Colin Powell School
Explore as Much as You Can: Riley Tinney’s Path to Stanford Law School
Colin Powell School graduate Riley Tinney is currently a law student at Stanford University. In this interview, she discusses her fascination with using economic data to help solve social problems, her participation in student activism, her decision to join the Peace Corps in Nicaragua after graduation, and how CCNY faculty helped her on her path to law school.
Please tell me a little about your background.
I grew up in Pullman, a small town in eastern Washington State. I was so eager to escape small town life that I spent one semester of high school living with my aunt and uncle in Brooklyn. Luckily, I heard about CCNY from the advisor at my high school in Brooklyn. I loved living in New York City so much that it seemed like a perfect option. I applied while I was back in Washington state and I didn’t even get to visit the campus before deciding to attend, but it was an easy choice.
Why did you choose to study Economics at CCNY?
I came to college knowing I was interested in social science, but I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to major in. I took an introductory economics class with Professor Prabal De that I really liked, and he encouraged me to consider it as a major. I specifically loved the data science aspect of economics. I got to take some great econometrics classes and write a thesis about gun violence that taught me so much about social science research.
How has your career unfolded, and how did the Colin Powell School help you along the way?
City College and the Colin Powell School have opened my eyes to so many incredible opportunities and given me plenty of support. As a junior, I took a class on urban development with Hillary Caldwell. That was an incredible class, and she introduced me to an amazing economic justice non-profit called the New Economy Project. I ended up interning there for a year. Learning about their impact litigation work shaped my decision to go to law school.
When I was considering joining the Peace Corps during my senior year, the Colin Powell School helped put me in touch with alumni who had taken that path. Hearing their experiences helped me picture myself in the program. I ended up serving for a year as a health educator in Nicaragua right after college, and I’m so glad I had support from past Volunteers.
When I was applying to law school, Professor De told me I should apply to Stanford. Professor Kevin Foster read my personal essay and gave me feedback that helped me completely rewrite it into something much better. I wouldn’t have ended up at Stanford without them!
Would you like to share a special memory from your time at CCNY?
The most formative thing I did at City College was getting involved with Students for Educational Rights. We organized marches, worked with community groups in Harlem, and made so many truly awesome 10-foot protest banners. I learned so much from organizing with so many inspiring activists, and those experiences have shaped my politics ever since.
How have you been involved with City College since your graduation?
I’ve mentored current students through the Business Economics Alumni Society. I remember how much I appreciated talking to alumni while I was trying to decide what to do after college, so I enjoy getting to stay involved!
Do you have any advice for current or future students?
Explore as much as you can! After college you’ll have fewer opportunities to try out different interests just to satisfy your curiosity, and you never know how something will end up being useful. At CCNY, I had a lot of internships and volunteer jobs that were only loosely connected, and when I’m applying for opportunities now I can almost always find some relevant experience. I volunteered on a housing justice hotline during my junior year, before I ever considered being a lawyer, and the experience helped prepare me for an interview for an eviction defense internship.