Stephanie Powers L’22

Committed to empowering communities traditionally denied access to justice, Stephanie Powers came to law school to advocate alongside immigrant communities. Having earned a B.S. in Spanish and Computer Science from Gordon College, Stephanie worked in web development and software engineering prior to law school. She is eager to use technology to bridge the justice gap by increasing access to legal services for immigrants and other vulnerable populations. During her time as a software engineer, Stephanie was also volunteering as a Spanish interpreter with Kids In Need of Defense (KIND), providing legal services to undocumented children. This work with KIND solidified her conviction to pursue a career dedicated to advancing the rights of immigrant communities who face a demanding immigration system that too often leaves many individuals open to exploitation. Spurred on by her Christian faith, her vision is for her country to become a place of hospitality that welcomes the stranger and the immigrant, rather than subjecting them to exacting, discriminatory policies.

Since coming to law school Stephanie became involved with student pro-bono organizations dedicated to advancing immigrant rights - the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) and the Penn Law Immigrant Rights Project (PLIRP). She is most excited about the partnership of these pro-bono projects with the recent initiative of Nationalities Service Center to provide universal representation for detained immigrants. This summer, Stephanie will be interning with Al Otro Lado, providing legal services to those seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border.

In her free time, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her church community, going on hikes, learning to salsa dance, and reading for fun.