Courageous Conscience

A total of 122 students received their JD degrees, accompanied by 24 graduates earning Masters of Legal Studies in Taxation degrees, and another 24 receiving LLM degrees.

Raised in a small Mississippi town attending segregated schools, Porter and his future wife Mary both received scholarships to attend the University of Illinois. Porter graduated USF Law in 1981 and has since earned numerous accolades in his distinguished career as a labor and employment litigator. Dividing his time between San Francisco and Mississippi, Porter is currently dedicated to a voting rights initiative in Mississippi and Georgia.

During his address, Porter urged graduates to “reach for a higher calling in moral responsibility and courageous conscience,” even when professional responsibility does not obligate them to act. He further emphasized the crucial role lawyers play in society, particularly in upholding the integrity of the political process and “safeguarding the democratic experiment that is the United States.”

Rosibeth Cuevas, representing the Class of 2024, reflected on her transformative journey through law school. She expressed her pride and gratitude, encouraging her fellow graduates to view each obstacle along their path as an opportunity. “Every challenge is a step toward blooming into the fullest expression of your potential,” Cuevas remarked, inspiring her peers to embrace their future roles as lawyers with resilience and determination.