My New Adventure Begins — Anew!
Ignite Your Passions to Change the World
February 15, 2023 (updated February 16, 2023)
Sharon, VT — It’s not often I take time to write about myself, other than posting on social media, but this is a special moment that borrows a bit from the past, grabs the horns of the present, and leans strongly into the future with the excitement of a new adventure.
I’m talking about my new appointment as Vice President of Alumni Relations & Development at Vermont Law & Graduate School (VLGS). Aside from this being my law school alma mater, and a place where I worked when I was cutting my teeth in the development profession (the past), it’s also quite the charming community where people like my partner, Margaret Olnek, is a professor of family law and professional responsibility (legal ethics) — a former practicing attorney in Colorado, she’s also, interestingly, the Divorce Coach USA — (the present), and the School is a local, national, and global leader as a graduate school of education in a host of enviable contexts (our future). That’s a whole lot of good coming out of one little town in Vermont.
As I learn more about the best-in-class, world-changing programs at VLGS, I’ll share it with you in future pieces here. For the moment, I’m humbled, honored, and absolutely thrilled to have this opportunity to help the people who make this law and graduate school capable of helping move our communities and our world in a more just, equitable, and healthy direction.
President Rod Smolla, (pictured above), is a true force as a leader and an academician who is making more happen at VLGS than ever before. With more than 100 articles published, Rod’s a nationally known scholar in constitutional law, civil rights, freedom of speech, mass media, and matters relating to libel and privacy. Oh, and he can hold a tune while entertaining a large audience at his convocation after delivering a compelling talk about the steady narrowing of our Constitutional and due process rights given the philosophical leanings of the current U.S. Supreme Court majority!
Interim Dean of the Law School and Professor of Law, former interim President and Dean, and former Vice Dean for Students, Beth McCormack (pictured above), previously served as the first woman to lead the law school, holding the position of acting president & dean, and, for good measure, stepping in at a critical time while navigating COVID-19 and all the travails facing higher education during a pandemic to lead the School forward. Brava, and thank you, Beth!
And, Interim Dean of Vermont Graduate School, Faculty Director of the Environmental Law Center, Dean of the Vermont School for the Environment, and Professor of Law, Jenny Rushlow (pictured above), with her plate overflowing, still finds time to write compelling LinkedIn posts in search of faculty and staff leaders to join the Environmental Justice (EJ) Clinic that makes a difference in people’s lives every day. Powerful stuff for our environment and to serve the underserved.
In our EJ Clinic, students represent and partner with disenfranchised communities fighting racial and economic disparities in the distribution of polluting sources, while also fighting for a say in decisions affecting their future. — J. Rushlow, LinkedIn post
From law to the environment, climate justice to justice reform, to animal law and policy, energy, environmental justice, farmed animal advocacy, and more, this School is pushing boundaries and taking bold steps. Its flagship South Royalton Legal Clinic, in concert with other VT civil legal assistance providers, contributes over $60 million annually in state-wide economic impact to help the marginalized and underserved in our cherished State and rural regions. This small law & graduate school in South Royalton, Vermont is a large, global change-maker that’s improving lives and making our world a healthier, greener, happier, more just and equitable place every day.
Did you know, in the last 27 years, VLGS ranked No. 1 in environmental law 19 times and No. 2 eight times? Not a bad track record. Akin to creating its own “ivy league” legacy of environmental law programs nationally!
I’m excited to ignite my passions to change the world, as so many VLGS students, alumnae/i/x, faculty, staff, friends, and Vermont community members have done over nearly 50 years to learn, to grow, and to take bold action to make our communities all around our world better places to live, work, and play. Okay, so you can probably feel my enthusiasm bubbling off your screen. As I learn more, I’ll keep you posted. Meantime, here’s the link to my appointment announcement on the VLGS website.
Let me know if you’d like to help VLGS in any way!
Dave Celone writes from Sharon, VT, where February mid-winter Nordic skiing has taken on a Spring skiing flavor. Not a bad thing when it comes to staying warm, but what might it forecast for the future? Even the sap is running today! Dave can be reached at djcelone@gmail.com.
So excited to read this Dave! Congratulations🎉