From the Classroom to the Courtroom

For five Maranatha students, that question led to an extraordinary summer experience with Christian Legal Aid of Los Angeles (CLA LA).

Raia Kita ’27, Evan Chiu ’29, Taylor Yun ’27, Grace Jung ’27, and Magdalyn Leong ’28 spent part of their summer gaining an up-close look at the legal profession through courthouse visits and hands-on participation in legal aid clinics. Rather than simply observing attorneys and law students at work, the Maranatha students were invited into the experience, asking questions, researching legal issues, listening to clients, and learning from professionals across a variety of areas of law. The students said they were surprised by how much responsibility and trust they were given.

For Grace, that challenge became one of the most meaningful parts of the experience.

“It fed my curiosity,” she said. “It fed this desire in me to continue learning, to continue challenging myself, to continue trying.” She described being invited to sit alongside law students and attorneys, ask questions, search legal resources, and contribute her thoughts as they worked through real situations.

The opportunity itself began with a student idea.

As part of an AP Language assignment, Taylor wrote to Dr. Matt Ketterling about expanding internship and extracurricular opportunities for students. Taylor and Grace continued the conversation with him, including ways alumni connections might help students gain meaningful exposure to potential careers. Those conversations eventually helped open the door to Christian Legal Aid of Los Angeles.

Taylor said the process itself was meaningful.

“I felt so seen and heard,” she reflected, describing how school leadership listened to the students’ ideas and helped turn them into an opportunity.

The students also saw firsthand how faith, professional excellence, and service can work together. Raia said the experience helped reshape the way she thought about success.

“Your morals can drive what you succeed in,” she said after seeing attorneys whose Christian faith remained central to their professional work.

For Magdalyn, who has wanted to pursue law for years, the summer made a long-held goal feel much more tangible.

“This isn’t just some childhood dream,” she said. “This is something that I can really do.”

Together, their experiences offer a glimpse of what it means for Maranatha students to Be Known, Be Challenged, and Be Transformed, through opportunities that connect classroom learning, personal interests, faith, service, and the world beyond campus.