Celebrating the Graduating Class of 2024: Barbara Machado

The University of San Diego would like to congratulate all of our wonderful students who are graduating this year. We will be spotlighting students from across campus, sharing their educational journeys leading up to graduation.
Barbara Machado first graduated from the University of San Diego in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Now, she is graduating from USD again, this time from the School of Law with a Juris Doctor.
Machado says her focus throughout law school was to network and to be involved as much as possible. She was a research assistant, she was on the San Diego Law Review and she was also involved with the San Diego Real Estate and Land Use Society. But, she says her most meaningful experience during law school was being part of the Women’s Law Caucus - most recently serving as president.
Machado and another member of the Women’s Law Caucus, Katelyn Larkin, created a scholarship for the Women’s Law Caucus called “Empowering You in the Law” scholarship.
“Establishing the Empowering You in the Law scholarship and having that be what I feel is my legacy to USD Law means the world to me,” said Machado.
Machado is excited to finally walk across the commencement stage. She says she wouldn’t be where she is today without the support of her husband and her parents. After graduation, she will be starting as an associate at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP in its Real Estate, Land Use & Environmental Practice Group.