Visionary Looks Ahead - Thomas M. Cooley Law School

A U-TURN TOWARDBen SyMKO (ADAMS CLASS, 2008) MAKeS nATiOnAL LiST OF OUTSTAnDinG yOUnGAMeRiCAnS OnLy A DOzen yeARS AFTeR DROPPinG OUT OF HiGH SCHOOLBenjaminSymko (AdamsClass, 2008)has come along way sincedropping outof high schoolat the age of17 and beingarrested forpetty crimes.In fact, he is now mentioned in the same breathas former presidents John F. Kennedy andGerald R. Ford; entertainer John Denver; heavyweightboxing champion Joe Louis; and formerSecretary of State Henry Kissinger, all recipientsof the United States Junior Chamber’s TenOutstanding Young Americans Award.LIFE AS A TROUBLED TEENShortly after dropping out of high school,Symko was arrested for stealing liquor. Luckily,while facing sentencing, Symko’s father intervened.He convinced the judge to send his sonto a spiritual boot camp in St. Augustine, Floridainstead of giving him the full 93 days in jailallowed by law.Symko considers his father to be the first in alife full of great mentors. “He was very instrumentalin my tougher days,” said Symko.“And he continues to be there for me today.”Surprisingly, Symko enjoyed the peaceful, yetdisciplined lifestyle at the Florida facility.“You pray, work and fast,” Symko said in a2009 interview with the GrandRapidsPress.He enjoyed the experience so much that heeven ended up staying at the facility for fivemonths instead of his required three. His lifewas on a new path.It was at the facility that Symko met Sister Elvira,who encouraged him to move to Italy and helpmanage a clinic for heroin addicts. Symko workedwith addicts for nearly a year before Sister Elvirapresented him with the opportunity to moveto the Dominican Republic to help abandonedchildren at an orphanage. He was hesitant atfirst, but Sister Elvira convinced him to pull up hisstakes in Italy for this life-changing opportunity.Symko served on the island for four years,learning Spanish and living among orphans 24hours a day, showering with rain water, andlearning to live with only the bare essentials. Itwas also on the island that Symko met anothergreat mentor, attorney Joseph Klock, whothrough his pro bono work in the Miami-Dadearea, inspired Symko to study law and becomea lawyer.It was around this same time that Symko metBren Simon, a philanthropist from Indianawho visited the orphanage in the DominicanRepublic and saw the potential in Symko.She urged him to attend college, agreeing tofinance his entire undergraduate education atGrand Valley State University (Michigan) plusthree years at Cooley Law School.HEADED DOWN THE RIGHT PATHDuring his time at Grand Valley State University(GVSU), Symko became involved with SigmaDelta Pi, a National Spanish Honors Society,and the College of Liberal Arts and SciencesStudent Advisory Board. Symko served on theAssistant Dean of Students Search Committeeand the Pew Campus Teaching AwardCommittee. He graduated with a bachelor’sdegree in Spanish and a minor in philosophy,magnacumlaude.By the time Symko enrolled at Cooley, hehad a family to take care of and was unableto attend law school during the traditionaldaytime hours. Instead, he took classes atnight which allowed him to work during theday to support his family.“I had a wife and an infant at the time,” saidSymko. “Cooley was the perfect school forme because it allowed me to have a flexibleschedule.”Symko graduated from Cooley with highhonors and received certificates of merit inTrial Skills, Evidence, Criminal Practice inMichigan, and Civil Procedure.“I was amazed at how well Cooley preparedme for everything I faced after graduation,”said Symko. “Law school was challenging. I’vegone through a lot of hard things in my lifeand law school is definitely in the top three ofthose challenges. Cooley is a tough school, butif you’re dedicated, it really does pay off.”18 BENCHMARK FALL 2010 COOLEY.EDU