Cafardi, Nicholas P.

Rago, John T.

Streib, S. Michael

English

Duquesne University: Digital Commons

Duquesne Law Review Volume 47 Number 2 Article 2 2009 Farewells to Dean Gunter Nicholas P. Cafardi John T. Rago S. Michael Streib Follow this and additional works at: https://dsc.duq.edu/dlr  Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Nicholas P. Cafardi, John T. Rago & S. M. Streib, Farewells to Dean Gunter, 47 Duq. L. Rev. 221 (2009). Available at: https://dsc.duq.edu/dlr/vol47/iss2/2 This Front Matter is brought to you for free and open access by Duquesne Scholarship Collection. It has been accepted for inclusion in Duquesne Law Review by an authorized editor of Duquesne Scholarship Collection. Farewells to Dean GuterDean Donald J. Guter was with us for all too short a time.Rather than lament the sad (and serious) consequences of his de-parture, I would like to focus on what he did for all of us while wewere lucky enough to have him with us.Dean Guter, Duquesne Law '77, brought the alumni back intothe life of the Law School in a way that was new, exciting, andrevivifying. He truly values our graduates.Dean Guter, Duquesne Law '77, brought our law school to unri-valed heights of success in the Pennsylvania bar exam and in na-tional moot court competitions. He truly values our reputation.Dean Donald J. Guter, Duquesne Law '77, connected with ourstudents, was their mentor, guide, and confidante, in a way noother dean (including yours truly) had ever done before. He trulyvalues our students.Dean Donald J. Guter, Duquesne Law '77, exemplified the high-est ethical values of our profession, never conceding to fear, force,dishonesty, or lack of character. He truly values what it means tobe a lawyer.Nicholas P. Cafardi*My father, Joe Rago, passed away this February. He was anhonest, hardworking, and extraordinarily decent man who pos-sessed of all of the best virtues any son could hope to know. Hisdeath reminds me that we are never too old or too sophisticatedto say aloud that we have heroes in our lives. Indeed, onlysmall-minded people will say that they have no heroes.In this passage, I celebrate another hero of mine . . . my verydear friend and colleague, Dean Donald J. Guter, who remindsme that heroes make vivid the values by which we try to live.Admiral Guter arrived at Duquesne nearly four years ago. Hereturned to his alma mater determined to give his best efforts tothe place (and people) he felt had given him so much. And that hedid. As a Navy man, Don spent his years here tacking into strong* Dean Emeritus and Joseph A. Katarincic Professor of Legal Process at DuquesneUniversity School of Law.Duquesne Law Reviewwinds, always moving forward and always guided by his princi-pled nature and personal code. He nurtured in this law schoolsomething without which no institution can long endure: a sensethat all problems are tractable and that hard work will get youthrough the storm. In the face of adversity, as well as opportu-nity, he taught the less clear-sighted-myself chief among them, Ifreely admit-how to combine realism, hard work, and serenity.Don's primary view on leadership is that you help people to rec-ognize that which they do best, provide them with the opportuni-ties to do so in context with the broader mission, and then get outof their way. With historic success in our bar results, the estab-lishment of a genuinely diverse Law School community, academicinnovations that have brought Duquesne Law into the nationallight it deserves, and so much more, the Law School has producedan enviable record of achievement in four short years, providingnumerous lessons on the key to success that spring from Don'sbrand of principled servant leadership.I suppose if we wonder who the real leaders are, we can look tosee who has real followers-people who follow a leader onto a pathof life, who adopt their values, and aspire to emulate their virtueson a course navigated by the stars they teach us to see. They be-come our heroes. In this very special light, I think of Joe Rago andDon Guter.There are those-and they are many-who call themselves "aGuter person." I echo the voice and thoughts of many when I saythat much of what we do has been made possible by-and all thatwe do has been made better by-the leadership of Donald J.Guter. I am proud to say, he is my friend and my dean.John T. Rago**Good-bye, Don. It is with great sadness that I watch you go.I have been here for more years that I care to count, through sixdeans and interim deans, and there was never, ever a betterleader or inspiration than you. There was also never, ever a deanor interim dean that surpassed your motivational accomplish-ments or the personal relationships you developed with both the** Associate Professor of Law; Founding Executive Director, Cyril H. Wecht Instituteof Forensic Science and Law; and Founding Director, Post Conviction DNA Project, at Du-quesne University School of Law.222 Vol. 47Farewells to Dean Guterstudents and the alumni. This Law School flourished under yourdirection.But to me, you represented even more than that-you repre-sented Duquesne Law School, in that you were the first of ourgraduates to ever be selected to serve as dean. I was looking for-ward to celebrating the Law School's 100th anniversary in 2011with you, a Duquesne Law graduate, as our leader. That celebra-tion just will not have the same heart or passion should it be di-rected by leadership which was not shaped and molded by ourtraditions and whose alumni loyalties lie elsewhere. (Diversity isa wonderful goal, but can never eclipse pride in your own family.)Speaking of those traditions, if integrity is one, you learned itwell. And, you showed us that with every challenge and obstacleplaced before you. You are a man of impeccable honor and un-questionable character. I am proud to call you friend-and willalways call you dean.S. Michael Streib***** Professor of Law and Director of Trial Practice at Duquesne University School ofSpring 2009 223

Farewells to Dean Gunter

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Farewells to Dean Gunter

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