ASU history grad strives to make an impact through work in legal institutions
Ali Shah is graduating this spring with a bachelor's degree in history, along with a minor in political science. He hopes to become a civil servant, working within the government to strengthen state and national legal institutions.
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2026 graduates.
Ali Shah comes by his curiosity naturally, he says, recalling his childhood wonder at uncovering countless new worlds housed within his father’s personal book collection.
This curiosity led him to speech and debate in later years, giving Shah a platform to express himself and practice speaking publicly. It was here that he began to see how the historical forces mentioned in his father’s books continued to shape contemporary debates.
These experiences, along with the passion his history instructors brought to their lessons, pointed the Chandler, Arizona, native toward a bachelor’s degree in history, a decision he “never questioned again.”
While at Arizona State University, Shah fostered his curiosity through programs like the Barrett College Fellows Undergraduate Research Program, where he gained professional research experience with the Children in the Law Laboratory.
He also enrolled in courses at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law through Project Excellence, which confirmed his interest in attending law school and reinforced his dream to work in the field.
His work with the judicial system didn’t stop there, though — Shah had multiple internship opportunities as an undergraduate. He spent a semester in Washington, D.C., interning with the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children, which holds special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. He also worked for the Maricopa County Superior Court system through AmeriCorps and interned with Maricopa County Office of the Public Defender.
Through these experiences, Shah saw firsthand how often legal outcomes can rely on an individual’s ability to navigate the system, he said. This ignited his passion for increased public legal education and improving public-sector case management tools, ensuring people aren’t at a disadvantage solely because they are unfamiliar with the legal system.
Now, as Shah graduates with his Bachelor of Arts in history and a minor in political science, he hopes to attend law school and work within the government, seeking to strengthen legal institutions on both a state and national level.
“Government work, to me, has always been the work worth doing, because it directly shapes the systems that, at their best, provide stability in everyday people’s lives,” he said.
Though Shah isn’t sure what type of counsel he wants to pursue, especially as government legal challenges are constantly evolving, he is drawn to the flexible nature of this position. He is confident, though, that he wants to be a civil servant, working for the public interest.
We caught up with Shah to learn more about his time at ASU.
Question: What's something you learned while at ASU that surprised you or changed your perspective?
Answer: The initial course taught by Professor Alexander Aviña, HST 130, was quite transformative. It had me read the incredibly dense text of Walter Benjamin’s “Theses on the Philosophy of History,” a German social critic who taught me that history is a contested narrative shaped by power and by those who remember.
It was life-changing in the sense that I realized any good, practical life I hoped to live should be grounded in paying attention to perspectives that are often overlooked or underrepresented. Taking those viewpoints seriously leads to a more complete understanding of events and better decision-making — especially important in matters of public administration and policy, where incomplete narratives can result in ineffective or shortsighted outcomes.
Q: Which professor taught you one of the most important lessons you've learned at ASU? What was the lesson?
A: That’s a tough one. It could be Professor Yasmin Saikia, whose final project taught me how to articulate a point diplomatically to an audience that may be hostile to it. It might be Professor Kristin Cochran, whose emphasis on understanding how U.S. jurisprudence has shaped our worldviews and administrative practices left a lasting impression on me. It could even be Professor Andrew Barnes, whose esoteric course on African Christianity surprised me and showed me how even our divine assumptions have evolved across road, sea and rail to shape our politics and society in ways that are commonly overlooked.
Q: What's the best piece of advice you'd give to those still in school?
A: As a student ambassador for The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, I get this question a bunch for incoming and current students.
My piece of advice is really more a reminder that you are a sardine in an ocean of fish. You can’t assume people will discover you on their own. Put yourself out there. Send the cold emails. Show up to events, even the ones that feel pointless. Take on opportunities you might not feel fully ready for. You'll fail, often more times than you'll succeed, and those failures might sting. At least I know mine certainly did. Just never forget to adapt and keep swimming. It’s the only way to grow!
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