Student Staff Update from Courtney Marasigan

The following post is by Courtney Marasigan, a CGJ intern and student staff member at CGJ.

Courtney (far left) and Professor Brauch (center)
during last year's  Regent Law Ice Bucket Challenge

I learned of the Center for Global Justice, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law (CGJ) long before I ever stepped foot on the Regent University campus. The law school Dean at the time, Jeffrey Brauch, called me during my senior year of undergraduate education because he noticed my interest in human rights, as indicated on my law school application. I do not recall much from our conversation because everything related to law school was still very new to me at the time, but I do remember that the CGJ’s mission intrigued me.

During my first year of law school, I attended as many informational meetings as possible. Naturally, I sat in on the CGJ interest meeting without even realizing it was the same group Dean Brauch had introduced to me months before. Everything about the CGJ enticed me to apply to serve on the Student Staff—what it stands for, how it equips students through practical experience, and how it helps those in desperate need.

Since joining I have worked on various legal projects, honed my classroom-taught research and writing skills in a real-world setting, and even interned in Uganda with the help of a grant obtained through the CGJ. Though there are moments class work feels both mundane and overwhelming, working for the Student Staff keeps me grounded through it all.

The realm of human rights has transformed from an interest to a passion to a lifelong calling. With Regent’s guidance and the many opportunities it provides, I have unearthed a deeper sense of purpose for my life.