The Higher Education Scholarship

Alyssandra Jean Brotonel Lachica

Alyssandra is a highly intelligent student who has a deep understanding of not only who she is but who she wishes to become. Upon reading her essay, it is clear that Alyssandra is a special student who plans to become an attorney to pursue her passion for law and advocacy. We wish Alyssandra the best of luck in the future and are proud to have her as our Fall 2023 Higher Education Scholarship recipient.

Read Alyssandra's Essay:

“I thought I had everything planned out the summer going into community college. I was going to major in biochemistry, transfer, then become a physician. After all, I knew that I wanted an occupation where I could directly interact with the people I am helping. However, my English class ended up fundamentally changing my perspective on life. The curriculum revolved around hermeneutics, which is the study of interpretation. One of the core concepts is the notion of a “fallen framework,” where one is trapped in a single paradigm of thinking. This was me, trapped inside a fallen framework of my own future. Curious with the subject, I started to explore other philosophical works and saw firsthand how they applied to different aspects of my life. Critics of teleological knowledge told me to find intrinsic value within my music pursuits rather than seek external validation. Feminist epistemology reminded me to not invalidate my emotions because they are legitimate sources of knowledge. Additionally, political theory showed me that philosophy transcends the individual, and it has broader societal and governmental implications. Eventually I reached my own conclusion that I wanted to pursue law and advocacy, where I could use these different modes of thinking to interpret the law’s complexities and help my clients facilitate favorable outcomes for their issues. Following this realization, I changed my major from Biochemistry to Political Science. I hope to transfer in the Fall of 2024 to the University of Southern California to major in Politics, Philosophy, and Law, or to UCLA to double major in Political Science and Philosophy. After receiving a Bachelor’s degree, I hope to attend a UC law school to receive my Juris Doctor degree. I am excited to implement my study of various political and philosophical theories into my career, and hopefully encourage different perspectives in the legal field. I firmly believe that the philosophic topics I learn in school, such as morality and the concept of justice, will directly translate into my work as a lawyer, as I can further understand the legislation and people that I will be working with. Outside of the classroom, I’ve also gained valuable skills and experience that I believe will propel me in the legal setting. I’m a part of the Student Lobby Committee at Pasadena City College, where we research about the issues that students are facing, and try to lobby our Congresspeople to pass beneficial legislation. Working closely with the Lobby Committee has taught me the importance of communication and task delegation. To be efficient means to find the strengths of everyone in the committee and direct them to tasks that they will be best at. At a law firm, I expect to face a similar delegation style, and I know that I’ll work well with it. In conclusion, I am enthusiastic to pursue higher education and use the knowledge and skills I’ve gained from school and related activities to improve the lives of others, one case at a time.”