Craig Diehl '82 honored for $1.5 million gift to create Center for Law School Preparation at Bloomsburg University

Bloomsburg University and the Bloomsburg University Foundation recently held a dedication ceremony to honor the generosity of Craig A. Diehl '82 and celebrate his gift to create the Diehl Center for Law School Preparation.

The university initially announced Diehl's gift of $1.5 million on Sept. 25, 2019, but the celebration of the gift was delayed due to the pandemic. On Tuesday, April 5, Bloomsburg University and the BU Foundation celebrated the dedication of the Law Center's future space located on the third floor of the McCormick Human Services Center.

The Diehl Center's main objective is to provide information and assistance to students about careers in law, the law school experience and how to prepare for it, and the application process. The Diehl Center also offers experiential programs, including a summer institute for prelaw students, a speaker series, law school recruiting events, trips to law schools, and informational events about applying to law school.

"Back in 2018, when we first started talking about his gift, I recognized three things," said BU President Bashar Hanna. "Craig's love for Bloomsburg, the impact Bloomsburg had on him, and how he wanted to give back. He told me he wanted to make sure students, especially those that might be first-generation students, have the support they need if they want to go to law school."

"Funding from this gift has already supported 18 programs for aspiring law students," said Loren Selznick, J.D., director of Diehl Center for Law School Preparation. "The students have been to New York City to attend law forums, had a series of guest speakers at BU, had tutoring assistance, and has allowed me to dedicate more time for advising our students and researching future program opportunities."

In addition to the Diehl Center, BU has also collaborated to develop new 3+3 agreements with The Pennsylvania State University and University of Pittsburgh Law Schools and agreements with Widener Commonwealth Law School and Widener Delaware Law School.

"It is my dream to go into criminal law, and that dream would not have gotten off the ground if not for the endless opportunities for improvement provided by the Diehl Law Center," said Abigail Wick '22, senior criminal justice major and aspiring law student during her remarks at the dedication ceremony. "This generous donation to Bloomsburg University is actively changing our lives for the better, and I cannot wait for the day I can reintroduce myself as Abigail Wick, Esquire."

As a first-generation college student, Diehl faced a similar to Wick's, which inspired him to make this gift. When he was a senior, he was approached by his Business Law professor, who asked if he had ever thought about attending law school. It was a question he had never entertained before, but that set him on the path to a successful career.

"If I can impact just a handful of students like I was positively impacted during my years here at Bloomsburg, I think every dollar will be worth it," Diehl said.

Diehl is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He has lectured on various business topics to organizations throughout Central Pennsylvania and annually participates in providing legal pro bono services.