Alumni Spotlight: Negeen Mirreghabie ‘08 JD
What inspired you to volunteer for your alma mater?
“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” - Pablo Picasso
“For it is in giving that we receive.” - Francis of Assisi
My life purpose is to be of service to others by guiding them to reach their true potential, irrespective of circumstances, so that they can improve their lives for the better and pay it forward.
The University of San Diego’s mission to advance academic excellence to create a more inclusive, sustainable, and hopeful world as well as greater vision to confront humanity’s challenges by fostering peace, working for justice, and leading with love align with my personal philosophy and professional pursuits. The embodiment of essential core values such as dignity, ethics, and compassion enable all stakeholders to live inspirational and meaningful lives. Given my personal and professional gratitude for how the University of San Diego School of Law has helped shape my identity, it is my esteemed honor and great token of appreciation to reciprocate in turn.
What impact do you hope to make through your volunteer efforts?
“It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.” - Mother Teresa.
My hope is that my impact on students, colleagues, immediate Torero network, greater San Diegan community, as well as immediate and prospective beneficiaries of the aforementioned are equal parts positive, informative, understanding, supportive, kind, compassionate, collaborative, inspirational, and empowering. By enriching our Torero community with more opportunities for interconnectedness, we may collectively enrich each other’s immediate lives and future endeavors.
Why do you believe alumni involvement is important for current and future students?
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” - Mahatma Gandhi
Our alumni are the heartbeat of the University of San Diego. Their personal knowledge and professional experience provide vital information and critical feedback regarding how we can best nurture our strengths and where we can embrace change for the better. Our alumni further serve as bastions for mentorship, pragmatic experts for an impressive array of subject matters, and trusted advisors to redress the evolving holistic needs of our current and prospective students in a malleable world. Paving a path for a salient and dynamic legacy for all stakeholders requires all of us to contribute.
What advice do you have for alumni considering getting involved as volunteers?
“No one has ever become poor by giving.” - Anne Frank
“Happiness never decreased by being shared.” - The Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama
There is a place for one and for all in our Torero community to both embrace and empower you in your engagement. For instance, you may identify a talent or hobby you can collectively experience with other alumni such as purchasing a Facilities Use Pass to our athletic facilities or taking a trip with our USD Alumni Association's travel program (a.k.a. the Traveling Toreros!). Or you may generously make a philanthropic gift to support USD scholarships or research funding, for example. At minimum, alumni can informally serve as a support system for at least one current Torero student.
In sum, select a qualitative option that works for your current circumstances and wholeheartedly dedicate yourself to it; it need not be a grandiose gesture but please know that your contributions impact our shared USD community for the better.
Looking ahead, how do you see yourself continuing to contribute to USD?
“Love is the bridge between you and everything.” - Rumi
My love for our Torero community continues to grow. Integrating my personal experience at my alma matter with my cultivated professional skill sets enables me to be the best Law Professor possible, including but not limited to, teaching courses that explore new and evolving areas of the law, directing new initiatives and programs that best harness experiential learning, mentoring scholars regarding their academic tutelage, counseling students with respect to their California Bar Examination success, serving in leadership and advisory academic capacities, as well as fashioning philanthropic endeavors.
Are there any new ways you would like to get involved with USD in the future?
“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.” - Seneca
There are a plethora of exciting opportunities at the University of San Diego that I would like to contribute to moving forward. Therefore, I invite anyone interested in partnering with me to reach out directly, at nmirreghabie@sandiego.edu, to discuss any collaborations of interest. Cheers to the possibilities that await!