Chapman Law alumnus Kevin O’Donnell (’12) always knew he wanted to work in the public sector. “Even when I was a young child in the Boy Scouts, my goal was to serve my country,” said Kevin. While earning his undergraduate degree, Kevin worked at the San Diego Superior Court and the JusticeCorps. His strong work ethic and selflessness ultimately led him to join the Marine Corps, where he served from 2001 to 2004.

After four years of service and deployments to Iraq, Kevin came to Chapman Law School in 2009 with the same ambition to make a positive impact on society. He subsequently took an interest in legal affairs and worked for the United States Department of Veteran Affairs, Office of Regional Counsel, the City of Chula Vista, Office of the City Attorney and the San Diego Unified Port District, Office of the Port Attorney. His dedication and desire to work in the public sector led Chapman Law faculty to nominate Kevin for the prestigious Presidential Management Fellows Program (PMF). The PMF program is a prestigious two-year fellowship that is designed to prepare individuals for upper-level management positions in the federal government. Successful PMFs are eligible for rapid annual or accelerated promotions up to GS-13. Undoubtedly, Kevin was a perfect fit.

Following in the path of two other Chapman Law graduates, Hildee Brahm (‘98) and Brandon Erickson (’11), Kevin was accepted as a Presidential Management Fellow. “Going to law school at Chapman and getting a law degree opened a lot of doors for me. A JD is a highly versatile degree and having a foundation in law has been incredibly beneficial,” said Kevin. Currently, there are many PMF’s with law degrees and these individuals will have networking opportunities in high places. Kevin’s advice to current law student is to diversify your experience and be continuously proactive. “If you are interested in federal positions, seek out those positions,” says Kevin.

For more information about the Presidential Management Fellows Program visit: www.pmf.opm.gov.