Student and Alumni Stories
Chicago-Kent is home to an amazing community, with a diverse range of interests and backgrounds. Browse our stories below for pictures and perspectives from our students, recent graduates, and alumni of note.
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Champion for the Innocent
- LAW '13
Rachel Brady ’13 won’t let anything—even the Illinois Supreme Court—stop her from clearing the names of the wrongfully convicted and helping them rebuild their lives.
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A Lasting Legacy
- LAW '17
Militza Pagán ’17 took on the Trump administration to protect the rights of immigrants. Locally, she’s helping to enact rules that protect domestic and other low-wage workers.
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To Serve the Community
- LAW '19
From handicap ramps to gender-inclusive language, August Hieber ’19 is working to build a court system that is accessible to all.
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A Place to Be Herself
- Law '23
Jumana Abdelrahman's journey from first-generation law student to civil litigator.
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The Call to be a Defender
- Public Interest Law 2023
While working for a decade as a behavior analyst with students with developmental disabilities in Chicago, Nicole Jansma ’23 came to a discouraging conclusion. “One of the unfortunate realities in...
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The “Generalist” at DEI’s Forefront
- Intellectual Property Law '08
As the top city attorney in Evanston, Illinois, Nicholas Cummiongs '08 never thought the ordinance he helped draft would put him at the forefront of the national DEI debate.
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Diversity by the Numbers
- Labor and Employment Law '06
Michael Wilder '06 made a living helping companies navigate affirmative action audits. Now the organization that he created provides peer support for Black male attorneys worldwide.
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An Agent of Change
- Labor and Employment Law '08
Jessica Muench ’04 says it was tough having national pundits critique the flagship program of the diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy she helped build at United Airlines. For her, that meant the change was real.
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Breaking Traditional Ground
- Immigration Law 1991 and 1999
Vivian Khalaf ’91 and Omar Abuzir ’99 have taken a lot of trips to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport over the past several years. Not to get on a plane. Not...
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The Conduit
- Legal Innovation and Technology 2021
Ben Jackson went to law school to reduce the need for lawyers. “The law really belongs to ordinary people. A lot of times by having lawyers in the process, we...