Student Scholar: Stephanie Kerr ’22

Stephanie Kerr

Fellow, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network
Fellow, Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law
Norman Ostrow Memorial Scholarship
Derrick Bell Scholarship for Public Service

What drew you to NYU Law?

I was drawn to NYU Law because of the incredible public interest opportunities. Being able to learn from amazing scholars and practitioners and gain hands-on experience through clinics, fellowships, and student organizations was exactly what I was hoping to do in law school.

What has been the best surprise about your law school experience?

The best surprise about my law school experience has been the level of engagement of the community. My peers are passionate about so many different issue areas and involved in activism both within and outside of the law school. I am constantly impressed by everyone's ability to seemingly balance it all: coursework, clinics, journals, fellowships, internships, organizing, student leadership, and more!

Another pleasant surprise has been how fulfilling participating in student organizations has been for me. I honestly cannot imagine my law school experience without the Black Allied Law Students Association (BALSA), the Coalition on Law & Representation (CoLR), Ending the Prison Industrial Complex (EPIC), the Suspension Representation Project (SRP), and the Women of Color Collective (WoCC). These organizations have given me more love, opportunities, resources, and support than I could ever express, and I am thankful to be part of them every single day.

What unique opportunities have your fellowships provided?

Being a fellow for the Birnbaum Women's Leadership Network and the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law have been two bright spots of my law school experience. I have developed so much as a leader and a scholar by working alongside my amazing leaders and peers in these programs. The Birnbaum Women's Leadership Network has given me a beautiful community of women who encourage me and allow me to be vulnerable, and the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law has given me opportunities to work on the issues that drew me to law school in the first place.

Do you have a skill or experience or story that your friends might be surprised to learn about?

I love to dance! Dance has been a big part of my life since I was four years old, and although I do not take classes as often as I used to, movement is still a huge part of how I process and express my feelings and thoughts.

Posted December 16, 2020