Recently I had the opportunity to interview UMass Amherst alum and immigration lawyer Lilian Chukwurah. Lilian graduated from UMass and Commonwealth Honors College with a major in legal studies in 2012, and is now a founder and practicing attorney at Lily Legal in Worcester, MA. During the interview, I asked her several questions about her background, her personal and professional experiences, and her reflections on her time at UMass.

First, I asked Lilian about her background and why she chose UMass Amherst for her undergraduate journey. Lilian explained to me how she was born in Nigeria, and moved to the United States when she was 11. She ended up landing in Worcester, where she was a bookworm chasing perfect grades throughout middle school and high school. By the time college application season rolled around her senior year of high school, Lilian was already set on coming to UMass.

Besides the convenience of being close to home, Lilian explained how she took a tour of UMass her senior year, where she was able to discover the comfort of Amherst as a college town.

“Amherst is its own ecosystem, which makes it a welcoming and comforting place,” she explained.

Additionally, Lilian was able to meet with representatives from the Black Student Union and the African Students Association at UMass, who she says really welcomed her to campus and revealed to her that she could really belong here. After that tour, Lilian knew at that moment that she had to come to UMass, and decided to apply to the university Early Action, where she got admitted early and was able to dodge most of the anxiety and stress surrounding college admissions.

Finding a Place in the Honors College

Next, I asked Lilian how her education at UMass and her experience in CHC shaped her personally and professionally. Lilian had really high praise for the Emerging Scholars program. She said that applying to the Emerging Scholars program was one of the best decisions she’s ever made at UMass.

Hearing this made me ecstatic because I am also in Emerging Scholars! Lilian emphasized how the program made the transition from high school to college smoother, and made her college experience richer — especially with the small classes and cohort activities which gave her a sense of belonging.

As for the Honors education overall, she reflected that the Honors experience made her feel challenged in ways that really prepared her for the writing-intensive nature of law school. She noted that the Honors thesis in particular helped cultivate the necessary skills that she would need later in her legal career.

Charting a Path in the Legal Field

Next, I asked Lilian why she chose her career path as an immigration attorney. Lilian explained that she had become an immigration lawyer for many reasons, such as landing internships in immigration law firms in law school. However, she primarily emphasized that it was because her parents were immigrants and that she wanted to help other immigrants in their journey. She noted that her own parents’ immigration process would've been easier if lawyers helped:

“A part of me wanted to be that lawyer for someone that can help people that are in situations like my own,” she said.

I also asked Lilian what advice she would give to UMass students in general, as well as what advice she would give to Honors students in particular.

To UMass students overall, she had a great, resounding message:

“Enjoy your time there! You only get to do it once. Don't let the idea of what you want to do after college take over your time in college. I was so focused on wanting to achieve the goal of getting into law school that I may have missed out on some experiences. Really understand and take stock of where you are in your life and opportunities that are available to you and take advantage of them!”

To Honors students in particular, she urged students to understand the reality of mental health and potential risk of overworking. 

“It's okay to take a break. Especially when you are working on your thesis, it's a lot of pressure. You have to read and write so much, listen to many podcasts, watch many documentaries — but it's okay to take a break. Yes you have to meet Honors standards of GPA and the Honors Thesis, but the work that you put into your Honors education will bring you further in your life, not the requirements itself,” she noted.

Lilian also urged Honors students to take advantage of the many advising and support resources that Honors students have available to them:

“Don’t let the pressures get to you so much that you don’t take advantage of UMass resources: Meet with your advisors, find a professor that can advise and mentor you, because it made a great difference to have professors that I trusted…so many people at UMass and in the Honors College are there to support you and root for you, don’t be afraid to ask for help — you’ll be surprised with how much help you can actually get!”

This story was originally published by the Commonwealth Honors College.