Human Rights Alumni of the Month Profile- November 2025

We're proud to highlight Leah Neufeld (BA 2021) as our alum of the month for November!

Now pursuing a joint BCL/JD at McGill University, Leah draws on her Human Rights background to apply human rights principles across diverse areas of law. Her time at Global College provided a strong foundation for her legal studies and she credits her Human Rights courses with providing opportunities for strengthening her critical thinking skills, learning to recognize underlying biases, and grounding her study of law in the reminder that real people are at the heart of every case.

Learn more about Leah’s experience in the Human Rights program and how it shaped her path to law school on the “Human Rights as a Pathway to Law School” page.

Leah Neufeld (she/her) graduated from Global College’s Human Rights program with a four-year BA in 2021. She is currently completing her joint BCL/ JD at McGill University and will be graduating in December 2025. Leah chose the University of Winnipeg for its small class sizes and strong sense of community, which allowed her to build meaningful connections with both professors and peers. She knew that she was interested in social justice and was drawn to the unique, interdisciplinary nature of the Human Rights program. As Leah shares, "As soon as I learned about the Human Rights program, I knew that's what I wanted to do. When I was in high school, I became really passionate about social issues and the Human Rights program just seemed like a perfect fit for me.”

The Human Rights program’s emphasis on critical thinking, social justice, and real-world application resonated deeply with her, fostering her passion for human rights that began in high school. Leah was grateful for the opportunity to take courses that allowed her to deepen her understanding of how history and policy shape contemporary human rights landscapes. She especially appreciated how the program connected classroom learning with real-world issues, particularly those affecting Winnipeg’s Indigenous communities and newcomer populations.

A standout moment in her undergraduate experience was her practicum placement at N.E.E.D.S. Inc., an organization that helps newcomer children, youth, and families integrate into Canadian life. This hands-on experience gave Leah a profound perspective on the challenges faced by newcomers to Winnipeg. Reflecting on her practicum, Leah shares, “It’s easy to learn in a classroom how refugees and newcomers might struggle when they arrive, but it’s really different to see it firsthand.”

After completing her degree during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Leah began law school at McGill University in 2022. She credits her human rights education with providing a strong foundation for legal studies, explaining that the program sharpened her critical thinking skills, expanded her understanding of structural inequities, and taught her to examine laws and policies through a human rights lens. Highlighting how the ability to question information and recognize underlying biases has been essential in her law studies, she explains,

“My Human Rights degree taught me that human rights principles matter even in areas of law where they are not traditionally emphasized. Bringing human rights advocacy into areas like property law or income tax law sparks important conversations and new ways of thinking that matter in both the classroom and real-world practice. This degree prepared me to approach each course through an intersectional and multidisciplinary lens, while grounding me in the reminder that real people are at the heart of every case.”

Leah encourages current and prospective students to pursue courses that spark their curiosity and to get involved with the Global College community and other opportunities. "Take the classes that are really of interest to you," she advises, "because that’s where people will find their passion."