Political Science senior, and future lawyer, Shreya Vaidya spent the Fall semester balancing a full course load while interning on-site at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law. From conducting literature reviews on federal funding cuts for prison programs to taking notes on congressional hearings that cited the Center’s research, Shreya was at the heart of legal advocacy. When she noticed she lacked quantitative experience, she asked for data-driven tasks and strengthened her Excel skills on the job. Shreya’s journey to the Brennan Center didn't happen overnight. In fact, she applied twice. After being turned down in her junior year, she didn't get discouraged; she got busy. Here’s what she did & what she encourages her fellow classmates to do:
- Get Involved: Realizing she needed more experience, she became more active in Rutgers Pre-Law Society, ultimately becoming the managing editor of Rutgers Undergraduate Law Review.
- Become a Research Assistant. She wasn’t afraid to "cold e-mail" an assistant professor in the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology and ultimately dove into trauma-informed defense research with doctoral candidate Tamina Daruvala, J.D., L.M.S.W. She also conducted her own research as part of the Lloyd C. Gardner Fellowship, focusing on drug courts, substance use disorder (SUD), and potential reforms to current practices.
- Go to Professor Office Hours: Shreya credits much of her confidence to the mentors who pushed her. "Go for extra help and the extra critique. Professors Heumann and Cantor gave me the confidence to take on a full-time course load alongside a demanding NYC internship."
Fresh off a successful law school application cycle, Shreya Vaidya offers a few insights for students just beginning their pre-law journey.
- Ditch the "T14 or Bust" Mentality: Avoid the toxic rabbit hole of Law School Reddit. “If you want to be a lawyer, go to law school—period.”
- Be Authentic: "Do what interests you rather than what looks good on a resume. You are the most appealing when you are yourself."
- Think Critically About Reform: While many reformers' head toward public defense, Shreya plans to become a prosecutor with a reform mindset, noting that it is critical to have balanced perspectives on both sides of the legal argument.
Well done, Shreya! We look forward to your journey as an RU alumna!