocacy. I also became aware of how few Spanish-speaking attorneys serve immigrant communities, and I began to envision myself providing legal representation in the language and cultural context my family once desperately needed.

After graduation, I worked for several years as a paralegal in immigration law, supporting family-based petitions, humanitarian relief applications, and advocacy before USCIS. I later joined Public Counsel’s Immigrants’ Rights Project on the Anti-Detention Team, assisting detained individuals facing deportation. These experiences strengthened my research, writing, and advocacy skills while reaffirming my commitment to immigrant justice, particularly for those facing the most severe consequences of systemic barriers.

Today, as a student at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, I continue to pursue immigration law with clarity and purpose. I currently finance my entire legal education through student loans and receive no financial support from family due to their ongoing economic constraints. While this presents ongoing challenges, it also reinforces my resilience and determination. I approach law school with the same persistence that carried me through college, balancing responsibility, sacrifice, and ambition, and with a deep appreciation for the opportunity to be here.

My ancestry remains the foundation of my motivation. As the proud daughter of immigrants, I carry forward my mother’s strength, courage, and perseverance. The injustices I witnessed growing up, language barriers, discrimination, and systemic exclusion, shaped my belief that dignity and justice must be accessible to all, regardless of immigration status or socioeconomic background. These experiences continue to inspire my commitment to becoming a bilingual immigration attorney serving marginalized communities.

Service has always been central to my journey. From interpreting at legal clinics to advocating for detained immigrants, each experience has shaped my understanding of law as a tool for empowerment rather than exclusion. I hope to practice immigration law in a way that centers humanity, trust, and cultural competency, and to be the advocate I once wished my family had.

My journey, from translating for my mother at twelve years old to studying law today, has taught me that law can be both a shield and a voice for those who need it most. I am committed to ensuring it becomes both.

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

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Arce.Emma_.FinAwardLt.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*