Political science students recently participated in a service-learning initiative that allowed them to engage directly with immigration law through a partnership with the Waterbury office of the Law Offices of James A. Welcome.
Source: Jack Cavicchi, Senior Photo Editor and Asst. Sports Editor
The collaboration was incorporated into political science, Prof. Kathleen O’Gara’s, courses during the spring and fall 2025 semesters. Students in O’Gara’s Migration and Membership class completed 15 hours of community service as part of the course curriculum, giving them the opportunity to apply classroom concepts in professional settings.
O’Gara, who has taught at Sacred Heart University for more than 20 years, said the service-learning component helped students grasp immigration issues in ways lectures alone could not.
“It is way more impactful than learning it from me,” said O’Gara. “I could talk about it all I want, but the students were coming in and telling me, ‘This is a story I heard.’”
Students were able to choose from several community placements to fulfill their service requirement. A group of students selected the Law Offices of James A. Welcome, an immigration and personal injury law firm with multiple locations throughout Connecticut. Some students completed research remotely, while others traveled to the Waterbury office to assist attorneys in person for several hours at a time.
“I wanted students to not just learn what all of the new executive orders were doing for immigration,” said O’Gara. “I wanted them to actually see what that meant for a law firm that was trying to keep up with these changes and still serve their clients the best way possible.”
Students working with the firm assisted with legal research related to active immigration cases. According to O’Gara, the experience highlighted how quickly immigration law evolves.
“The pace of the change as I was teaching it was crazy,” said O”Gara. “So the law firm also dealing with these changes on a daily basis was powerful for students to see.”
Senior Guadalupe Larios Lezama, a political science major with a minor in criminal justice, said her responsibilities included conducting research and providing translation assistance.
“When it comes to a language barrier, it can be very difficult to get a proper idea of the situation,” said Larios Lezama.
Larios Lezama said the experience gave her a clearer understanding of the demands of immigration law.
“You never truly understand until you experience it first-hand. I learned how much attention and detail is needed in order to have a somewhat smooth case,” said Larios Lezama.
Senior Emma Jaghatspanyan, a political science major planning to attend law school next year, said the partnership offered valuable exposure for students interested in legal careers.
“It is very tough for people who want to go into law because there is no pre-law major,” said Jaghatspanyan. “Having an opportunity like this to get hands-on experience helps those that may not get that directly from their courses.”
Jaghatspanyan said early exposure to legal work can help students better understand what law school and legal careers entail.
“There is a huge jump between undergrad and law school. These hands-on experiences give you a taste of what it will be like in the future,” said Jaghatsspanyan.
“Students got to see what it really was like without filtered news and narratives,” said O’Gara. According to her, students’ firsthand experiences strengthened classroom discussions as well as allowed them to move beyond political rhetoric surrounding immigration.
O’Gara said she plans to continue incorporating service-learning opportunities into her courses and hopes to expand partnerships with community organizations in the future.
“This course was one of the most rewarding classes that I’ve ever taught. I hope that they continue to be civically engaged with their community in the future, whatever that means,” said O’Gara.
