PENN STATE DICKINSON LAW HOSTS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE AND ALUMNI WEEKEND EVENTS
September 2024 — Andre George ’25 was unable to attend the Professional Development Conference (PDC) during his first year at Penn State Dickinson Law, and he regretted that. “Afterward, my friends told me it was amazing, and they got to talk to this alumnus and that alumna,” said George. “The next two years, I made it a point to go.”
The experience lived up to its billing. The event, held September 14 at Penn State Dickinson Law to coincide with Alumni Weekend, brings together students and practitioners for networking opportunities and panel sessions on career-related topics.
George spoke to attorneys in his desired field (securities litigation), gained valuable insights on the difference between working as a first- and second-year associate, and collected tips on building his personal brand. He and several other students engaged in a lively discussion with an alumnus about the double-edged sword of artificial intelligence.
Overall, it was a great way to spend a Saturday. George hoped it put him another step further in his postgraduation job hunt. “I learned a lot from the two Professional Development Conferences I attended,” said George. “And I made connections through networking that I will follow up with.”
The PDC welcomed about 150 attendees, including students from the Penn State Dickinson Law J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. programs as well as exchange students and alumni. The Office of Career Services, which puts on the event, designs the PDC to mirror the sorts of conferences students can attend when they become attorneys.
Holding the event during Alumni Weekend offers many benefits. More than a dozen alumni participated in the event, serving on panels and staying for a barbeque afterward to network with students. The PDC also provided opportunities to earn continuing legal education credits in two sessions, “Election Law Update” and “The Ethical Use of AI for Practicing Lawyers.”
Catherine A. Christian ’88, a partner at Liston Abramson and legal commentator on MSNBC and NBC, served as the event’s keynote speaker. Instead of delivering a traditional address, she participated in a lively “fireside chat”-style interview with Michael Bramnick ’90, general counsel of NRG Energy (retired) and a Penn State Dickinson Law Leadership Council Advisory Board member. They touched on everything from the definition of professionalism to how the benefits of mentorship can flow both ways.
Christian shared a slew of helpful career tips, including how students can process and learn from feedback. “Never take criticism personally. You would hope criticism is always constructive. Listen to it, whether you’re being critiqued on an oral argument you're making or on your writing or interviewing skills,” said Christian.
Ula Zarnowska ’27 was excited to attend her first PDC. She connected with an alumnus who holds a job in the narrow niche she hopes to enter. “His firm mainly does health care law, and he actually works on his firm's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) team where he advises FDA-regulated companies on FDA regulations, which is exactly what I want to do,” said Zarnowska. “It was great to walk away realizing, ‘Oh, this is actually something I can do. It's not just a pipe dream.’”
She found the discussions about crafting a professional identity and setting yourself up for a successful job search especially helpful. “The conference offered a very comfortable environment because it took place at our school, and the practitioners who attended were volunteers who wanted to help us,” said Zarnowska. “We were also with our classmates, so it felt easier to enter a conversation. If your friend was speaking to someone, you could join them.”
A time to reconnect: Alumni enjoy weekend festivities
Alumni play a huge role in the PDC, giving generously of their time and expertise. They also enjoyed the opportunity to reconnect at events held throughout the weekend.
The Annual Donor Recognition Dinner, held at Allenberry Resort in Boiling Springs on September 13, brought together alumni, faculty, and staff from Penn State Dickinson Law to pay tribute to the eight new members of the John Reed Society, the Law School’s lifetime giving society: Katie Moussouris, Stephen S. Phillips ’71, Robert M. Ackerman and the late Janis F. Ackerman, Neal R. Cramer ’67 and Karen S. Cramer, Michael R. Dzwonczyk ’90, and Jennifer L. Dzwonczyk. The program also recognized members of the John Reed Society who were unable to attend previous society inductions.
The dinner also recognized and honored Dusty Elias Kirk ’79 for her services as Penn State Dickinson Law campaign chair during Penn State’s 2016-2022 fundraising campaign, A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence. Kirk led an effort that raised more than $16.9 million.
The event included remarks from Penn State Dickinson Law Dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law Danielle M. Conway and student scholarship recipients Mariama Barry ’25 and Ethan Kincaid ’25.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Class of 1974’s graduation, class members Joseph Cottonaro, David Eshelman, and Jered Hock received Golden Lawyers Society pins. The evening concluded with the Phillip M. Scott Teaching, Leadership, and Staff Excellence Awards presentation.
The next day, the Class of 1979 held a reunion at the Carlisle home of Hubert X. Gilroy, shareholder at Martson Law Offices following the PDC. They handed out the first Class of 1979 Achievement Awards, honoring Kirk and Michael J. McDonald ’79, recent president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
Gilroy and wife Mary live just down the street from Penn State Dickinson Law, and he said the school holds a special place in their hearts, as many of their family members have attended. He loves catching up with friends during the annual alumni events.
“We value Penn Street Dickinson Law tremendously. It is one of the jewels of our community, and it has attracted so many wonderful people here. It is great to see the exciting things happening at the school right now and help alumni stay connected,” said Gilroy.
