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

Vicky Reyes

Current Mailing Address

2415 North Kimball Ave 2R
Chicago, Illinois 60647
United States
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If mailing address is temporary, expected date when current mailing address is no longer valid

01/30/2028

Permanent Address (only if different from Current Mailing Address)

9561 Steele Ct.
Loves Park, IL 61111-7181
United States
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Phone

(815) 988-3185

Connection to Illinois

Born and raised in Rockford, IL. Currently living in Chicago with intent to remain.

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

Chicago

Name of Law School

DePaul School of Law

Class year

1st year law student

Full Time or Part Time Student?

Full Time

Date you began attending THIS law school

08/01/2026

Anticipated Graduation Date

05/01/2028

Current GPA

2.7

Law School Honors, Awards or Special Recognitions

Dean's Scholarship Award recipient

Name of Undergraduate Institution

Northern Illinois University

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

BA in sociology with a minor in political science

Undergraduate Graduation Date

05/01/2024

GPA

3.7

Undergraduate Honors, Awards, or Special Recognitions

graduated magna cum laude
Adela de la Torre Latino Honors Society, Head Marketing Chair
Pre-Law Honors Society
De Mujer a Mujer, Latina student organization
Sociology Symposium, Independent Research Study: The Influence and Exploitation of People of Color in the Fashion
Adela De La Torre Latino Honors Society Scholarship
David P. Street Scholarship, Sociology Department Award
Dean’s List 2022-2024

Were you employed in 2025?

yes

If yes, please identify your employer(s).

Loves Park Legal Clinic
Prairie Street Brewing Company

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?

$15,000

Do you expect to be employed in 2026?

yes

If yes, please identify your employer(s).

Currently looking for a 1L Summer job

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

15,000

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

$65,000

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?

employer-sponsored health insurance

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

Total Tuition Cost $

$55,328

Books Cost $

$1,200

Fees Cost $

$300

Housing Cost $

$20,000

Food Cost $

$3,500

Total Expenses $ (add above entries)

$80,328

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

Student Loans $

$20,500

Scholarships and Grants $

$35,000

Personal Contribution (Savings/Employment) $

$12,000

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

8,000

Total Funding $ (add above entries)

$75,500

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)

NIU Adela de la Torre Latino Honors Society, Head Marketing Chair - Aug. 2023- May 2024
NIU Latino Resource Center food drives in Dekalb Illinois - Aug. 2023- May 2024
De Mujer a Mujer Latina empowerment organization- volunteered for networking events and community-building events on the DeKalb campus
The Congressional Hispanic Staff Association - assisted a member with her campaign by helping to draft social media graphics, as well as creating social media posts for Instagram celebrating historical Latina women.
Volunteered as a translator for family law clients at Loves Park Legal Clinic, serving the Rockford and Loves Park community.

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)

At 10 years old, I didn't fully grasp the complexities of the law in this country, but I knew that the test my mom was preparing for was more meaningful than any I had ever taken. I sat with her at the kitchen table for months after school, helping her study and translating the material. Although I barely understood the legal system at such a young age, I knew that the citizenship test represented hope for our family. Six years later, I found myself standing in a jail lobby with bail money in hand because I was the only one in my family at the time able to pull together the funds to get my brother out. Aside from the profound influence that day had on my life, it also ignited a fire in me when I realized how fragile freedom can be, especially for those growing up disadvantaged. These experiences showed me that the law is not just a distant system; it shapes everyone's lives.
My cultural identity has always held a purpose in everything I do. During my legal internship, I translated for Spanish-speaking clients who were struggling to navigate the legal system. I witnessed the lack of resources and the importance of representation in the legal field. I have been involved in many Latinx organizations, which allowed me to put together bilingual events and engage with my community through social media. These experiences taught me that I was not alone in facing imposter syndrome and have inspired me to seek out and create similar spaces for others. Along with my cultural ethnicity, my background as an artist makes me passionate about working with Latinx creatives in legal spaces to ensure their works are protected. My commitment and diverse skill sets have paved the way for many achievements, and I aim to bring the same devotion to the legal field. During my senior year at NIU, I did an Independent study on “The Influence and Exploitation of People of Color within the Fashion Industry” on local creatives who identify as “people of color” and their experiences in the fashion industry. Through interviewing local creatives, I delved into how different communities use fashion to express their roots and the exploitation they face as creatives. I am particularly interested in taking courses that will challenge me to further evaluate the laws and policies related to arts and entertainment
My experiences in life have shaped my commitment to pursuing a career in law and to contribute my work ethic and tackle the challenges my community faces. I know firsthand the struggles faced by the children of immigrants struggling to assimilate into American society. As a Latina pursuing a career in law, my parents’ ambition inspires me to mirror their rigorous determination in my own life, which has enabled me to pursue opportunities I never thought possible.

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

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Reyes.Vicky_.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*