My goal to pursue a Master of Legal Studies degree stems from my passion for understanding the law at an in-depth level. During my academic training at California State University, Los Angeles, I learned to analyze the relationship between human consciousness and behavior attenuated on social regulations and laws. This training required a multi-disciplinary approach to predict observable behavior patterns related to current laws. The framework is beneficial to anticipate how a community or a society addresses institutions that operate under the legal structure. My interest in understanding how the law can be fair and just grew from the desire to learn and understand what drove human beings into a particular legal situation, especially when rules and regulations seem to change and evolve daily. A Master of Legal Studies degree from Pepperdine School of Law would give me the foundational structure I require to establish a solid comprehension of the inner workings of the law while balancing and applying my spiritual values with professionalism. This degree is vital to my career and my ultimate goal of becoming a well-rounded legal attorney. Moreover, the mission and vision of this University align with my own values, which are to serve and help others to the best of my abilities. When the United States declared war on Terrorism in 2001, I knew then that my life would change forever. I volunteered six months before my high school graduation in 2002. Within the military, I learned that a high degree of trust, communication, and focus is essential between the plane captain and the navy pilot or between the line chef and assistant chef. In both situations, honor, courage, and commitment were emphasized throughout my military career. As a Navy veteran, I still maintained a lifestyle of core values of respect, integrity, and dignity for all forms of life. The foundational Navy core values have taught me to fulfill the professional demands in a profession, treat each human with dignity, conduct myself in the highest ethical manner, and remember that serving my community is a privilege. This awareness gave me a deep appreciation for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which guided me toward a life of service to others, utilizing every skill and tool that I've gained through my academic and personal accomplishments. I believe that Pepperdine is the embodiment of these values, and this is why I seek admission here. Further, Pepperdine expresses its Christian principles in every corner of their campus, from academic to administrative, and these principles bring a certain level of harmony. This approach is fundamental because I want to learn how to combine my sacred values and the secular in my everyday life. My motivation as an active Christian is to learn how to incorporate my faith and skills into a solid unit that will help strengthen my relationship with the people I intend to serve and build a stronger connection to God. My moral duty to serve others grows every day as I continue to expand my knowledge of life as well as academically. I believe that it is my responsibility to help the community that has given me the opportunity and foundational background in the law because the law is a valuable tool that is applied every day. Understanding the law will help me develop ways to improve and protect vulnerable people. I choose to apply to the Master of Legal Studies at Pepperdine School of Law because this institution is able to infuse high ethical, moral and professional standards into their students' education. This degree will help overlap with my journey as a future attorney. In addition, Pepperdine School of Law excels in educating the whole person by teaching their students to apply the law and embrace the awareness and responsibilities of their community. This unique approach centered on Christian values is what I seek to learn and convey in this Master of Legal Studies program at Pepperdine School of Law.

As a first-generation Mexican-American woman growing up in East Los Angeles, higher education was not emphasized enough to persuade me to learn beyond the secondary level. For example, sex stereotyping and a high rate of high school dropouts dominated the streets. In this environment, the likelihood of academic and career success for me was slim; generally, the expectation was marriage and kids after high school. This type of atmosphere deeply diminished my self-esteem. Luckily, the decision to join the military after high school was a positive development for me, despite the prevailing war climate. In the military, I learned to work in high-stress environments in the military, whether it was successfully launching planes off a moving aircraft or prepping three meals a day for a crew of five thousand people. Within the military, a high degree of trust, communication, and focus is essential— honor, courage, and commitment were emphasized throughout my military career. My agility, persistence, and endurance enabled me to overcome the challenges faced during a combat deployment as a Latina woman. My determination to succeed and serve was more significant than any force or battle. I quickly moved through the ranks from airmen recruit to airmen apprentice by delivering over 800,000 pounds of guided ammunition and contributing to the successful launch of 552 flight operations in only 22 days. I was one of the few airmen to receive a letter of appreciation from my commanding officer. After my military career, I began my journey of higher education. It took me nearly a decade to complete my undergraduate program because of my family obligations--rasing three kids while my husband was actively deployed. I graduated in 2020 with acceptance to the National Honors Society for academic excellence. Currently, I am three classes away from receiving my master's degree, which puts me one step closer to achieving my goal to become an attorney. Recently I received news of my acceptance to a law school for this upcoming fall semester. But more importantly, in my journey, I’ve noticed that most people suffer from pain, whether from illness, judicial decisions, systematic structure or status, or other causes. I know firsthand how policies can affect social structures, which in turn affect people’s lives. Many seek relief, a sense of justice, and peace. I want to be able to help and give back to others and my community the same sense of guidance, engagement, and encouragement that my professors and my family have given to me. A law degree will help me achieve these goals.I am pursuing a law degree to have the proper training to advocate for the best interest of my clients with the hope of creating meaningful change in the lives of the people I serve. Lawyering is a duty that one can take on to use as a means to defend against the most powerful. It is the shield that people use to protect themselves from harm, in which I hope brings a positive impact on the world. Changing the world means changing and helping one person at a time and that's what I plan to do.

My experience with the education system has influenced my beliefs, relationships, and career aspirations. My first exposure to college life was positive, except that sometimes I felt I didn’t fit in; and being a mother and wife was challenging while my peers had different priorities. I was young and inexperienced with the nature of academic planning. I can reflect on a young woman who struggled to find the energy and interest for her career plan. This was not because the academics were too hard, but because I did not adapt well to civilian life after the military. I did not know how to seek help or balance a class schedule on my own while my husband was deployed and raising small children. However, the educational climate at my university promoted student success and the faculty’s eagerness to help students succeed in their aspirations inspired me to continue on my educational journey. Professors showed genuine concern for my success and well-being, and because of this support, my academic performance soared along with my self-confidence. As I proceeded towards my bachelor’s and graduate degrees, my interest in the law grew enormously since the programs taught me how to examine and apply substantive and procedural law, including strategies and tactics of dispute resolution in different areas of society and the law. The actions of my professors and my family have caused a ripple effect where I want to serve as a beacon for justice. Throughout my educational journey, my family has been and continues to be my support system—and their support continues to be the impetus that presses me to pursue my career aspirations. As a first-generation Mexican-American woman growing up in East Los Angeles, higher education was not emphasized enough to persuade me to learn beyond the secondary level. For example, sex stereotyping and a high rate of high school dropouts dominated the streets. In this environment, the likelihood of academic and career success for me was slim; generally, the expectation was marriage and kids after high school. This type of atmosphere deeply diminished my self-esteem. Luckily, the decision to join the military after high school was a positive development for me, despite the prevailing war climate. In the military, I learned to work in high-stress environments in the military, whether it was successfully launching planes off a moving aircraft or prepping three meals a day for a crew of five thousand people. Within the military, a high degree of trust, communication, and focus is essential— honor, courage, and commitment were emphasized throughout my military career. My agility, persistence, and endurance enabled me to overcome the challenges faced during a combat deployment as a Latina woman. My determination to succeed and serve was more significant than any force or battle. I quickly moved through the ranks from airmen recruit to airmen apprentice by delivering over 800,000 pounds of guided ammunition and contributing to the successful launch of 552 flight operations in only 22 days. I was one of the few airmen to receive a letter of appreciation from my commanding officer. Throughout my journey, I’ve noticed that most people suffer from pain, whether from illness, judicial decisions, systematic structure or status, or other causes. I know firsthand how policies can affect social structures, which in turn affect people’s lives. Many seek relief, a sense of justice, and peace. I want to be able to help and give back to others and my community the same sense of guidance, engagement, and encouragement that my professors and my family have given to me. A law degree will help me achieve these goals.