The LRAP Difference
LRAP has helped hundreds of our graduates achieve their dreams. Here, a few current participants describe the difference that LRAP has made in their lives and careers.
“I am working as a Law Fellow in the Immigrant Justice Project of the Southern Poverty Law Center. I went to law school to be a public interest lawyer. I was so thankful to know that NYU would have my back in making that happen. When I was looking for jobs, I had the freedom to find something that I was passionate about, because I knew I would be able to afford it. I am very thankful to know I will continue to have that support until my debt is paid. It's a rare privilege to have access to such a generous LRAP program. Thank you!”
—Viviana Bonilla Lopez ’17
“I am a Zubrow Fellow at the Juvenile Law Center, where I work primarily on juvenile life-without-parole cases. Juvenile defense allows me to combine my passion for working with youth with my love of criminal defense. With the amount of combined debt that I have from undergrad and from law school, I would not be able to afford to do the work that I do without LRAP assistance. I truly appreciate the opportunity to do work that I love without sacrificing my financial stability.”
—Danielle Whiteman ’16
“I am an Equal Justice Works Fellow at the ACLU of Southern California, fighting for the rights of school-age children and youth experiencing homelessness in my region. LRAP makes my work possible, because there is no way I could afford to accept the Equal Justice Works fellowship and do this work—especially after having recently started a family—while also paying my student loans. I am a Root-Tilden-Kern scholar, which has been immensely helpful, but the LRAP program is still absolutely necessary for me to continue to do public interest work. I am so grateful for LRAP!”
—Alexis Piazza ’16
“LRAP is one of the biggest reasons why I am able to do what I wanted to do most after graduating law school. I entered law school wanting to work with immigrants and am doing that now with my IJC fellowship. I am so thankful for the LRAP program because without it, I would have struggled significantly in trying to do what I am doing now.”
—Sonya Chung ’17
“I came to NYU Law to dedicate my career to public service, specifically around criminal justice reform. NYU Law's LRAP removes a monetary barrier that may have delayed these goals. Without the financial support, I would not have been able to apply for an Equal Justice Works Fellowship, which I received, and work at my dream job at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.”
—John Cusick ’17