Q: Have you pursued any graduate education?
A: Yes, after graduating from Waynesburg University in May 2024 with a B.A. in political science and a minor in business management, I began attending Drexel Kline Law School in August 2024.
Q: What are you doing now?
A: I recently completed my second year of law school at Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law. In Summer 2026, I worked as a Summer Associate at Cozen O'Connor law firm before returning to Drexel Kline to complete my final year of legal education.
Q: Where have you worked or served since graduation?
A: After my first year of law school, I worked as a judicial intern for the Honorable Jennifer P. Wilson in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in Summer 2025.
The Stover Program inspired me. I cannot imagine my undergraduate education without the Stover Program.
Q: How did the Stover Program help prepare you for success?
A: The Stover Program was fundamental in my preparation for my legal education and to become a more informed member of society. From Constitution day plays, election night watch parties, and weekly book clubs, each activity designed by Dr. Stratton and the Stover Program was personally and professionally enriching.
Q: What quote best summarizes the impact of the program on your career and life?
A: In my senior speech back in 2024, I gave three themes from my time in the Stover Program: (1) the importance of God's calling; (2) the importance of the rule of law; (3) the importance of being actively involved in civic engagement. These three themes encapsulate the impact of the Stover Program, and I hope to reflect each of these themes in my daily life.
Q: What initially drew you to the program?
A: The Stover Program is effectively, while not exclusively, a law school pipeline. I decided my senior year of high school that I wanted to attend law school. So, finding an undergraduate institution with a program that would prepare me for my legal education was a priority. The Stover Program exceeded every expectation. After a phone conversation with Dr. Stratton (who was traveling in Europe but still made time to call me) and hearing about the legal endeavors of Stover alumni, I knew I wanted to be a part of the Stover Program.
Q: How did the Stover Program help prepare you for success? What skills or knowledge gained through the Stover Program have proven most valuable in your career?
A: I cannot mention enough the importance of networking and how the Stover Program helped me develop this skill. Meaningful relationships and mentorships are essential in every career, but particularly in the legal field. While I generally disagree with the old saying "it's not what you know, it's who you know", there is some merit to the importance of being connected with people in your field of interest. Prior to my time in the Stover Program, I was unfamiliar with what it meant to be a legal professional. The Stover Program challenged me to walk up to distinguished individuals and learn how to have meaningful conversations with them. Because of this prior experience, I was not afraid to attend networking events in law school and engage with accomplished judges and attorneys, because after four years in the Stover Program, I was regularly accustomed to networking.
Q: Were there any specific courses, mentors or opportunities that stood out to you?
A: I have been blessed with far too many mentors and opportunities to list them all. I would not have been able to excel in law school without the mentorship of Dr. Stratton. He alone has introduced me to dozens of legal professionals. His classes in constitutional law, politics and ethics, and political thought (among others), are still useful today. President Lee has also been an extraordinary mentor, and we have shared several conversations about both Waynesburg University and his own legal accomplishments. From a business department perspective, former professor Jennifer Roy and now Provost Mindy Walls are both fantastic people and instructors. Their courses in business law and management are immensely beneficial. And, I must also mention former tennis coach Ron Headlee and current tennis coach Randy Pettit, two men whom I admire and strive to emulate.
Q: Do you have a favorite memory from your time in the Stover Program?
My first trip to Washington D.C. with the Stover Program will always be a highlight. Traveling to/and from the most important buildings in our Nation's capital to meet with government and political leaders was a surreal feeling. More recently, I attended the Stover Program's sponsored Contemporary Issues in American, English, and European Law Conference. Attending this conference was a highlight because it showed how much I learned over my four years in the Stover Program, and that I was prepared to pursue my own legal education because I had a strong foundation.
Q: How did being a part of this program shape your college experience as a whole?
A: Over my four years in the Stover Program, I met over 80 speakers, 12 federal judges, and an array of legal scholars, politicians, theorists, and legislators. I had challenging conversations with my peers about politics and faith. I made lifelong friends and experienced unforgettable opportunities. The Stover Program inspired me. I cannot imagine my undergraduate education without the Stover Program.
Q: What advice would you give students currently in the program or considering applying to the program?
A: Apply! The stories speak for themselves. The number of Stover Alumni who are transforming the polis through their successful professions is incredible. and participation in the Stover Program is a common denominator. I knew nothing about Waynesburg University or the Stover Program prior to applying. I found out about the program largely by accident, as I researched different universities with tennis programs and pre-law programs. Few, if any, undergraduate programs will provide you with the same mentorship and enrichment opportunities, regardless of if you are interested in attending law school or not.
Q: Anything else to add?
A: Despite graduating from Waynesburg University and the Stover Program two years ago, I still speak about it regularly. My friends in law school are impressed (if not also humored) when I talk to them about how I dressed up as a Supreme Court Justice or memorized quotes from cases like Marbury v. Madison. Several times a week I speak with friends from the Stover Program, and I routinely keep in touch with Dr. Stratton and people whom Dr. Stratton first introduced me to. The Stover Program will always be a part of my personal and professional life.
About the Stover Center for Constitutional Studies and Moral Leadership
Waynesburg University's Stover Center for Constitutional Studies and Moral Leadership is an interdisciplinary scholarly center dedicated to bringing insights from the U.S. Constitution's Founding Era and from Christianity to bear in the contemporary public square, with the ultimate goal of creatively transforming the ethical state of the polis.
About Waynesburg University
Consistently ranked a best value school, Waynesburg University’s Strategy for the 21st Century affirms its commitment to developing an entrepreneurial mindset and ethical leadership skills for all students. Rooted in its mission of faith, learning and service, the private, Christian university is located on a traditional campus in the hills of southwestern Pennsylvania.