News

Northwestern Law students, faculty, staff, and alumni said goodbye to Theresa Cropper, Associate Dean and Dean of Students, on Friday, April 30. Cropper, who has been with Northwestern Law for 14 years, is leaving the Law School to become the National Director of Diversity at Piper Rudnick LLP. In her new role, Cropper will be responsible for developing Piper Rudnick's office of diversity, which will include addressing issues of recruitment, promotion, and retention. She will remain involved in the preparation and activities surrounding Commencement 2004.

Cropper joined Northwestern Law in 1990 as the school's first Director of Minority Affairs. In 1998, she became an Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, and in 2001, she took on the role of Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Dean of Students and became a key member of the school's Management Committee.

During her time at Northwestern Law, Cropper has helped to build and maintain one of the most supportive and collegial learning communities of any law school. In her years as Director of Minority Affairs, she was instrumental in increasing the number of minority students in our JD Program, and more importantly helped to create an environment in which all students thrive and succeed.

Some of her many successes and accomplishments include: incorporating diversity training, team-building exercises, and community service into fall orientation; working with SBA to oversee student events planned throughout the year; creating a leadership retreat for students leaders each spring; developing a Director of Academic Support position; planning Taste of Northwestern; being part of the original collective that created Public Interest Week; formulating and implementing the Public Service Strategy; and coordinating the graduation convocation ceremony every year. She also has built and managed a wonderful team to help with all of this including Sandra Moffett, Adi Altshuler, Venu Gupta, Cliff Zimmerman, Maureen Stratton, Tina Guedea, Mary Lyons and Brad Miller.