Freshman Profile: Stéphanie Phanor (law '26)

“When I found out I was accepted at HELP, I felt like the universe was finally giving me a chance to realize my dreams and be who I want to be.”

Stéphanie Phanor (law ’26) grew up with her parents and three siblings in the coastal town of Miragoane on Haiti's southern peninsula. Stéphanie's mother cared for Stéphanie and her siblings growing up while her father worked as a high school teacher to support the family.

With her father's job, education was always highly prized by Stéphanie’s family. She worked hard in school and graduated high school with a 90+ average. “My parents have always wanted to bring us the best education they could,” she says. 

In high school, her favorite subject was literature. This love for words made her choice to study law at Quisqueya an easy one. Stéphanie looks forward to the start of the semester, as she’s excited to push herself in her studies, both at HELP and at university, to be the best student she can be. “I want to prove that I really deserve this scholarship by excelling in my classes,” she explains.

“I chose law in part because of my aptitude for reading and writing and in part because I want to work to reduce social inequalities in Haiti. After I graduate from HELP, I want to work in the business sector to reduce inequality and expand access across the country.”