Victoria Giraldo

Danbury resident Victoria Giraldo has known for a long time that she wanted to eventually become a member of the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps. She set her path toward that goal in motion in middle school by joining the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Dealey Division out of Stamford, Connecticut. A participant throughout middle school and high school, Giraldo said she received medical and leadership training, and attended boot camp in New Jersey for two weeks.

When it came time to consider colleges, Giraldo was accepted to Western Connecticut State University, two CSCU sister schools, UNH and UConn. In the end, Giraldo opted for WestConn so she could stay in her community, commute to classes and continue to work. The reputation of WestConn’s Justice and Law Administration program was also very important to her.

“I’ve always known that I wanted to major in justice and law,” Giraldo said. “I plan to get my bachelor’s degree and then work with a Navy recruiter to become a Navy officer and enter the JAG Corps. That way, they will help pay for law school, because it’s so expensive.”

Giraldo has a very specific type of law she wants to practice: immigration law. A second-generation immigrant from Peru, Giraldo has witnessed friends and extended family members struggle to integrate into the U.S. and wants to find a way to help. “It’s hard and costly for people who are looking to find asylum,” she said. “I want to use my bi-lingual skills and eventual law degree to help the community.”

Victoria Giraldo

In the meantime, Giraldo, who will graduate in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies, is finishing up her coursework and participating in a semester-long internship at the Danbury Adult Probation office. “A lot of law firms don’t have internship placements right now,” Giraldo said. “I took a sex crimes class with Dr. Casey Jordan and I excelled in the class and became her teaching assistant. Dr. Jordan helped me find the internship at Adult Probation and I’m working with Hispanic sex offenders because I’m bilingual and can communicate with the clients.”

In the spring semester, Giraldo plans to do another internship and has already started submitting applications. She’s also continuing her on-campus work as a Tech-in-Attendant at the university’s Media Services office, and as an employee in the Communications & Marketing Department’s print shop.

“WestConn is the best option if you want to stay in Danbury, commute and work at your job(s),” Giraldo said. “It’s a great school with great professors, and I’ve always worked while I have been a student here. My family is very proud of me and think the path I’ve chosen is a smart decision.”

Victoria Giraldo (front row)

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