Administration

Law alumnus, local attorney establishes legacy gift to benefit Penn State Law

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Reed McCormick, a Penn State Dickinson School of Law alumnus and longtime Centre County resident, and his wife, Susan, recently designated their charitable remainder unitrust to benefit Penn State Law after their lifetimes as a sign of gratitude for the impact of the institution on their lives.

The monies will be used to establish an endowment fund that will be known as the McCormick Career Counseling and Preceptor Fund, in honor of McCormick, class of 1964, and his daughter, Sara, class of 2005.

“We are incredibly grateful to Reed, Susan, and Sara for their uncommon level of loyalty to Penn State Law,” said Hari Osofsky, Dean of Penn State Law. “Their commitment helps to ensure our long-term success and our ability to provide the very best educational opportunities to the next generation of leaders.”

The fund will be used to support programming and activities that assist Penn State Law students in their efforts to secure meaningful employment and to provide professional counseling and advice on the many options, benefits, locations, and professions that relate to a law degree. A portion will also be used to support programs between the law school and the Centre County Bar Association.

“A law student usually knows so little about what can be done with a law degree,” said McCormick. “The purpose of this gift is to promote relationships between students and practicing attorneys, to help them see what is possible and where they can go. Deciding where and what to practice is the most critical decision any professional can make.”

McCormick has applied his own legal education to many different opportunities in his life, from beef cattle farming to real estate rental and management, and of course, being a practicing attorney. He is also a member and past president of the Centre County Bar Association. He notes that all of his experiences have shaped his life, and he is deeply appreciative of the independence and lifestyle that his education has provided for him. His goal now is to help more young people learn through his experience, and open more areas of possibilities to Penn State Law students.

“The effect on my life of my law school degree was of huge importance, and I thought I had an obligation to recognize where that came from, and I immediately thought of Penn State Law,” said McCormick. “

McCormick also wanted to make a gift that would deepen the partnership between Penn State Law and the Centre County Bar Association, as he felt a relationship between the two would be vitally important to students.

Gifts from Penn State’s alumni and friends have been essential to the success of the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve the public good. To fulfill that mission for a new era of rapid change and global connections, the University has begun "A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence," a fast-paced campaign focused on the three key imperatives of a public university. Private support will keep the door to higher education open and enable students to graduate on time and on track to success; create transformative experiences on Penn State campuses and around the globe that tap the full potential of Penn Staters to make a difference; and impact the world through discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship. To learn more, visit greaterpennstate.psu.edu.

Reed McCormick Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

Last Updated March 7, 2018