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

Andres Urdaneta

Current Mailing Address

1841 N MOZART ST
CHICAGO, Illinois 60647
United States
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Phone

(407) 310-3411

Connection to Illinois

Law Student in Chicago Law School. I plan to stay and practice law in Chicago after graduation

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

Chicago, IL

Name of Law School

Andres Urdaneta

Class year

1st year law student

Full Time or Part Time Student?

Full Time

Date you began attending THIS law school

08/11/2025

Anticipated Graduation Date

05/31/2028

Current GPA

3.1

Name of Undergraduate Institution

University of Central Florida

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

Legal Studies

Undergraduate Graduation Date

12/18/2023

GPA

3.8

Undergraduate Honors, Awards, or Special Recognitions

Dean's List Fall 2022 and Spring 2023
Member of the Venezuelan Student Association

Were you employed in 2025?

yes

If yes, please identify your employer(s).

I worked at Morgan & Morgan. I worked in the Social Security disability department in which I handled disability claims and helped people obtain their disability benefits.

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?

$50,000

Do you expect to be employed in 2026?

yes

If yes, please identify your employer(s).

Yes, I am currently applying to internships and summer positions between my 1L and 2L year of law school

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

$50,000

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

$55,000-60,000

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?

Health insurance subsidized

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

Total Tuition Cost $

$55,000

Books Cost $

$2000

Fees Cost $

$1400

Housing Cost $

$15,000

Food Cost $

$3600

Total Expenses $ (add above entries)

$77,000

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

Student Loans $

$10,000 - Credit Card Debt, Not student loans. I use credit card to pay for tuition.

Scholarships and Grants $

$40,000

Work Study, if any $

Personal Contribution (Savings/Employment) $

$10,000 a year

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

$1200 a year

Other Sources $ (describe)

I am unable to borrow federal loans because I am not a US citizen. I use my credit card to fund my education and pay for expenses to go beyond my savings and the money my parents give me. I might have to switch to part-time after my 1L year and starting my 2L year, because the financial burden is too much at times

Total Funding $ (add above entries)

$51,200

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)

At the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network, I interpreted and translated for immigrants pursuing asylum and refugee claims. Many of these individuals fled political persecution, survived traumatic events, or escaped dangerous living conditions in their countries of origin. Their inability to communicate in English often stood as the primary obstacle to obtaining legal representation—not a lack of merit in their claims. By facilitating accurate and sensitive communication between clients and attorneys, individuals meaningfully presented their experiences and accessed legal services that might otherwise have been unavailable to them.

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 proud to be Venezuelan and to speak Spanish. My language, culture, and ancestry are central to who I am and shape how I see the world. Although I have lived in the United States for over ten years, I have never stopped feeling like a tourist. There has always been a quiet awareness that my time and opportunities here are not guaranteed, and that I must make the most of them—not only for myself, but for my family. That mindset has shaped the person I am today: resilient, adaptable, and deeply committed to service.
Immigrating to the United States was one of the most significant challenges my family and I faced. Growing up in a dictatorship, I witnessed how law could be used as a tool of oppression rather than protection. That experience instilled in me a profound respect for the rule of law and a desire to ensure that others—particularly immigrants—have access to legal protections and opportunities that were denied to my family. I pursued law to advocate for vulnerable communities and to empower individuals navigating systems that often feel inaccessible or intimidating.
This commitment was reinforced through my work as a volunteer interpreter and translator for immigrants. In that role, I saw firsthand how language barriers and fear of the legal system prevent many from asserting their rights. I realized that my struggles adjusting to life in the United States were shared by countless others, and that my bilingual skills and cultural background could serve as bridges rather than obstacles. That experience confirmed my desire to become an attorney who not only understands the law, but understands the people the law is meant to serve.
Despite this clarity of purpose, my path to law school has not been without adversity. In 2023, Florida enacted legislation that effectively barred non–U.S. citizens from sitting for the Florida Bar exam. For a moment, it felt as though the door to the legal profession had been abruptly closed because of my immigration status.
During that difficult time, my parents reminded me of a phrase deeply rooted in Venezuelan culture: “Al mal tiempo, buena cara.” Those words resonated deeply with me and became a guiding principle. Rather than allowing fear dictate my future, I chose to adapt. I made the difficult decision to move from Florida to Chicago—a city known for protecting immigrant communities and offering space for professional growth. What once felt like another displacement became an opportunity to recommit to my purpose. Looking back, relocating from Florida to Illinois was minor compared to the upheaval of leaving Venezuela. Yet each transition reinforced the same lesson: resilience is the ability to move forward despite hardship. Chicago has given me the opportunity to pursue my legal education where diversity is valued, and I am deeply grateful for that.
My family was politically persecuted in Venezuela, and I never experienced the country my parents describe with nostalgia. That loss continues to motivate me. I aspire to become an attorney to help create a future where my own children can grow up with the security, freedom, and opportunities that were taken from me. My ancestry is not simply a part of my identity—it is the source of my strength and inspiration. The lawyer I hope to become is one who uses the law to ensure others—especially immigrants—are not silenced or excluded. Through community service, advocacy, and professional excellence, I hope to honor my heritage and give back to the communities that have carried me forward.

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

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Urdaneta.Andres.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*