AUWCL LLM Student Awarded ABA ILS Diversity Fellowship for 2023-2024
Cyreka Jacobs '24 is Empowering Diversity While Pursuing a Passion in Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
American University Washington College of Law LLM student Cyreka Jacobs has been selected as one of five Diversity Fellows for the 2023-2024 term by the International Law Section (ILS) of the American Bar Association (ABA).
The ABA ILS Fellowship opens the door to a multitude of opportunities for the recipients in the International Law Section of the ABA. It provides access to ILS conferences and programs, specialized mentorship programs, the chance to take on leadership roles, and numerous prospects for publishing within the field.
“The most exciting part about being selected to serve as a Diversity Fellow for the ABA International Law Section is being a part of a group of Fellows who will support initiatives that encourage diversity within the section,” Jacobs said.
Jacobs completed her JD program at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, where she discovered her passion for the intersection between international human rights law and international criminal law. Throughout her tenure, her research focused on the prosecution of crimes related to sexual violence in conflict situations.
To achieve her larger goals in the human rights field, Jacobs knew she needed to pursue an LLM. She thought AUWCL would be the perfect place to pursue it.
"What drew me to this school is its location and renowned faculty," she said. “Knowing that there are experienced faculty who have worked as special rapporteur to the United Nations, for example, made this degree seem even more valuable. I knew I would be able to get a substantive educational experience.”
Jacobs says her experience has been empowering thus far, emphasizing that she never felt out of place as a nontraditional student. She said she left her classes with a sense of melancholy at the end of the academic year.
As an Assistant Attorney General in the Department of Justice for the U.S. Virgin Islands, Jacobs investigates and prosecutes criminal violations of the law on behalf of the People of the Virgin Islands.
“My advice to anyone thinking about pursuing an LLM in Human Rights and Humanitarian Law is to enroll,” she said. “It’s the best academic decision I have made so far. My professors and classmates have made it such a rewarding experience, I only wish I had pursued the LLM sooner.”
Story by Hasini Jayawardena.