COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL — Damonta Morgan TC ’19, LAW ’22 grew up in a small town in Mississippi; success stories, he says, were few and far between, but it often meant you either became a doctor or a lawyer. After graduating from Vanderbilt University with a B.A. in history and political science, he moved to New York to work for the New York City Department of Education and pursue a master’s degree in education policy at Teachers College. “I had always known that I wanted to go to law school—and to Columbia, in particular—but when I was graduating from Vanderbilt, I thought, ‘Maybe I’m not ready, so let me pursue some other interests first,’” he says. “Once I got into Teachers College, I thought, ‘I’m halfway there. I just need to make it across the street.’” His career aspirations have evolved during his three years at Columbia Law School. He originally wanted to be a prosecutor, but he is now focusing on pursuing a career as an appellate litigator.