Profile: Tashanna Pearson L'08
"Law school was always my dream," says
Tashanna Pearson, who remembers her grandmother
talking about growing up in the South
during the civil rights movement and how civil
rights attorneys changed the world. Tashanna's
climb to realize her dream was uphill - from
public housing to working as a paralegal by day
so she could attend St. John's University at
night, and then on to Penn Law. But the straight
A's and the determination never wavered.Today, Tashanna shares the conviction that "there's always a way to succeed" with the undergraduates she mentors in her recruiting for Penn Law.
Why did she choose Penn Law? "You're among great people, whether students or faculty. Not only are they brilliant but they also support you." For instance, Tashanna says, "I e-mailed a professor over the summer that I haven't even had in class. I had this strange assignment, and I know he's an expert in the field. He e-mailed me back in two hours. I don't think those things happen at other schools."
As for new dreams, Tashanna says, "It is very important to me that I give back to my community. There are people who are smart, who can achieve. They just need to know that it's a possibility."
Now there's Tashanna Pearson to watch - and she's only just begun.
