It was more than the fascinating subject matter he taught that made Patrick Keenan the UI law professor who left the biggest mark on Danielle Hirsch (JD ’04).
“Among other things, Professor Keenan taught the international human rights clinic, which was one of my favorite classes because it allowed me to try policy work — which is what I wanted to do — and learn about various counties around the globe,” Hirsch says from Chicago, where she’s the National Center for State Courts’ principal court management consultant.
“But more importantly, Professor Keenan was a wonderful mentor to me. As someone who did not know — and probably still does not, if I am honest — what I wanted to do when I grew up, he was a wonderful model for the various ways one could use a law degree for good.
"And for all of that, I will always be grateful.”
As for a favorite C-U spot, put her down for Strawberry Fields.
“I’ll be honest: I was nervous to move to central Illinois and the first time I drove down with my mom and grandmother — both proud UIUC alums themselves — I was starting to get nervous as we drove down to campus that maybe this was not a great place for me.
“And then, by dumb luck, we stumbled into Strawberry Fields for lunch. The cafe had all sorts of delicious vegetarian options, the grocery store was filled with shelves of delicious choices and the bulletin boards were jammed with all sorts of interesting flyers, and I knew, I would be OK.”
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