The story of Iris Defino is also a story of the University of Binghamton. His parents met by attending Binghamton and even if Defio is from Danbury, in Connecticut, the history of origin of his parents and other references of Binghamton were something that Defino heard.
“My mother obtained her baccalaureate and my father obtained her baccalaureate and his doctorate in Binghamton, and they met when my mother brought a newspaper to the writing center to be revised and my father was the critic.” Although Defino admits: “It did not go so well at the start. My aunt also went to Binghamton, and it happened instead with my mother during a semester of studies abroad, and it is really thanks to their friendship that my parents ended up meeting. ”
When time came to Defio to apply for colleges herself, she had a lot of options, but Binghamton was definitely on her list. An attractive financial aid set and an invitation to Binghamton University of the University program – A four -year -old selective program – helped conclude the agreement for defined, and it was now part of her family’s binghamton tradition.
Defino arrived in Binghamton with a strong interest in questions of social justice, which were deeply rooted in his education and influenced by the career of his parents in education.
“Even when I was young, I was aware of these problems. I remember being five years old and interested in what was going on in the 2008 elections, “she said.
It has connected to these roots by getting involved with social justice organizations on and off campus, including the Binghamton and Justice and unit for the southern levelA community organization addressing problems related to mass incarceration, which it has discovered through one of its classes.
Originally a major in philosophy, politics and law, defined its concentration on political science over time, with a particular emphasis on the elections, voting rights and the behavior of voters. During her second year, she added a minor in human rights, which supported her interest in social justice and the law of the public interest.
“Human rights have been a good complement to political science,” she said. “I was able to know a little more about women, sex and sexuality and I had the opportunity to take lessons by emphasizing queer release and racial problems.”
Defino participated in several key internships as part of his human rights minor. In the fall of 2023, she carried out an internship at Journey’s End Revolution Services, an immigration and asylum law firm, where she made a new customer contribution and developed memorandums for the trials for those who request temporary protective services or political asylum. She also conducted in -depth research through reports from the State Department, helping to build a case for asylum seekers.
Last summer, she worked with the Division of Housing Disputes for the Preservation and Development of Housing in New York, helping the defense of tenants, in particular the questions of harassment, negligence or abuse of the owners. This experience has helped to arouse its interest in the law.
“This experience has really changed the way I thought about the future of my legal career,” said Defico. “I was able to make ghost lawyers in the courtroom and I considered myself this person who could be in the courtroom by doing this argument, as opposed before, when I knew that I wanted to practice the law but perhaps in a sector more linked to politics.”
She is currently on an internship with the Broome County Public Defender OfficeWhere she is engaged in jurisprudence and political research as well as to the direct interactions of customers. It manages a wide range of cases, from possession of drugs to childcare hearings. She is also back in the courtroom, but this time meeting with clients face to face.
“Having the opportunity to work directly with customers is important to me because the human aspect of work is what I really look at,” she said
Find a community
Since his arrival on campus, Defino has discovered a community and a network of support for University Q Center Q.
“Finding a dynamic queer community on campus has had an impact on me,” she said. “I think it’s difficult for anyone when they come to university for the first time to find their niche. The Scholars program was nice because we had established a community before starting our first year. But finding friends or queer friends who had interests similar to me, whether politics and law or, you know, musical theater and other things like that, Center Q has helped with that. “
However, it was only by this last academic year that she has decided to apply for a position in the center. The center coordinator, Aiden Braun, suggested that Defino is considering a role in the SGIE Educator program – an acronym for sexual orientation, identity and gender expression – which ended up being a good adjustment. As a Sogie Educator, Defino led workshops on subjects such as gender dysphoria, body dysmorphia and food disorders within the LGBTQ +community. In addition, she has collaborated with other Sogie’s Sogie educators to develop content on consent, domestic violence and sexual assault problems in these communities.
“Iris is a fantastic student, an employee and especially a great person,” said Braun. “She works hard, always finds lightness in any situation and is really a joy to be there. Iris brought passion and creativity to her work as a Sogie Educator, and I had the opportunity to learn so much.
Defino was involved on the academic level and in other activities during his stay in Binghamton, and the hard work and the dedication to his studies and his extracurricular activities were recognized. This year, she received the President’s prize for the undergraduate excellence and the Chancellor’s prize, which is awarded throughout the Suny system.
After obtaining his diploma, Defino plans to take a year or two to work as a parajurist or legal assistant while she studies her admission tests to the law faculties and applies to the Faculty of Law. She is interested in moving to New York and working on behalf of Pro Bono customers with organizations such as Legal Aid Society, The Innocence Project or The Bronx Defenders.
“I am proud of my stay in Binghamton,” she said. “I was able to get involved in so many problems that fascinate me, such as the reform of criminal justice, immigration and asylum, even so that some of my comrades interested in defending these problems too.