
December’s Woman of the Month is Legal Assistant at the Maurer Law School Community Legal Clinic, Denisha Chetty!
Academic level acquired (college attended; degree earned): Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Science (majoring in Psychology) from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Currently pursuing a Masters of Law Degree at Maurer School of Law, IU.
What is your position at IU? Legal Assistant, Maurer Law School Community Legal Clinic
What kind of career exploration have you done to learn more about yourself and how you want(ed) to work in the world?
- Networking with several people and organizations involved in public Interest work here in Indiana and in other states.
- Volunteered with law school clubs that have allowed me to explore a range of different legal areas that I did not know about previously.
- Interned and worked at different law firms to put what I have learned into practice, as well as eliminate the areas I absolutely did not want to work in.
What influenced you to choose your field? I was passionate about making a difference and understood that something everyone deals with and lives according to is the law. I felt as though I could reach more people pursuing a career working as a lawyer so long as I maintained my values and remembered why I decided to go down this path.
What, if any, resources in your collegiate years helped guide you?
- Speaking to professors that taught areas that I was interested in about how they achieved their goals.
- Seeking as much career services help as humanly possible so that I had explored every single option.
- Putting myself out there by engaging in every opportunity, paid or unpaid that I felt was interesting to me irrespective of whether it would benefit my career the more I was exposed to the easier it has been to guide myself in what I hope is the right path.
What have you experienced as a woman in the working world, that you perceive as being related to your social identity? How did you navigate that? Something that bothered me was that being a young individual of color in a profession that has been built around a particular race and gender meant that I had to often speak up to be heard. When working with clients, often people tended to face the direction of my male colleagues. A huge part of being the best you can be is not being hurt by often the way that society has been shaped, but rather to take action where needed. Something that I would do in those situations is spoken clearly and almost demand attention back to assert my position in the room even if I was being ignored. Eventually, with time, I have managed to slowly learn to become respected and trusted.
What’s something you do in your spare time that supplements your career growth or your personal growth as an individual? Throughout my time in high school and my college years, I was struggling with chronic kidney disease, while this was not something that helped me much in my career growth I made sure to not let it hinder my spirits. I began a blog to document what life was like living with this disease and use my story to motivate young people who have often had the cards stacked against them. I advocate for chronic illness patients but enjoy contributing to society by engaging in volunteer work. This has given me more perspective to know that while I have a serious lifelong illness to face, so do other people and some have things even worse. There is nothing more humbling and satisfying than learning to make service a part of your life and your goals.
What do you know now that you wish you had known when you started working after college? As I am a graduate student, my advice for ‘undergrad me’ would be to not worry so much about the future or what might happen. Instead, I should spend that time meeting people, trying new activities and putting myself out there whether that means joining interesting school clubs or being on student associations. These involvements and experience build a resume much more than a bad grade, enjoy college because it is the only time where opportunities are ever ready and there is time to try everything!
Any advice for collegiate women currently working to achieve their goals? Have faith in your capabilities and never compete with your other female colleagues. It is important to understand that every person is fighting their own battles and that putting down each other as opposed to being supportive steers every person off their path. Also, remember not to let what other people tell you about your capabilities direct your goal making. During my time in college, I have managed to obtain two degrees while having two kidney transplants and living in and out of the hospital. I have been told to quit college multiple times and to not pursue my goal of moving to America. I am proud to say that not only is my health wonderful, but I am living and enjoying my life here in the states, and there is still so much more I would love to achieve!
Are there any other aspects of your cultural identity that you feel has impacted your perception of yourself? In New Zealand, there is a concept known as tall poppy syndrome which is about cutting down anyone that boasts about themselves or their achievements. I feel as though these days women take on this syndrome and don’t celebrate the amazing things that they have worked hard for. I do the same and tend to not believe that I deserve things such as being the December woman of the month. I’ve slowly learned that no matter where you are in life there will always be someone that has done more than you but that should never diminish the pride that you should have about what you have attained, especially academically or with your career. It is so important that we recognize those people in society that are making their way and celebrate the underdogs.
*Interview conducted by IUB Women Rising Ambassador Renee Palmerone. The views and opinions conveyed in the interview answers are those of the interviewee and may or may not align with IUB Women Rising and the IU Career Development Center or the Trustees of Indiana University.