For Gabriella Chadsey ‘20, a comment from a visiting lecturer in a Georgetown Law seminar brought her full circle—back to the research skills she honed as an undergraduate in the UC Irvine School of Social Sciences, and which prepared her for a future in environmental law and policy. The speaker in her congressional investigations class that day recommended students use presidential libraries for research.

“One of the really cool things I did at UCI was a lot of research through presidential libraries,” explains Chadsey. “So I thought it was interesting and reaffirming to have a legal professional tell us that we should use that resource as lawyers.”

Since her junior year of high school, Chadsey knew she wanted to become a lawyer – specifically focused on environmental law and policy. It was an AP environmental science teacher in her beach town of San Clemente, California, who first opened Chadsey’s eyes to the impacts humans were having on the natural world. She learned first-hand from local water samples that runoff was impacting coastal water quality and affecting surfers, and she studied how rising sea levels will reshape the low-lying beachfront community.

Each of Chadsey’s carefully considered steps since then – choosing UCI, studying political science, moving to Washington, D.C. – has brought her closer to her ultimate goal. But her path has not been without obstacles.

"What all students can learn from Gabby — indeed, what all of us can learn from Gabby — is that there is a sweet spot between being a realist and a romantic,” says Matthew Beckmann, professor of political science. “Gabby is a realist about the challenges we face and a romantic in that she is eager to take them head-on."

From the get-go, Chadsey knew she would major in political science and pursue an internship in Washington, D.C. – she even wrote about her aspirations to participate in the UCDC program in her college application. On campus, she immersed herself in research opportunities, gaining firsthand experience using international databases as a research assistant for Heidi Hardt, an associate professor of political science who studies international law.

Chadsey also took several classes with Beckmann, who specializes in the American presidency. He was impressed enough with her work to invite her to join his research team which used archival materials from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Then, Chadsey decided to pursue an honors thesis with Beckmann as her advisor, focusing on President John F. Kennedy. She had always been fascinated by JFK – they share a birthday. But more importantly, “I like a lot of his policies, and he was one of the first presidents I ever learned about,” Chadsey explains.

For the honors thesis, Chadsey looked at how JFK managed his time as president, specifically investigating a longstanding narrative that the president’s brother, Robert F. Kennedy, considered Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson a rival, and limited his access to the sitting president. Meticulously going through the presidential daily diary, a log of how a sitting president spends their time, Chadsey found the president spent more time meeting, at least officially, with his VP than his brother.

“Professor Beckmann was a guiding force throughout my time at UC Irvine,” says Chadsey. “But I had an amazing time with all the faculty – they were so interesting, from such diverse backgrounds, and they are an immensely valuable resource to students.”

Building on her research skills, Chadsey sought real-world experience in policymaking through sought-after congressional internships. In the fall of 2019, she interned in the Irvine office of Congresswoman Katie Porter (CA-47), fielding calls and emails from constituents, and helping organize events throughout the congressional district.

The following winter, Chadsey interned on Capitol Hill in Congressman Earl Blumenauer’s (OR-3) office. While there, she participated in the UCDC program, taking classes, conducting research, and experiencing the federal government up close. Her time in the nation’s capital coincided with historic events including the first impeachment trial of President Donald Trump and congressional hearings on the Black Maternal Health Caucus’s “Momnibus” legislation.

“Interning in a congressional office in D.C. means you get to go to a lot of briefings,” Chadsey says. “One of the things that stuck out to me was going to these congressional briefings on maternal health, and then seeing those lead to policy proposals.”

Chadsey graduated from UCI in just three years, earning the Order of Merit, which is given to the top 2% of social sciences undergraduate students who best exemplify a commitment to academic distinction, leadership and service to the school, campus and community. Post graduation, she planned to bolster her experience in environmental policy with a Peace Corps assignment in the West African country of Senegal, where she would work in agroforestry. But, like so many others, Chadsey had to change her plans when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived that spring. With Peace Corps travel on an indefinite hiatus, Chadsey took a gap year and moved to Oregon to be near family.

From her time in UCDC, Chadsey knew she wanted to get back to the nation’s capital and, specifically, into Georgetown Law. So, after a year in Oregon, she moved across the country to work as an administrative assistant in the D.C. office of a big law firm, Arnold and Porter. While working full time, Chadsey applied and was accepted to Georgetown Law’s J.D. evening program. Now, she spends her evenings in legal courses with a cohort of students who work full-time at interesting places ranging from The Hill to the Navy, and is on track to graduate in 2026. She was offered an internship at the Department of Justice this summer, but in yet another curveball, it was revoked amid the Trump administration’s elimination of federal jobs. She remains undeterred.

“Gabby exemplifies so many of the things that make me proud to teach at UC Irvine,” says Beckmann. “When I think about my role in training tomorrow's leaders, Gabby's example is what I have in mind."

Ultimately, Chadsey hopes to return to California and the beaches that first sparked her passion for environmental law, and to advocate for policies that will protect the state’s natural resources for future generations.

-Christine Byrd for UCI Social Sciences