Clay Pierce
Pronouns: he/him
Graduation year: 2021
Hometown: Berkeley, CA
Currently living in: New York, NY
Current occupation: Rising 3L at Columbia Law School; Incoming Fellow, ACLU Voting Rights Project.
What was your experience at CC like as a Political Science major?
I looked forward to every Political Science class at CC. My professors challenged me to grapple with tough questions about our politics, laws, and the structure of our systems of governance. I deeply enjoyed learning from brilliant classmates who brought a wealth of diverse life experiences and perspectives to each class. The Block Plan allowed us to become engrossed in our class discussions, which often continued outside the classroom. And professors in the Political Science department were always eager to continue talking with us about topics from class and beyond. I will always cherish those memories from the garden level of Palmer Hall.
Why were you interested in focusing on Political Science as your major?
I came to CC in part to explore a range of academic interests, and I took fantastic classes in Film & Media Studies, Environmental Science, and Race, Ethnicity, and Migration Studies, among other departments. I chose to focus on Political Science because of the depth and breadth of the discussions that professors facilitated. Through several classes centered on the judiciary and the law, I became particularly interested in the power of law—and lawyers—to both perpetuate and combat injustice. Under the guidance of Political Science professors, I pursued that interest further, writing a senior thesis (published in the Penn Undergraduate Law Journal) that interrogated the intersection of legal theory and the death penalty in the United States.
How are you using your major in your post-CC life?
Professors in the Political Science department instilled in me a love for learning and a passion for the law. They continue to serve as mentors and helped me get to where I am today, pursuing a career as a civil rights lawyer. As a Political Science major, I spent a lot of time researching, writing, and rewriting. The late nights at Tutt Library and the feedback professors provided have paid off enormously in law school. Those skills I developed at CC also provided a foundation for my work in the years since, including as a litigation intern at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and as an extern with the Department of Justice, Voting Section. And I continue to draw on the rich discussions with classmates that I was privileged to take part in during my time at CC.