Master’s Degree

While living in Spain, I overstayed my visa, and began to live as an undocumented immigrant.  I tried relentlessly to fix my situation, but was unable to do so.  I learned how frustrating and heartbreaking it is to want to live somewhere so badly, but be unable to because of increasingly vexing and labyrinthine immigration laws.  I began spending more time with other immigrants and realized just how grave the situation is for some people.  I was one of the lucky ones.  I had somewhere to go.  Many people I met feared returning to their countires of origin or never seeing family members again.  Because of these experiences, I became interested in immigration law.  I took a free online course on the subject through Coursera, which focused on U.S. immigration law.  I was engaged and inspired to further pursue this study.  I am sure the next step for me is to get a Master's degree in Immigration Management. I majored in International Studies, with a focus in Hispanic Studies, at Marymount Manhattan College in New York, New York. Nearly all of my classes were in the social sciences, specifically: political science, history, international relations and economics. My background in social science has continually aided me intellectually and professionally in the field of immigration. After living in Spain for three years, I began to look for work in the immigration field. Subsequently, in September of 2014, I was offered a position at Mills and Born, Attorneys at Law, LLP – an immigration law office. There, I do consults with clients and look for legal ways to help them with their immigration status. A great amount of the research I do, to legally advocate for the clients, is used in Boston Immigration Court. I enjoy the work I do, but, in my free time, I often find myself reading articles about migration in Europe, specifically in Spain. I believe that Europe should be less restrictive in opening its borders in order to improve its economy. This is one of the issues I would explore in more depth while at Universitat Pompeu Fabra. My chief interest regarding immigration has always been the academic side, which is why I have chosen to apply to the Immigration Management program at Universitat Pompeu Fabra. This program at UPF is especially attractive to me because it consists of a small group of students taught by well-published experts in the field. With recent mass waves of migration from Africa to Europe, immigration in Spain is becoming an increasingly dynamic field. Through my studies I aim to write, present and advocate, in order to induce policy change and public awareness. This, to me, is of utmost importance, and I believe that UPF is the university that can best help me achieve my goals.   I am asking for those who believe in my goal of studying a Master's degree in order to help the less fortunate around the world to make small donations to put towards my goal, which includes tuition and living expenses for a year (since I will be unable to work legally).