Sophia Herrera

Sophia Herrera is a junior at the University of Kansas, majoring in Political Science, Spanish, and Chicano/Latino Studies. A native of Kansas City, Missouri, she aspires to pursue a career in immigration, injury, or tribal law, driven by her passion for policy and justice.

A University Scholar in the KU Honors Program, Sophia is deeply engaged in campus leadership, serving as President of KU Young Democrats, Vice President of Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity, and a member of the Student Advisory Board at the Dole Institute of Politics, where she also volunteers. She is active in KU’s Latin American Student Union and the Minorities in Pre-Law organization.

Sophia’s academic work includes research on the intersections of U.S. policy, race, nativism, and Latin American conflicts, examining their effects on contemporary immigration issues. In another project, she developed a legislative blueprint addressing inequities faced by urban Native American students in accessing post-secondary education.

Rooted in both Lawrence and Kansas City, Sophia is committed to community service. She tutors middle school students during the school year and volunteers with organizations such as the Guadalupe Centers, where she teaches English, and the Mattie Rhodes Center in Kansas City. This upcoming spring, she will study abroad in Seville, Spain.