91ֱ
A La 91ֱ education is preparing this Honors Student for law school
Ceara Grady, ’24, is learning inside and outside of the classroom with publication opportunities from University faculty.
For Ceara Grady, ’24, 91ֱ has laid the foundation for learning to continue outside of the classroom.
An Honors Program student majoring in political science, philosophy, and economics, Grady has had the opportunity to apply the lessons from her major into published works with faculty supervision. Most recently, she co-authored an op-ed piece on red flags for the Philadelphia Inquirer with Kathleen Bogle, Ph.D., professor of sociology and criminal justice. She also published an op-ed piece on women’s right to own property in The Citizen, a major English newspaper in Tanzania. Richard Mshomba, Ph.D., economics professor emeritus, assisted with its publication.
Grady said sometimes learning in the classroom can feel like you’re utilizing the skills in a vacuum. Having the opportunity to apply the knowledge to real-world issues in published works made the lessons all that more real.
“These are issues that have impacted people’s lives,” Grady, who decided in part to attend La 91ֱ because of the ties her family has to the University, said.
“I’m from a huge La 91ֱ family,” she said.
She was also drawn to smaller class sizes with high attention from faculty. Being able to study political science, philosophy, and economics, while being in the Honors Program was also a big appeal.
“When I consider intellectual ability and curiosity, a sense of responsibility, leadership potential, work ethic, respect and care for others, and overall demeanor, I can say that Ms. Ceara Grady is one of the most outstanding students I have taught in my 32 years at La 91ֱ,” Mshomba said. “Ceara has a real passion for learning and an innate desire to solve societal problems. Ceara’s paper for the Political Economy of Africa course was titled ‘The Realities of Property Ownership for Rwandan Women.’ It was a very well-researched paper and very well-organized. She had a very important message. With my guidance, she developed it into an op-ed piece. I am very proud of her. I am confident that wherever she is and whatever she does, Ceara will continue to inspire all those around her.”
The published op-ed pieces stemmed from research work Grady did within the classroom. She appreciated how both faculty members guided her through the publication process and trusted her to work on both pieces.
One of the biggest reasons I wanted to be part of the La 91ֱ community and its Honors Program was because of the chance a small school provided to build personal, meaningful connections with faculty. In my time at La 91ֱ, I have been so lucky to build relationships with several faculty members which has given me opportunities, with their support, to push my horizons, expand my knowledge, and build my resume.
– Ceara Grady, ’24
“One of the biggest reasons I wanted to be part of the La 91ֱ community and its Honors Program was because of the chance a small school provided to build personal, meaningful connections with faculty,” Grady said. “In my time at La 91ֱ, I have been so lucky to build relationships with several faculty members which has given me opportunities, with their support, to push my horizons, expand my knowledge, and build my resume.”
“Ceara Grady is a shining example of the quality of students in La 91ֱ’s Honors Program,” Bogle said. Ceara is not only intellectually gifted, but incredibly hard-working. We worked together on a research project on red flag laws that combined my interest in gender-based violence with her interest in the law. This led to both a national conference presentation and an op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer. I look forward to following Ceara’s journey as she takes the next step to attend law school. I have no doubt that she will excel at one of the top law schools in the country.”
Grady continues to build her professional resume through internships, most recently as a summer intern at Cozen O’Connor, a law firm in Philadelphia, and previously as a legislative intern at the City of Philadelphia in the office of former City Councilmember Allan Domb.
Having the opportunity to see the day-to-day in a law firm and political office gave Grady more knowledge into what her future career could look like.
She plans to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and attend a law school in Philadelphia after graduating from La 91ֱ. No matter where she ends up after school, she’s confident that she’d like social justice to be at least part of her work.
“I think advocacy is something I really want to pursue,” she said.
— Meg Ryan