Second-year Creighton University Law student Corianna Kubasta may not be a bonafide attorney just yet, but she’s already got a cause she’s fighting for—the Wounded Warrior Project and its mission to honor and empower those who’ve served and sacrificed for our country.
After graduating from University of North Dakota, Kubasta decided on Creighton Law because of the school’s focus on “the student as a whole.” She says the sense of community offered by the university and Omaha made her decision to move here an easy one.
According to Kubasta, student law groups at Creighton have a longstanding tradition of charity and service. As a member of CU’s newly founded Military Law Society, Kubasta is involved with an innovative group of students that seeks to support military affiliates within the Creighton and Greater Omaha communities.
In beginning their effort, the Law Society has become a registered sponsor of the Wounded Warrior Project. Founded in 2002, the nonprofit WWP states its purpose as three-fold: to raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members; to help injured service members aid and assist each other; and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of injured service members. As a proud supporter of the WWP, the student group is focused on raising awareness and funds for the organization.r
“We really want to reach out to vets in the Omaha community. It’s nice to know you have someone to go to [for help].”
rMost students involved with CU’s Military Law Society have been active military members themselves (although there are family and friends of military who join, too). Kubasta is herself a veteran, having served a yearlong tour in Iraq with an Army National Guard unit from North Dakota in 2008. While on active duty, she trained with the military police, as well as worked in prisons.
Kubasta said her tour overseas further strengthened and guided her passion for justice. “It was interesting to see how [Iraqis] dealt with criminals without a structured system. There is just not as much due process over there.” Witnessing many injustices during her tour simply reinforced her desire to go into law, she says.
In April, the Military Law Society hosted their first big WWP fundraiser, a poker tournament. The event “couldn’t have been made possible without Connor McCarthy’s time and energy,” says Kubasta, praising her fellow CU student and MLS’s founder. Although the tournament was a monetary success, Kubasta says the bigger achievement was in helping attendees develop a deeper appreciation for what soldiers have sacrificed.
The Military Law Society has already agreed to host another tournament next year and will be inviting both old and new friends. The group is looking at other ways to aid the organization as well. “We really want to reach out to vets in the Omaha community,” Kubasta says. “It’s nice to know you have someone to go to [for help].”
It seems Kubasta and fellow CU students are happy to offer that helping hand, and Omaha will be a better community for it.
To learn more about the Wounded Warrior Project and what you can do to help, vsit r woundedwarriorproject.org.