Mina Kasama, Class of 2011, to Pursue International Law

I came to Clairbourn when I was about four years old for Pre-Kindergarten. I would be considered the Class of 2011.

 

Where did you go after Clairbourn? Where did you attend university?
I attended Arcadia High School and currently attend Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada with a major in Political Science and a minor in Law, Justice, and Society.

What do you remember most about your time at Clairbourn?
I remember the teachers and staff the most, especially the librarian Mrs. Knight because her library was my favorite place, especially once we were allowed in the middle school section. I also remember Mr. King from when I was little. The summer carnival was always tons of fun, and Coach Paciorek making it rain with the hose whenever we got to go swimming in PE. Mr. Barner and Mrs. Mary-Kaye Halferty always made me feel welcome, and the trip to Dana Point with Mr. Barner are some of the best memories I have.

Has Clairbourn stayed within your memory?
It definitely has, there’s something about the students and the teachers that make them almost impossible to forget even if I can’t always remember everyone’s names. Clairbourn is something that stays with you whether you’re there for a shorter time or from Pre-K to 8th.

What activities at Clairbourn helped influence your career trajectory and cultivate your love of international work and law? How has Clairbourn shaped your academic drive and interests?
I actually didn’t know what I wanted to do when I was at Clairbourn, but their philosophy of helping others helped me decide that eventually I wanted to go into a profession that benefited others besides myself. Clairbourn definitely made me a driven student with high expectations of myself. It also gave me the foundation to thrive in other academic environments. It taught me to pursue whatever I wanted to do, even if I eventually changed my mind.

Where and when did you develop your passion for global studies and law?
I’ve always had some interest in politics and law, not just because my mother is a lawyer, but because there’s so many different ways to look at a political story. I didn’t decide to major in Political Science until the second semester of my first year of university when I took some classes and loved them, especially engaging in discussions or debates with the other students.

What advice do you have for our Clairbourn students who want to pursue these areas in the future?
Read and write, because that is a lot of what you’ll be doing in this field. Pay attention to the news and not just the big sources like NBC, and the NY Times for example but smaller ones like Business Insider, The Hill and even outlets like Buzzfeed all offer engaging news stories. Develop your argument skills, because whether in law or politics you have to be able to defend your point with more than “Well, that’s just my opinion.” Also, remember and realize that we in the US look at everything with a bias towards the US, so do your best to look at stories and events from outside perspectives, such as the perspectives of the country they’re happening in. Going to university in Canada helped a lot with this.

Would you consider yourself a thought leader? Why or why not, and how do you envision your work shaping the world?
I’d like to think so, but truthfully I don’t know. I know I have very strong stances and opinions, and I’m usually not afraid to state them; hopefully, one day my work may have some kind of influence, but I’m not sure what kind yet.

What are some unique experiences (related to work or traveling) that you’ve had in the last few years that you’d like to share with the Clairbourn community? How did these experiences change you?
Going to school out of the country definitely makes me appreciate the time I have at home, especially given that the majority of my family is in Southern California. But, the most unique experience I had was last year during my study abroad experience, my International Law and Politics class went to Germany (Berlin and Neremburg) and Krakow, Poland to study the Holocaust and even though we’ve been talking and learning in the classrooms about the Holocaust since it happened, nothing could’ve prepared me to actually see the full scale of what the Nazis had planned or for the incredible emotional impact of visiting Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau and bearing witness to the suffering endured in those camps.

Dr. Amy Patzlaff is going to be the new Head of School. Do you have any words for her?
I know she’ll do amazing things for Clairbourn. She was an incredible Middle School Dean while I was there, so I’m sure she’ll do just as amazing as Head of School.