Vinila Varghese, through the CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies program, created her two majors: Race and Criminal Justice, and Philosophy and Law. She received the CUNY BA/BS Distinguished Scholar Award in May 2020. She is a former Thomas W. Smith for Academic Achievement fellow. Currently, as part of the Pinkerton Fellowship (Summer 2019-May 2020), she is placed at the Legal Aid Society’s Community Justice Unit (CJU). She is currently a projectBasta fellow.
Prior to this, Vinila worked as a Fatherhood Engagement intern at the Midtown Community Court, a Peer Ambassador at John Jay, and a tutor at the Mexican American Students’ Alliance in the South Bronx. She was the co-captain of a Quidditch team (the Macaulay Marauders), and John Jay Honors Peer Leader, and the president and founder of the John Jay Chapter of “Leading Womxn of Tomorrow.” In January 2019, she went to Florence, Italy to study abroad. After graduation, Vinila plans to go to law school and fulfill her life goal of becoming a social justice advocate after taking a gap year.
