2026 Inspiring Graduate | Rachel Swanteson-Franz

As a child, Rachel Swanteson-Franz used to run and play on what is now UNM's School of Law campus. She never thought she would end up right back at that school years later to complete her juris doctorate.

She attended the University of New Mexico for both her undergraduate and graduate studies, something she says ultimately changed the trajectory of her academic career.

"I initially wanted to major in dance, but in high school I fell in love with biology. At that point was when the impacts of climate change were becoming very apparent in New Mexico," Swanteson-Franz said. "I was super lucky to know someone from the biology department who brought me on as a volunteer when I was 17 and that really solidified that UNM was where I wanted to go for undergrad."

While she describes her four years in undergrad as some of the best years of her life, she'd describe the years after as pivotal to getting her to where she is now. Swanteson-Franz took six years before going into law school and valued that time of self-discovery.

"I was fortunate to have mentors who encouraged me to slow down and really figure out what I wanted to do before rushing into graduate school. I probably would've rushed into something that wouldn't make me happy," Swanteson-Franz said. "In that time, I feel like I was able to develop as a person before going into a very intense process centered around academic vigor."

Her problem, according to Swanteson-Franz, was figuring out how to merge her varying interests. She had a love for the sciences but wanted to do more than study it-she wanted to defend it. That's why she eventually chose to practice environmental law, circling back to the topic that engaged her in high school.

"I just love New Mexico so much that I've been very intentional about staying here and advocating for changes to make New Mexico better," Swanteson-Franz said. "That being said, New Mexico is incredible already. I don't think people realize how amazing New Mexico is for what we do with how little resources we have, and the fact that there's such an amazing sense of community here."

In her second year in law school, she was honored with the Salazar Award which is given to the person with the highest GPA in the class. Swanteson-Franz says she works hard, but what she's most proud of is keeping her core values and priorities as she navigated law school.

"It can be easy to feel like you're running a rat race just to keep up with everyone, and that you have to collect all of these accomplishments to consider yourself successful," Swanteson-Franz said. "It was important for me to figure out which of those things really match up with my personal goals and prioritize those."

In addition to studying for the Bar Exam, Swanteson-Franz has already accepted a one-year fellowship offer with the Clean Air Task Force, a nonprofit that addresses the impacts of climate change through litigation as well as scientific and technological approaches.

She hopes to encourage students who aren't sure how to marry their various interests to give themselves the time and space to do so. "If you're at all like me and are very excited by a lot of things, explore as many of them as you can," Swanteson-Franz said. "Give yourself the flexibility to be on your own timeline and figure out what's best for you."