August 10, 2020

Where are they Now: John Avi Socha

Currently, I am employed at a family law and civil litigation firm in Seattle, WA. Simultaneously, I am attending UW’s accelerated Paralegal Certification Program to prepare myself for an eventual admission to law school. So far, helping advocate for my client’s personal interests has been an immensely rewarding experience, and I hope to continue my advocacy in the private sector for years to come.

I do have advice for future Husky 100 applicants. A rock-solid endorser is critical. It is more important to pick an authority that knows you well, rather than one with a grand title. Having served on the Husky 100 2020 selection committee, I can tell you that passion is more important than transcripts. Focus on your experiences and results instead of your background. Your CV is only helpful insofar that it shows you are engaged and active in your chosen community. More is often required to drive the point home.

And most importantly, submit a website or video. At the time of this writing, most applicants choose to submit an essay and miss out on enormously valuable storytelling tools. When I applied in 2018, I used a website to convey not just my writing, but to show links, photos, videos, PDF’s, and more alongside it. It was the best of both worlds.

In fact, the gambit was so effective that years later when I served on the 2020 selection committee, several administrators of the Husky 100 program recognized me just from my application materials, despite never having met me in person. The effort of the extra mile will ensure you stand head and shoulders over the competition and will guarantee you at least get noticed.

Since COVID-19 disrupted many of our lives, I now spend what free time I have volunteering to mitigate the disastrous economic and social consequences of an extended lockdown. Stay Healthy, Huskies.