This summer, Amy Rivera will be participating in the prestigious Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute Fellowship Program, which offers selected students interested in public service careers the opportunity to participate in intensive classes at a leading university, and learn what is needed to obtain a master’s or joint degree in the field following their undergraduate studies. The program was launched in part to combat the lack of diversity in the field of government, service, and policy.

Rivera, a Criminology and Criminal Justice and Government and Politics double major with a minor in U.S. Latinx Studies, is working to pursue criminal justice and immigration reform through law. 

“I am so honored to have received this award,” she said. “It means a lot to be able to have the opportunity to receive the mentorship and resources that I need to become the best advocate I can be for my community.”

Rivera is also of Salvadoran descent. That’s part of the reason why she nurtures a passion for ensuring that future generations of immigrants do not have to face the challenges her family has, and why, through her participation in PPIA, she hopes to gain the skills necessary to become a lawyer, and connect with professionals that will help inform her transition from undergrad to law school.

Another part has to do with the courses she took while at UMD. 

“My Criminology and Criminal Justice courses, particularly 'Race and Crime', have greatly impacted my want to become a lawyer by pushing me to think about the historical context and the long-term impacts of the issues that I care most about,” Rivera said.