Sofia Ascorbe is Marquette Law School’s new Director of Career Planning. Ascorbe joins us after almost three years with the Marquette University Honors Program, on which she served as the Assistant Director. A graduate of Marquette University herself, she says she’s excited to continue to give back to the Marquette community, as it has opened many doors for her since she first moved here from Miami, Florida to begin her college career. In her new role, she will help students with their professional formation and career discernment as they reflect on their interests, experiences, and skillsets in navigating various opportunities and ways to use their law degrees.
Before working at Marquette, Ascorbe spent four years working as a staff attorney for Legal Action of Wisconsin, the largest non-profit law firm in the state, focusing on elder law, consumer rights, and housing justice. “In that work, I was able to practice advocacy on the ground with community members to help empower them in making decisions that were best for them, while they learned to navigate our complicated legal system,” says Ascorbe. “Now I empower students who are still developing their own interests and identities. The opportunity to be part of that development with law students excites me.”
As a Latina and first-generation lawyer, Ascorbe also hopes to provide a bridge for students who identify with historically underrepresented communities. “My law degree and law license carry extra weight in a broader cultural context, and I respect and honor that meaning. I intentionally take a caring, holistic, and honest approach toward others on their journey because I hope to be part of making spaces more inclusive with the goal of empowering students to make decisions that are best for them.”
Ascorbe is community-engaged beyond the office as well. As a pro bono lawyer with the Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinic (MVLC), she notes that this work allows her to participate in the community in meaningful ways. “Marquette is uniquely situated as a Jesuit institution, to encourage our students to deeply commit to social justice and service in whichever path they choose. Similarly, I view this commitment to pro bono as integral to my larger role at Marquette.”
When asked about the best advice she received when she was a law student, Ascorbe recalls that she was encouraged to be an active participant in her community, and to start seeing herself as a leader within it. “Mentors, caring faculty, and intentional administrators encouraged me to expand my own imagination of potential to include leadership positions both in and out of the classroom. Overcoming imposter syndrome was a practice in reframing how I saw my role in the world.” She plans to approach her new role in a similar way: “I am eager to connect with students and help them feel welcome and encouraged to thrive at Marquette Law and beyond.”