"I touch the future. I teach." - Christina McAuliffe
"Education is not the filling of a pail, but rather the lighting of a fire." - William Butler Yeats
A few weeks ago, I shared some positive messages about the extraordinary teaching of our faculty and extraordinary service of our staff. I’m pleased to share some more emails I’ve recently received. They keep coming!
FACULTY
Associate Dean Carolyn Broering- Jacobs
“Dean CBJ, You have high expectations for us and challenge us. You call us out when appropriate. You encourage us when needed. And mostly you get us to do our best and be our best. Thank you!” - 1L JDO (JD Online Program) Student
Professor Karin Mika
“Prof. Mika, Thank you for being honest and direct in a sugar-coated world. You point us in the right direction and encourage our work. Our bad writing becomes improved writing on the way to good writing. The repetition and practice yields fruit. Thank you for elevating our skills and our confidence!” - 1L JDO (JD Online Program) Student
Professor Kevin O’Neill
“Hi Dean Fisher, Professor O’Neill is truly an amazing professor and an even better person. I have taken him for several bar-tested subjects, and he takes his time explaining difficult concepts in a way that are easy to follow. He ensures that every person has a genuine understanding of the materials and also teaches real-world application of the various topics. He is incredibly personable, encouraging, and shows up to class with a positive attitude every day. My favorite quality about Professor O’Neill is that he understands while law school and class are important, we are all people with our own individual lives that frequently pull us in different directions. He treats his students with the utmost respect and offers support wherever he can. Professor O’Neill is one of CSU’s very best and I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to take his classes and learn from him.” –3L Student
Professor Sarah Nintcheff
“ Dean Fisher, Professor Nintcheff is an excellent legal writing educator. Her strategy with assignments is both practical and carefully organized to build the critical skills of new legal writers. Her personal stories from her career and her compassion for us as individuals make her an approachable instructor who truly has our best interests at heart. Her class is as rigorous as it is enjoyable, making her a perfect professor for 1L students.” - 1L student
Professor Milena Sterio
“Professor Sterio, thank you for coming to our law school and participating in the debate against Professor Kontorovich! It was our most attended event of the year, and many people have reached out to me saying they really liked the debate. If we ever do another event in the future on international law I will definitely let you know - we would love to host you again.” – 2L Case Western Reserve Law Student
Professor Brandon Stump
“He is very enthusiastic about our success. I've never had a professor that seemed to be more invested in the success of the class as individuals in the way he is. His instructions are very clear, enabling improvement in my writing not only at school, but also with my professional work.” -1L JDO (JD online Program) Student
Professor Jonathan Witmer-Rich
“He is very engaged as a professor, very respectful of where his students are. I never felt embarrassed to ask a question or admit a knowledge gap - I felt comfortable to ask him about general law career advice and guidance in addition to the classroom subjects. He was very flexible with his office hours as well. I think he sets a standard for professors.” – 1L JDO (JD Online Program) Student
STAFF
Nick De Santis, Assistant Dean for Student Success
“I want to shout out to Dean DeSantis. Recently I was having some difficulty with some understanding and got into my own head about it. I really felt like I didn't have time to figure out what I was doing wrong, so I decided to take advantage of the resources that CSU Law provides and I set an appointment with Dean DeSantis. One half hour meeting and I was out of my head and back on track. I have called Dean DeSantis a genius and I jokingly (only partially a joke) told him he changed my life. He didn't specifically tell me what I was doing wrong, but walked me through my process and showed me how to work things better. The difference that half hour made is amazing. This is the first time I ever went to a "tutor" or admitted I needed some help. I might have figured it out on my own eventually, but with Dean DeSantis' expertise, it was painless and enlightening. I'm so glad I made that appointment. I cannot sing his praises enough.” - 1L JDO (JD Online Program) Student
Jenna Hosier, Director of Bar Preparation
“Hi Dean Fisher, Jenna Hosier is a blessing when it comes to Bar prep and advising. She is incredibly approachable and always willing to help with any Bar-related questions. Her support and guidance make a stressful process more manageable. Grateful to have her as a resource at CSU!” - 3L Student
Patricia Riley, Coordinator of Online Education
“Patricia, We (JDOs) would be lost without you. You are the lighthouse that keeps us on course and offers a bright light of encouragement. We are grateful for your dedication and kind support!” - 1L JDO (JD Online Program) Student
“Patirica Riley is the queen of information for JDO students! She is always responsive and communicative with whatever questions/concerns we have. If by the off chance she does not know the answer, she always knows who we can speak to find the solution. It is truly a blessing having her knowledge and support as we navigate the online world of law school. Thank you Patricia!” - 1L JDO Student
“The JDO program hinges on her efforts, she's clearly the glue that holds it together. She is responsive, knowledgeable, and very accommodating. I truly appreciate her dedication to making the program work.” -1L JDO Student
“Hi Dean Fisher, I would like to give a shout out to Patricia Riley! Those of us in the 1L JDO program just had our third on-campus residency. During each of the residencies this academic year, Patricia has done a stellar job at organizing what I’m sure is a ton of logistics (we come into town from coast to coast, and there are a lot of us)—and making it look easy. Throughout this year, she’s been quick to respond to emails and chase down answers to any questions we have. In all of this, she has demonstrated the utmost kindness, humility, joy, and professionalism. My 1L year was made better because of her. I know my fellow 1L JDO-ers would join me in giving a big THANK YOU and WELL DONE to Patricia!” - 1L JDO Student
Have a great day and a great week!
The views and opinions expressed in my Monday Morning Message are solely my own and do not reflect the views and opinions of the law school or the university.
For copies of past messages, please go to this link: Monday Morning Messages
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My best,
Lee