Susan Bogart

What do you enjoy most about your role at Penn State Dickinson Law?
I love helping students to understand realistic paths to student loan repayment. Watching fear on students’ faces turn to hope is just amazing.

A Penn State Dickinson Law favorite:
Commencement is my favorite day. I love seeing the pride in accomplishment as the graduates robe up and walk across the stage.

Best piece of advice for anyone considering Penn State Dickinson Law:
You are running your own race. You don’t need to compare yourself to other students in your class. Penn State Dickinson Law is a place that offers amazing support for students. You’ll quickly find friends and learn that you are all in this together.

Favorite thing to do in your spare time:
I love to spend much of the summer attending and camping at music festivals. Bluegrass music brings me joy.

You’d never guess… :
I have spent a significant amount of time on stage performing in community theater productions. My first-choice career would have been Broadway star, but financial aid administrator is a very close second.

Life before Penn State Dickinson Law:
After earning a B.A. in music and English at Mansfield University, I headed to Bowling Green State University in Ohio to earn my Master’s in College Student Personnel. This led to my 30 year career in financial aid — first two years at Alfred University, then seven years at the John Marshall Law School (now University of Illinois — Chicago), followed by 21 years (so far) at Penn State Dickinson Law.

Three words to describe yourself:
Curious, straightforward, and hopeful

Favorite book(s):
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn