“Community service is in my DNA,” says Camilla Leonard, who will graduate from «Ӱҵ’s Pettit College of Law in May.
Camilla was offered a position in the Army’s Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps in November, and will be commissioned in January 2026.
Her dedication to community service was shaped by her immigrant roots. Raised in a family from Guyana that prioritized generosity even in times of modest means, she learned the value of giving back from a young age.
Camilla came to the U.S. at age 17, attending high school in Schenectady, N.Y., where two high school guidance counselors recognized her potential.
“They believed in me and that is the reason I’m here,” she said. “They saw something in me when I didn’t see it in myself.”
After graduating from Siena College, Camilla joined AmeriCorps VISTA in New York City, working with low-income veterans. A friend suggested «Ӱҵ and JAG.
“I thought JAG would be a good way for me to serve as well as gain skills for my future goal,” Camilla said. Those goals inspired her to focus on international and immigration law, arbitration and mediation, and employment labor law.
At «Ӱҵ Law, she found mentorship and support—particularly from Dean Charlie Rose, who served as a U.S. Army JAG officer for 20 years.
She’s competed twice in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, led the Black Law Students Association, directed community service for the Midwest Region of the National Black Law Students Association, and served as managing editor of the International Law Journal. She’s also done pro bono work for the «Ӱҵ Legal Clinic and she volunteers with the Conversation in English program, helping Ukrainian law students improve their English through weekly Zoom calls.
Looking back on her time at «Ӱҵ, Camilla appreciates the relationships she’s built, the meaningful opportunities she’s had, and the comfort of the university’s close-knit community.
“If I had to, I would do it all over again,” she says. “That says something about the school.”