Perspectives
The Student Experience Trinh Tran 3L As the managing editor of Family Court Review, one of Hofstra Law’s five law journals, Trinh Tran manages staff and oversees article selection, development and editing for this unique publication, which is written not only by lawyers and law professors, but also by other professionals, including doctors, social workers and psychologists. Despite the workload, Tran appreciates the added insight and experience. Tran also pursues her professional and personal interests as president of the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association. Last year, the association reenacted the 1949 Tokyo Rose trial in which the United States falsely convicted JapaneseAmerican broadcaster Iva Toguri for transmitting slanderous broadcasts during World War II. “It was a very successful production,” says Tran. “Not many students knew about the trial or her eventual pardon. It highlighted some of the prejudices that many Americans, including Muslim Americans, face today.” Tran had a long track record of community involvement before coming to Hofstra Law; in fact, her activism is what ultimately led her to law school. After graduating from college, Tran was a Peace Corps
“
volunteer for two years in Mali, where she helped
For Trinh Tran, law school is
women develop their micro-businesses. “When I
about more than taking classes —
joined the Peace Corps, people teased me by asking if I thought I could change the world,” she says. But the
it’s also about being part of
Peace Corps showed Tran that broader change starts on a more personal level.
the school community: ‘Hofstra
Tran, who is focusing her studies in immigration, family and civil rights law, believes that a legal career
makes time for students to get
will allow her to do just that. She adds, “It’s a good fit, really. You work with a client one-on-one and find ways to work out their problems.”
”
involved in organizations they
H
are interested in.’ 31
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