DePaul Migration Advocates

The DePaul Migration Advocates is a collaboration between the Colleges of Law (CoL) and Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) that seeks to tell the story of DePaul’s history and mission as an immigrant-serving institution through the experiences and impact of our alumni working in the field. DePaul alumni are influencers in the fields of migration, immigration and human rights. The DePaul Migration Advocates project seeks to highlight and share their contributions on DePaul’s website and other platforms.

Alumni Stories

DePaul alumni are influencers in the field of migration, immigration and human rights across the country and the world. Through DePaul Migration Advocates, an interdisciplinary team of students from film, law and liberals arts and sciences highlight the stories of alumni who are impacting the field and also share DePaul’s history and mission as an immigrant-serving institution through the experiences and impact of College of Law and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences alumni working in the field. The videos here, created by an interdisciplinary team of DePaul students from law, liberal arts and film, highlight the motivations, interest and impact DePaul alums bring to direct services, policy and advocacy.
If you are a DePaul alumni interested in being highlighted, we would love to hear from you.

CoL and LAS alumni, update us on your work in the field!

DePaul Migration Advocates Videos

Watch the videos to learn how these Alumni have continued to uphold the Vincentian Mission throughout their careers and personal lives.

Hillary Richardson, DePaul Law '11

Hillary Richardson, a Managing Attorney at the National Immigrant Justice Program, brings her expertise as a graduate of DePaul Law School (’11) to lead the Non-Detained Kids (NDK) Project.

Melissa Untereker, DePaul Law '06

Midwest-born Melissa Untereker (DePaul Law ’06) is an experienced immigration lawyer based in El Paso. With over a decade in the field, she focuses exclusively on immigration law, representing clients in the U.S. and abroad. Melissa is a committed advocate for human rights, serving as the President of the Board of Directors for the Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center and participating in multiple professional organizations.

Ashley Whetham, DePaul LAS '21

Ashely Whetham (DePaul LAS RFMS ’21) is a case manger at Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago where she works with and supports refugees with special needs.

Jeffrey Cohn, DePaul Law‘16

Christian Jorgensen, DePaul LAS’ 17

Christian Jorgenson (DePaul LAS RFMS’17 ) was in the inaugural class of the Refugee and Forced Migration Studies graduate program at DePaul. He currently serves as Legal Advisor in International Humanitarian Law with the Red Cross.

Claudia Valenzuela, DePaul Law‘02

Claudia Valenzuela (DePaul Law JD’02), currently managing attorney with Immigrant Legal Defense, is dedicated to defending the rights of migrants advocating for transparency and accountability.

Giovanna Valdez, DePaul Law ‘12

Michelle Rivero, DePaul Law '98

As an intern at the DMC I have mostly been working with the video production of the alumni video series. I manage the technical aspects of the filming process which included ordering the film equipment, filming the interview and b-roll, and editing the video. Not only have I strengthened my videography skills, I have also learned a lot about immigration law and processes. As an immigrant, I always found it fascinating to hear from the alumni we interviewed and learn from the stories and lessons they told. After working with the DMC, I have grown a strong passion for exploring stories through film that surround topics of migration and mobility that I hope to pursue in my professional career.

Julian Trejo Bax

DePaul Migration Advocate

The DMA has been such a fulfilling opportunity for me! I started my legal interest working in immigration prior to attending law school and this project has reinvigorated my passion and interest in immigration and migration. I intend to work in the International Legal field and getting a chance to connect with so many dedicated and successful alumna, who are making such an impact is something I am very proud to be a part of!

Mecca Wilkinson

DePaul Migration Advocate

Our Impact

The DePaul Migration Collaborative (DMC) has made a notable impact in the field of migration studies. A total of 106 DePaul faculty members have shown interest or actively participated in migration-related endeavors. The Migration and Asylum Survey (MAS) indicates that 37 of these faculty members have incorporated migration issues into their courses. In addition, 35 DePaul alumni are actively participating or involved with the DePaul Migration and Asylum (DMA) initiatives. This engagement reflects a growing and vibrant community dedicated to the exploration, teaching, and active response to migration challenges.

People Involved