Marissa G. Leal
MA Student
Criminology, Law, and Justice
Email:
About
Marissa G. Leal (she/her/hers) is a first-generation college student who received her bachelor's degree in Criminal Law & Justice, with two minors in ART & DHD from the University of Illinois at Chicago. In her time as an undergraduate student, she was heavily involved with the LARES Leaders program and whenever presented with an opportunity to display leadership skills, she never hesitated to take action. She created two research posters under the guidance of her LARES mentor and would later present them at the ILACHE Conference. After this, she joined UPPF in the 2019-2020 cohort; it was here that she interned with the Chicago Justice Project and created her third research poster. It was after graduation that she endured a house fire, which led to her taking a year off to get situated. She is returning to UIC seeking her master’s degree in CLJ. She is more motivated than ever to accomplish her goals. She is a Pre-Law student and hopes to one day work in the legal profession. She also has aspirations to either teach or advise at the college level. She is currently a graduate assistant for the UPPF program, shifting from the mentee to the mentor. In her free time she enjoys cooking, creating art pieces, and finding interesting volunteer opportunities.