From her first visit to Southeastern University’s campus as a teenager attending a youth conference, Nathalie Rincon felt something different about SEU. Years later, that has carried her all the way to the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, where she is making history as only the fifth Black woman to serve as Editor-in-Chief of the prestigious University of Pennsylvania Law Review.
Nathalie graduated from SEU in 2022 with a double major in Political Science and Legal Studies, a path she chose intentionally to prepare for law school. “I knew I had a deep interest in law and policy,” she says, “and I wanted to spend my undergraduate years building a strong foundation in legal vocabulary, political theory, and critical thinking.” That foundation, paired with her drive to advocate for others, set her on a remarkable course.
Mentors Who Made a Lasting Impact
Though Nathalie is now a leader at one of the nation’s top law schools, it was at SEU where she built the foundation for that leadership — surrounded by professors, staff, and classmates who saw her potential and supported her as she grew.
“I owe so much of my personal and professional success to the people at SEU,” Nathalie says. She points to mentors like Sylvia Blackmon-Roberts, Dr. Ben Gomez, and Dr. Tim Welch as key influences. “Ms. Sylvia helped me see the strength within myself and showed me what authentic leadership looks like. Dr. Gomez pushed me to dream bigger and always challenged me to grow. And Dr. Welch gave me the practical tools and knowledge of the law that helped me step confidently into my first day of law school.”
Today, as a student at UPenn and the editor-in-chief of the Penn Law Review, Nathalie leads one of the oldest and most respected legal journals in the country. She earned this position through a competitive writing process and nomination by her peers. “This role is not just about editing legal scholarship,” she says. “It’s about leading with integrity, serving a team well, and stewarding an institution that shapes the legal field.”
Nathalie is only the fifth Black woman to hold this position in the publication’s 172-year history. “I carry that history with me every day. It reminds me why I do what I do — because representation matters, and because the law should work for everyone.”
From First-Gen to Ivy League Leadership
Throughout law school, Nathalie has stayed true to her roots in service and advocacy. She’s contributed to pro bono projects like 
the Pardon Project and the Decarceration Advocacy Project, helping individuals submit pardon applications and supporting efforts to end criminal executions. “The law is powerful,” she says. “I want to be the kind of lawyer who uses that power to uplift and restore.”
As a first-generation college student, Nathalie has navigated unfamiliar systems, asked hard questions, and learned the value of mentorship and community. “I couldn’t always turn to my parents for guidance on the FAFSA or my preparations for law school,” she reflects. “But I learned to reach out at SEU and then at law school — to ask questions, to build a support network, to find people who could walk with me.”
Rooted in Faith and Service
Looking back, Nathalie credits SEU with shaping not just her academic and professional path, but her spiritual one as well. “SEU allowed me to explore my faith deeply and personally,” she says. “Whether it was through chapel, conversations with professors, or the way my legal studies courses encouraged me to think critically about faith and justice, I grew in ways I couldn’t have imagined.”
As she continues to break barriers, Nathalie remains committed to serving others, stewarding her influence well, and honoring God, who has guided every step of her journey. From SEU’s classrooms to Ivy League leadership, Nathalie is living proof that faith, excellence, and a heart for justice can truly change the world.
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