May 31, 2007
Rebecca van Uitert’s faith has always been an inspirational
guide in her life. It led her to Brigham Young University
(BYU); to her husband of five years, Jason Howell, Bishop of the
Astoria Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
(also known as the “Mormon” Church); and it led her to St. John’s
University School of Law, where she is about to graduate as one of
the school’s top scholars.
Growing up in Utah as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, van Uitert had always been involved in
humanitarian aid and other community service projects that are the
backbone of the Church. It was when she was assigned to
Southern California for her Missionary Work, however, that van
Uitert realized her own calling and made the decision to attend law
school.
Between the ages of 19-21, Mormon Missionaries serve voluntarily
for 18-24 months in assigned locations throughout the world.
van Uitert, who had learned to speak Spanish through a Spanish
immersion course at BYU’s Missionary Training Center, received her
mission assignment when she was 21 years old and began to work with
Mexican immigrants for the next year and a half.
“I fell in love with the Mexican people, but I would get
frustrated because there often came a point when there wasn’t
really anything more I could do for them—they needed assistance
with their legal problems,” van Uitert said. “My religion
inspires me to act with compassion and charity toward those who are
in need. In addition to being some of the poorest members of
American society, immigrants are often unwelcome or ignored, and at
times, despised. But I think that if Jesus were here, he’d
probably be spending his time with them, too.”
That’s when van Uitert figured out there was in fact something
she could do for them. She completed her degree in
international relations at BYU and, after moving to New York for a
job at a corporate finance firm, she applied to several different
law schools. Having come from a religious background, St.
John’s University School of Law was on her list, but it was further
research into the school’s own mission and the opportunities the
law school could provide that helped her make the decision to
enroll.
“The Vincentian Mission was definitely a factor for me, and I
had heard about St. John’s Immigration Clinic and its involvement
with Catholic Charities so that really tipped the scale in its
favor,” van Uitert said.
The Vincentian Mission has an emphasis on respect for the
individual, service to the needy and human solidarity. In
upholding the Vincentian traditions, St. John’s School of Law
partnered with Catholic Charities to form an Immigration Rights
Clinic where students provide direct representation to immigrants
with a focus on refugees and asylees who are in judicial
proceedings. van Uitert took full advantage of the
partnership. She participated in the Immigration Rights
Clinic and continued as a volunteer for Catholic Charities, all the
while sustaining her own Mission with The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.
Her experience in law school differed from most full-time
students. As the “First Lady” of the Astoria Ward, her
responsibilities in her Church include preparing and delivering
Sermons alongside her husband, as well as her official job as a
Sunday School Teacher. She remained with Catholic Charities
as a volunteer and, despite balancing time between her family (her
husband is enrolled as a pre-med student at Columbia University),
her Church, and her career, van Uitert earned the job of Managing
Editor of St. John’s University Law Review, a position based on
academic achievements. There, she spent anywhere between 15
and 40 hours a week preparing the publication.
“It’s a different life than the rest of my friends have had,”
van Uitert said of her time in law school. “They have a lot
more free time to socialize and a lot more time to study.”
When van Uitert graduates on Sunday, June 3, her hard work and
dedication will have brought her one step closer to fulfilling her
life-long dream. She will begin a full-time job in September
at Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP, a corporate
immigration law firm, but will continue her volunteer work with
Catholic Charities indefinitely. She has been asked by the
organization to be the Project Coordinator for its
Undocumented/Unaccompanied Minors program, where she helps fulfill
needs like legal relief and foster care for immigrant children who
have been detained by immigration officials.
“I’d like to stay with Catholic Charities for as long as I
can. I can say without hesitation that it is the single-most
important experience I have had during law school,” said van
Uitert. “I have learned so much about not only being a
lawyer, but also about what true charity is all about.”
“I’ve also been reminded of the great privilege it is to have an
education, and of the responsibilities that correspond to such a
privilege,” she added. “I wish all St. John’s law students
could have an experience working with a non-profit organization
such as Catholic Charities. The world would definitely be a
better place!”