“The only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.” — Michelle Obama
Hi! My name is Laina D’Costa and I am a senior at American University.
I was born and raised in New York City until I moved to Flemington, New Jersey in 2009. In August 2017, I began my college education at the School of Public Affairs at American University. As of May 2021, I have graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies: Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics, and Government along with a certification in Leadership. Through this extensive major, I have been granted the opportunity to expand my knowledge in multiple fields within my first two years of university, and then delve deeper into more poignant and abstract subjects within my last two years in university. Due to the abundance and variety of classes I have taken at American University, I have narrowed my passions to civil rights, government, public policy, and legal services and institutions.
Throughout my life, I have broken through barriers in order to fight for my own rights as a first-generation American, which has prompted my passion for public service to better the lives of others who have shared my experiences. As the daughter of immigrants from different cultures, I have grown my understanding of building a community to be accepting of all individuals for their similarities and differences.
Through my studies at American University, prior work experience, and personal life, I have cultivated skills in leadership, digital media marketing, and communications. I hope to expand my skills in legal and political work through positions within governmental or legal organizations in order to jumpstart my career and help achieve my goal of being involved in legal work to help others.