Dea Talelli
Criminology Law & Justice'26
About
Dea Talelli is a fourth-year criminology and law justice major at the University of Illinois Chicago, with minors in public policy and logic, argumentation, and writing. As a first-generation college student and immigrant, Dea is deeply committed to community engagement, justice-focused research, and student leadership. She has served in multiple campus roles, including Vice President of Service for Alpha Phi Omega, Writing Center tutor, Honors College Ambassador, and research fellow. Through her academic and extracurricular work, Dea aims to pursue a career in law focused on advocacy and equity.
Dea is originally from Albania, but Chicago has been her home for many years. She believes student engagement and community service are important because they create spaces to build community, give back, and learn beyond the classroom. Her involvement has helped her grow both personally and professionally while staying connected to those around her.
She chose UIC because of its strong commitment to access, diversity, and serving its community. Through her experiences at the university, she has found a second home and is grateful for the opportunities to apply what she learns in the classroom to real-world issues.
After graduation, Dea plans to attend law school with the goal of becoming an immigration attorney and advocating for underserved communities.