Dr. Philip Benesch, chair of social sciences and associate professor of political science, presented a paper, “The Religious Neutrality Principle in the Governance of an Open Society,” at an international conference on noted philosopher Karl Popper. The conference, which featured presentations from scholars based in the U.S., United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, France, Poland, Israel, and Australia, was coordinated from the United Kingdom. Dr. Benesch, who is also LVC’s director of pre-law and external scholarships and fellowships programs, examined “Lockean and Rule of Law principles requiring the separation of church and state, and drew from these principles ethico-legal arguments for privacy and equality in adult consensual relations, and for abortion rights” in his paper and presentation. 

Dr. Philip Benesch, chair of social sciences and associate professor of politics, gave a virtual talk to students at the Universidad del CEMA in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Sept. 21, regarding the 234th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution. Dr. Benesch, who is also LVC’s director of prelaw programs and external scholarships and fellowships, appears beginning around the 25th minute on this YouTube video of the session.

Dr. Phillip Benesch, chair of social sciences and associate professor of political science, announced that LVC students had a 100% success rate on the University of London level-4 law modules completed this summer. It is the second consecutive year program participants achieved a 100% success rate in mid-year University of London law exams.

To date, just two years into the program’s history, five LVC students have completed all requirements for the award of the University of London Certificate of Higher Education in the Common Law (equivalent to the first year of a British law degree). The 13 LVC students who have so far registered for the program are on track to earn a total of more than 200 LVC equivalent credits through the University of London by the end of 2021.

Thirteen alumni successfully completed law school to earn their Juris Doctorates during the past two spring semesters, and a 14th is on track to graduate in December. They are:

2020—Waleisha Moat ’15 (Widener University Commonwealth Law School); Kaleigh Hoover Ryder ’17 (Widener University Commonwealth Law School); Paul Markovits ’17 (Widener University Delaware Law School); Samuel E. “Trey” Manning III ’17 (Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law); Giovanna “Gio” Ortiz Brackbill ’16 (Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law); and Anastasia “Anna” Maxwell ’17 (Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law).

2021—Caitlin Dryden ’18 (Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law); Adam Filbert ’18 (Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law); Ryan Kingshill ’17 (Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law); Andrew Luch ’18 (Widener University Commonwealth Law School); Cooper Gerus ’17 (University of Baltimore School of Law); Deanna Berish ’12 (Santa Clara University School of Law); Cassidy Decosmo ’18 (Duquesne University School of Law); and William J. Rice ’06 (December, Georgetown University Law Center).

Dr. Philip Benesch, associate professor of politics and director of pre-law and external scholarships and fellowships, was one of five faculty members from across the nation to participate in an online seminar with faculty who are teaching their courses using the Interactivity Foundation discussion method and/or discussion guide. The colleagues “exchanged ideas and explored many different topics, including: different models for an IF classroom, the best length for IF classroom discussions,” and other topics.