Photo by: Steve Cohn www.stevecohnphotography.com (310) 277-2054 © 2022
Major: English
Minor: Philosophy
2022 Jimmy Award Recipient
I transferred to USC at twenty-nine years old. Prior to the pursuit of an education, I had travelled the world and competed as a professional surfer. I was drawn to the history, tradition and community aspect of the school, as I recognized the importance of creating lasting relationships: you are not a Trojan for two or four years; you are a Trojan for life. Second, USC matched my personal demand for excellence: it is a respected institution that challenged me to be my best.
Upon graduation from USC, I will be pursuing my juris doctorate at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law. I do believe that I have a slight advantage when it comes to the amount and difficulty of our reading requirements, primarily because of my outstanding English professors at USC. Without their insight and mentorship, I would probably be far less prepared for this adventure.
At Pepperdine, I plan to specialize in land use and real estate, with an additional focus on estate law––three things that I believe will help me serve the community that raised me: Kaua’i, HI. In doing so, I hope to become a resource for Kaua’i’s local families, small business owners and generational landowners as they face issues like gentrification, traditional land disputes and affordable housing crises.
