Future prosecutor: Graduating at 19, Millie Martinez Sosa is on the fast track to a promising law career

Millie Martinez Sosa’s back was against the wall. But, in that moment, all she saw was opportunity.

“The lesson had to do with how people don’t necessarily have equal opportunities in life,” she says of a class lesson she had in high school. “We could either take steps forward or backward depending on the statement the teacher would make.

“So if you had access to private education or if you had more than 20 books at home, you would take a step forward. But if your parents had not received an education higher than high school or if your family had faced discrimination, then you would take steps back. I remember taking multiple steps back. At the end, my back was against the wall.

“The overall message I took from that activity was that no matter where your starting position is in life, you can still sprint forward and cross that finish line, too.”

‘If you get good grades, opportunities open’

Martinez Sosa took that sprinting lesson to heart…and to a whole other level.

Sporting a perfect, 4.0 GPA, she will graduate—at age 19—on May 10 with her bachelor’s degree in Law & Justice Studies from Rowan University’s College of Humanities & Social Sciences. This fall, intent on becoming a prosecutor, she will attend Rutgers Law School in Camden on a $27,000 scholarship that will fund almost all of her tuition.

A first-generation college student from Vineland, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, Martinez Sosa also completed her Rowan studies debt free, landing multiple scholarships.

That’s what happens, she says, when you make academic success--and hard work--priorities.

“If you get good grades, opportunities open,” says Martinez Sosa. “My grades are a reflection of me and of the utmost importance. I applied for every scholarship I was eligible for.

“The fact that I have options and opportunities means that I should be taking advantage of them.”

Empowered by ASCEND

After taking AP and college courses while a student in the law enforcement program at Cumberland County Technical Education Center, she earned her associate’s degree in liberal arts. When she entered Rowan in 2021 through the ASCEND program, she already had 64 credits—enough to be a junior.

The summer Pre-College Institute offered by ASCEND (Achieving Success through Collaboration, Engagement and Determination) was a godsend, she says. The institute helps students transition from high school to college.

“After attending ASCEND, I felt like I could handle everything,” she says.

Passionate reader

Reading is a passion for her, though that is the last class in which she didn’t get an “A.”  She was in third grade.

“That was one class I struggled with,” says Martinez Sosa, who grew up in a Spanish-speaking household and began to learn English in kindergarten. “But I did have a couple of teachers who believed in me.”

Martinez Sosa zeroed in on a law career in high school while participating in Model Congress and Mock Trial clubs. Though shy, she pushed herself to master public speaking.

“I was not very good at public speaking, but, by junior year, I felt confident speaking in front of people,” says Martinez Sosa, who will be the student speaker at the 3 p.m. CHSS Commencement on May 10. She’s also the Law & Justice Studies senior of distinction.

Participating in Mock Trial was important to her development, says Martinez Sosa, who minored in political science.

“It was in those moments where I could envision myself confronting witnesses,” she says.

Future prosecutor

Martinez Sosa completed internships at Glassboro’s Rebel Brown Law Group, LLC. and with the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office. At the firm, she read cases, filed legal documents, served as an interpreter for Spanish-speaking clients, and helped with the filing of Social Security documents.

“That’s when I realized the power of speaking two languages,” Martinez Sosa says. “In my work, I want to build a bridge for Spanish-speaking individuals and the law.”

Her Prosecutor’s Office work, which included writing memoranda for upcoming cases and aiding in filling out plea lists, solidified that being a prosecutor would suit her.

“I’m interested in prosecution so that I can help victims,” she says. “In the criminal justice system, we often forget the victims. I want to fight for them.”

Martinez Sosa lived at home during her Rowan years, but was still involved on campus. Public relations coordinator for the Pre-Law Society and the law fraternity Phi Alpha Delta, she also was secretary of the Philosophy Club. Embracing community service that positively impacts the lives of others, she volunteered weekly at The SHOP, Rowan’s food pantry and resource center.

 “I love the sense of community at Rowan,” Martinez Sosa says. “Faculty members have deep connections with students.”

‘She has all the tools to be a great lawyer’

Law & Justice Studies Department Chair Michael Weiss, adviser to the Pre-Law Society, says Martinez Sosa is “quite possibly one of the best students I have ever taught.”

In class, she stood out for her hard work and dedication, her detailed, analytical approaches to weekly case briefs, and her thoughtful class participation, Weiss says.

“Her case briefs demonstrated that she understood the cases she was reading,” says Weiss. “Everything was on point and deeply thought through with interesting and unique insights. She has all the tools to be a great lawyer.”

Martinez Sosa’s parents immigrated to the United States more than 20 years ago. Her father works as a landscaper. Her mom manages a fast-food restaurant. Her brother, Alexander, still in high school, wants to be an engineer and, also, to get better grades than his sister, she laughs.

“I’m pushing Rowan to him,” Martinez Sosa says. “In everything, my parents always said, ‘Go for it. We want you to do something that will make you happy and get you a better life.’

“If you don’t get an education, your options are limited,” she adds. “I’m determined in every decision I make.”

Every spring, Rowan University highlights one graduate from each school and college. Read more stories about this year’s featured graduates.