The Mitchell Scholarship Drive

Kathy Junek ’08
Lifelong learning

John Junek was looking for a special gift to celebrate his wife’s 60th birthday in August and her graduation from William Mitchell College of Law in May.

After hearing about the law school’s need for scholarships, he decided it would make a perfect gift and created the Kathleen Junek Endowed Scholarship to honor his wife’s accomplishments.

“Kathy inspired the entire family with her commitment to law school,” John says. “It has been a wonderful experience for us and we are thankful to William Mitchell. We want to help the people who are less fortunate than we are; thus, the scholarship.”
Kathy Junek ‘08 always knew she couldn’t go softly into retirement. “Golf and garden are not enough for me,” she says.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in economics from Macalester College and an MBA from Stanford University, she worked in Rome for a while installing computer systems and had her own computer instruction business for several years. She and John, who graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law and has worked as a lawyer for American Express (now Ameriprise) for 30 years, have five children. One son also is studying law.

New Challenges

In 2000 the Juneks moved to Minnesota from New Jersey. As she settled into her new home, Kathy craved a new challenge. She was looking for language classes to prepare for a trip to Italy when she stumbled on adult learning courses at Luther Seminary in St. Paul. The classes inspired her to a master’s degree in Old Testament Studies.

While at Luther Seminary, Kathy studied the concept of justice. At age 56, she realized she wanted to be a judge, so she enrolled at William Mitchell. “I chose it because I knew I would fit in with the mix of students there,” she says. “After all, I wasn’t 25.”
Kathy adds that her age “wasn’t a big deal” in the classroom. “I had a very happy, positive experience and liked the friends I met.”

A New Calling

In her second year at William Mitchell, Kathy learned that the judicial requirement of 10 years of legal practice prior to appointment and the mandatory retirement age of 70 could thwart her career goals. While taking William Mitchell’s Legal Assistance to Minnesota Prisoners Clinic, she discovered a new calling. She began working in the Anoka, Goodhue, and Hennepin County Public Defender’s offices helping people who needed legal assistance. She spent Friday mornings in Hastings, Minn., this spring helping people with their release from jail. As part of the new Reentry Clinic at William Mitchell, which provides legal assistance to women recently released from prison, she also helped a mother retain custody of her child. “I got to watch that child leave with her mom,” she says. “I know that this is what I was meant to do. These people would not have representation if not for public defender programs.”

Kathy knows that in light of recent layoffs in the state’s public defender’s offices, this may not be the best time to search for a job. She took the Minnesota bar exam in August and is eagerly awaiting the results in October.

The Juneks hope their scholarship will continue to support William Mitchell and its students for generations to come. To meet students’ changing needs, they did not specify any criteria for recipients. Kathy also asked friends and family to donate to the scholarship instead of buying graduation and birthday gifts. They raised more than $1,000. “I didn’t want people to bring gifts,” she says. “If they wanted to spend money, I wanted them to give to Mitchell.”

Although some of her friends think she is crazy for going to law school at her age, Kathy knows it was the right decision. Determined to follow her dream, she hasn’t ruled out a judgeship. She still hopes to be appointed as a judge and continue to serve after age 70. “Retiring” is not part of her vocabulary.

“My father died from Alzheimer’s disease, and I vowed to stay active,” she says. “Everyone should continue to learn, no matter their age. It keeps you young and keeps you thinking.”