Alumni Spotlight: Katrina Coglitore, Class of ’21
What are you up to right now?
I am currently wrapping up my final year at Columbia Law School and will be returning to Cooley LLP as an Associate in their Santa Monica office. My main interests are technology, startups and venture capital, so the chance to work at a firm that so closely aligns with my interests truly feels like a dream come true.
What sparked your decision to major in Creative Writing?
Growing up, I was always the girl with the book: sneaking novels behind my math textbook, braving carsickness on road trips because I couldn’t put a story down, and reading under the covers with a flashlight long after bedtime. Stories moved me in a way few of my peers seemed to understand. I still remember weeping in class as my teacher read aloud the final chapter of To Kill A Mockingbird while my classmates looked on in confusion.
When my mother was diagnosed with cancer when I was eleven, books became my escape. They kept me company during her long hospital stays and rounds of treatment. After she passed away when I was fifteen, words poured out like a burst dam; I furiously scribbled into journals, the notes application on my phone, or the back of my homework assignments. Writing saved me, helped me give shape to grief and find language for emotions I couldn’t otherwise express.
Majoring in Creative Writing allowed me to sharpen those tools, to learn how to use words not just for self-expression but also for deeper understanding. Though I am now also becoming a lawyer, I will always consider myself first and foremost a writer.
How did your Creative Writing major prepare you for the challenges and opportunities in your current field?
Creative Writing trained me to think critically, communicate with precision, and approach problems from multiple angles—skills that are essential in the practice of law. In workshop settings, I learned how to give and receive constructive feedback, which translates directly into collaborating with colleagues and clients. Writing also instilled in me an attention to language that has proved invaluable: whether drafting a contract or making a legal argument, I am mindful of how every word shapes meaning and perception.
Based on your experiences, what advice would you give to students feeling uncertain about their post-graduation path?
As a student, I worried that if I didn’t become a full-time writer, I was somehow abandoning my passion. I want to assure you that’s not the case. Writing is a discipline and a lens you carry with you, no matter what career you pursue.
For me, studying Creative Writing didn’t just prepare me to tell stories on the page; it equipped me with critical thinking, empathy, and communication skills that now define my work as a lawyer. Let your love of writing shape who you are, and trust that it will enrich whatever path you choose.