The Utah Center for Legal Inclusion (UCLI) is excited to start the new year with the Winter 2026 interns. A new year brings fresh energy, new learning experiences, and opportunities to make meaningful contributions to the legal community. This semester promises engaging events, professional growth, and hands-on work that supports UCLI’s mission to foster a more inclusive and accessible legal profession.
This winter, the interns will support social media content creation and PLEDGE programming, while connecting with attorneys, judges, law school deans, and other legal professionals and gaining exposure to Utah’s legal community. They will also have the opportunity to participate in the Career & Law Readiness series. Through this experience, they will build skills, expand their networks, and contribute ideas that make a real impact.
We are thrilled to welcome the Winter 2026 interns: Derek Adkins, Eliza Lucia Mancilla, and Luciana Chunga! Each intern brings unique experiences and perspectives, and we are excited to see how they will shape UCLI’s programs this semester. As they explore the path to law school and the legal profession, we hope they leave inspired, empowered, and more connected to the legal community.
As Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg once said, “Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.” We look forward to seeing our interns take those steps this semester and beyond. Welcome to UCLI, Winter 2026 interns. We are excited for the year ahead and all that you will accomplish!
If you are interested in future internship opportunities or want to learn more about the program, please reach out to or .
Eliza Lucia Mancilla
Eliza is a student at Brigham Young University who was raised in Southern California by Mexican immigrant parents. She is majoring in History with minors in Business, Global Business Literacy, and Civic Engagement Literacy. Her interest in law emerged through her study of modern historical events and the profound influence legal decisions have had on global affairs. An Honors Program student, she is particularly fascinated by the broader role social institutions play in shaping civil rights and the treatment of people of color. Eliza is working toward a career as an international business lawyer specializing in intelligence security consulting, while continuing her commitment to volunteering with human rights organizations. Driven by her passion for making professional opportunities more accessible to underrepresented communities, she has worked with the Geneva Office for Human Rights Development, served as an Empower Her Rise College & Community Ambassador, and been a BYU Faith, Learning, and Leadership Seminar Fellow.
Luciana Chunga
Luciana, who grew up in Provo, Utah, in a proud Peruvian immigrant family is working towards finishing her degree. As a student at the University of Utah, she plans to complete her Honors Bachelor’s degree in English this spring. Through her work with campus organizations, such as the Dream Center and refugee centers outside of campus, her academic and professional focus has become working with and helping the community. In the Dream Center, her experience centered around student resources and aid, an experience that helped her gain a strong insight about the immigrant community, giving her a stronger purpose towards pursuing law. Her interest in law stemmed from community connection while working with immigrants, steering her towards her goal of working as an immigration lawyer. She hopes that she can expand on her community involvement and exposure to the legal field while working with the UCLI team.
Derek Adkins
Derek is a senior at Brigham Young University and grew up in San Diego, California. He is studying economics with interests in law and public policy. His interest in law stems from studying how economic systems shape opportunity and inequality. He plans to use his economics background to pursue a legal career that informs policy, advocacy, and decision making.
