youth in local high schools. He is also a member of the California Law Review and the First Generation Professionals student group. “In the Army, you have to do a lot of things really fast and really well,” says Corea, who continues his Army Reserve training one weekend a month. “While law school requires a different kind of juggling, everything still comes down to discipline and motivation.”
The first in his family to join the military, graduate from college, or attend law school, Corea will work this summer in DLA Piper’s litigation department. “My parents crossed the border in the trunks of cars and managed to build lives for themselves,” he says. “I’m so grateful for the opportunities this country has given our family. They’re a big reason why I joined the Army and continue to push myself.” —Andrew Cohen
ZACHARY NGUYEN ’17
JIM BLOCK
Finding Echoes Of Home in Berkeley Zachary Nguyen ’17 grew up in a studio apartment with his mother in the Southern California immigrant community of Montclair. She worked long days hand-soldering computer chips in a factory, but still found time to fill their space with the comforting scent of homemade pho. Nguyen spoke English at school, but only Vietnamese at home, where one topic was ever-present: education. “The value of education was instilled in me, and the varying experiences I had in my community and school helped me appreciate diverse perspectives,” says Nguyen. “I was inspired to build connections, help people feel they belong, and take on leadership opportunities.” A gift for numbers guided Nguyen toward math and economics, and timing reinforced his interests. Enrolling at Wesleyan University in 2008, he “wanted to understand what went wrong with the economy and to leverage my strengths to learn more.” Navigating college, however, was Culture Shock 101. His mother couldn’t provide the advice he needed to choose a class or major, and he struggled to relate to affluent peers. Over time, he gained confidence, and
earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics. Nguyen spent the following two years in Boston as a consultant with Charles River Associates, which provides economic, financial, and strate-
gic expertise for law and accounting firms, corporations, and government agencies. “It was exhilarating working on deals featured in the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times,” he says. Collaborating with law firms also helped crystallize his next step: law school. After considering several top-ranked schools, a visit to Berkeley won him over. “Immediately, I could see myself here,” he recalls. “I’m interested in tech law, and Berkeley is great for that. But really, it was about the people who welcomed me into the community.”
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