黑料不打烊

In keeping with her history of breaking barriers, Sofia Schersei, 鈥�22, has been elected the next Editor-in-Chief of the 黑料不打烊 Law Review. She is believed to be  the first Muslim woman and woman of color to hold that position in the publication鈥檚 more than fifty year history. 

Schersei was born and raised in Germany. Her parents fled Afghanistan in the 1980s when the former Soviet Union invaded their home country. Her family immigrated to the United States when she was a teenager. Her decision to go to law school was driven by her experiences growing up and a desire to help and fight for immigrants and underrepresented communities. 

鈥淲hen I applied to law school and eventually for the Editor-in-Chief position, I didn鈥檛 do it just for me. I did it for all the little brown girls,鈥� said Schersei. 鈥淚 came to McGeorge because it was the only law school where I saw people of color in ways that didn鈥檛 feel tokenized. Many individuals at my law school do not know, but English is my third fluent language. I am proud of the many languages I have mastered because they allow me to tackle legal issues in unique and creative ways. If English is not your first language, or if you have an accent, don鈥檛 let that hold you back. You are just as worthy of the opportunities as someone else.鈥� 

Schersei is already making an impact at Pacific's . She has helped pioneer McGeorge鈥檚 first Diversity and First Generation Bar Scholarship Program, which will provide financial aid to diverse and first generation students who need additional financial assistance to cover bar prep or living expenses while studying for the Bar Exam. She also hosts first-gen workshops through McGeorge鈥檚 Middle Eastern & South Asian Law Association to help other first-generation law students succeed. And she continues breaking glass ceilings in her new role as McGeorge鈥檚 flagship law review鈥檚 Editor-in-Chief.  

While Schersei may be the first Muslim woman or woman of color in a position that has needed perspectives like hers for far too long, she is actively working to ensure she is not the last. She plans on organizing and leading information sessions to educate and bridge the information gaps between groups of students about the solicitation process and the time commitments that applying for and being on the Pacific Law Review require. She feels strongly that accessibility is paramount to diversity, equity, and inclusion. It鈥檚 a value she is institutionalizing in Pacific Law Review.  

"Having diversity on the Pacific Law Review is great, but we also need to be giving more people the tools that they need to succeed and acquire high-ranking leadership positions. That鈥檚 how real, lasting change is going to happen.鈥� 

It wasn鈥檛 easy for Schersei to develop her level of confidence and self-realization. She overcame socioeconomic barriers and attempts to 鈥渙ther鈥� her, using to the challenges of integrating into a new society to motivate herself to excel. Her drive comes from feeling the constant need to overachieve and honor the sacrifices her parents made. 鈥淢y parents did their best to put school first. Education was the only thing that no one could take away from us. If that meant buying less groceries or clothes so we could afford to pay for books or paper, that鈥檚 what we did. I owe everything to my hardworking parents.鈥� 

鈥淭he McGeorge community celebrates Schersei鈥檚 achievement and is excited to see how the Pacific Law Review will evolve under her leadership as Editor-in-Chief,鈥� said McGeorge Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz. 鈥淲ell before she was selected for this role, Sofia established herself as a McGeorge student to watch.鈥� 

You can learn more about McGeorge鈥檚 publications  and read previous Volumes of the 黑料不打烊 Law Review in the .