The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that Olamide Owoeye was the Class Speaker of the 2023 Thomas R. Kline School of Law graduation, which occurred on Saturday, May 13, at the Duquesne University UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.
The first-generation Nigerian American born native of Cincinnati didn’t tell her family that she had been selected for this honor through a vote by her fellow law classmates. “It’s always been my dream to be my law Commencement speaker, but I never thought it would actually happen,” said Olamide, who wanted to be a lawyer since she little. “When they told me I was selected, I cried. I’m just so honored.”
Well-known among Duquesne law students and faculty, Olamide has been busy in and out of the classroom. Her accomplishments and activities include:
Social Chair and President of the Black Law Student Association
Student Ambassador
Certified student attorney for the Kline Law School’s Youth Advocacy Clinic
Legal extern for the Pennsylvania Innocence Project
Grad assistant to the assistant director of external relations at Duquesne
Co-president of the Young Professionals Group and a worship leader at Pittsburgh’s RCCG Living Spring International church
In her speech on Saturday, Olamide discussed her admiration for the strength of her classmates, especially during the pandemic, which was underway during their first year of school. She also reminded her classmates, “We should remember that we are more than capable of accomplishing whatever we set our mind to do, because that’s what law school taught us.”
Olamide will remain in Pittsburgh and is joining Jackson Kelly as a first-year associate with an interest in health care. In addition to being the first lawyer in her dad’s family, Olamide earned a BA in international studies with a focus in relations and diplomacy and a political science minor at The Ohio State University; a Litigation Paralegal Certificate from Loyola University Chicago; and was a recipient of the Jonny Gammage Scholarship Award through the Pittsburgh Racial Justice Summit and the Opportunity Fund.
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