Penn State Dickinson Law alumni welcome Class of 2029 with handwritten notes

CARLISLE and UNIVERSITY PARK, PA—Members of the Penn State Dickinson Law Class of 2029 found a little something extra in their mailboxes this summer. In addition to the usual litany of official correspondence, each 1L also received a handwritten note from a member of the Alumni Society Board of Directors welcoming them to the school and wishing them luck on their journey.

Board members wrote more than 250 notes to the incoming class. Each penned about a dozen, and while they received suggested points to cover, everyone was free to adapt the message to their own experience.

The initiative was a huge success. Students felt flattered that alumni took time out of their busy schedules to write the warm greetings. Alumni enjoyed connecting on a more personal level with the next generation of legal professionals.

“The members of the board were very enthusiastic about supporting this project,” said Peter Klein ’12, associate counsel at the Legislative Reference Bureau in Harrisburg, PA, and the incoming secretary of the board. “They know the importance of reaching out to students and not just paying lip service to that idea—really getting in there and doing the work of forming these student-alumni connections.”

Establishing a new tradition

As co-chairs of the recently formed Student Engagement Committee, Klein and Zachary R. Brecheisen ’12, a partner at Jones Day in Pittsburgh, PA, are always looking for ways to engage with current and incoming students. They support students seeking career opportunities, speakers for Law School events, guidance on scholarship applications, and more.

Dickinson Law Alumni Society Board President Ely Ross ’11 proposed finding ways to reach students even earlier, before they had entered the Law School. The idea developed from there: Why not begin that outreach the summer before?

Writing the notes by hand added a unique touch. “In the age of increased artificial intelligence use and fewer personal interactions, the time-honored tradition of an actual handwritten note is something special,” said Brecheisen. “Students know someone took the time to write a note in longhand to make them feel like they were appreciated.”

Participants penned the notes on branded Penn State Dickinson Law cards and handwrote every address as well, working with the Law School’s Admissions and Financial Aid Office to obtain student names and addresses.

Assistant Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid Rebecca Schreiber said the Carlisle location ran a similar in-house new-student outreach program before the Law School’s reunification. She was excited when Penn State Dickinson Law Director of Alumni Relations Jessica Seretti offered to revive the program for both locations, engaging alumni board members to pen the letters.

“The alumni volunteers have been amazing partners to us in this process,” said Schreiber. “This outreach helps students feel part of the Penn State Dickinson Law community before they arrive in August. It creates a good impression for our incoming students as well as presenting networking opportunities they can take advantage of.”

Fostering valuable connections

Kirstin Pfaltzgraff ’29, who earned her undergraduate degree from a school in South Carolina, was delighted to receive a letter from Klein, who mentioned earning his bachelor’s at College of Charleston.

“Peter’s handwritten note helped me to feel especially welcomed to the school because of his background. He also went to school in South Carolina, so receiving advice from someone with a similar background to mine was very encouraging,” said Pfaltzgraff. “His note reminded me that even though I am moving a far distance from my home, family, and friends, I am not alone in the process or in the experiences that come with starting law school somewhere new.”

Klein included his business card with all his notes, and he was impressed when Pfaltzgraff and another student reached out to him. “The community is a vital factor in the decision to attend Penn State Dickinson Law,” said Klein. “I think the biggest way we can contribute to that as a board is to concentrate our efforts on incoming students, current students, and recent graduates and let them know that we can be a valuable resource for them.”

Mission accomplished, according to Pfaltzgraff. “The note made me feel especially appreciated and welcomed because Peter took the time out of his day to personally handwrite a note with his own advice and words of encouragement,” she said. “It also made me feel like I had someone I could reach out to who has been through the process and could offer guidance and answer questions as I begin this new chapter of my life and start law school.”

Brecheisen hopes students continue to take advantage of that opportunity for connection. “These students walk into a supportive alumni environment, and it does not end the day that they graduate, either,” he said. “We hope this serves as a way to get on students’ radar early and let them know that we're here as a resource throughout their law school careers and beyond.”