Marissa Prager is a student in the College of Arts and Sciences studying Political Science with a minor in Legal Studies and History. She aspires to become a public defender and ultimately pursue a career in helping harshly and wrongly incarcerated individuals. Through SNF Paideia’s Criminal Justice Reform: A Systems Approach course, she was able to explore this topic while gaining an interest in the program! The class taught her about how opposing viewpoints surrounding serious topics are necessary to fully understand and address issues in a practical manner. She hopes to address similar issues through her experience as a fellow.
Outside of the classroom, Marissa is involved in the Penn Glee Club, so you may be able to find her singing around campus donning a red and blue tie. She is also a mentor through the Netter Center’s Community School Student Partnerships (CSSP), continuing her six year-dedication tomentorship in low-income communities. Marissa will participate in the Penn Program for Public Service this summer to promote civic engagement in West Philadelphia high schools.
Through her time at Penn, Marissa hopes to not only learn about important legal and political issues, but she also hopes to find ways to address them through her work and opportunities as a SNF Paideia fellow and as part of the Netter Center. She looks forward to improving her individual and community wellness while becoming an overall better citizen and communicator!