Gift establishes the Diehl Center for Law School Preparation
Bloomsburg University students pursuing law school will soon have a place on campus to assist them with the process thanks to a $1,500,000 gift.
The Diehl Center for Law School Preparation will be a resource for all students considering law school, as well as faculty advising interested students. In addition, BU is also collaborating to develop new 3+3 agreements with Penn State University and University of Pittsburgh law schools, as well as with Widener Commonwealth Law School and Widener Delaware Law School.
The center is named for Craig A. Diehl, Esquire, CPA ‘82, who graduated magna cum laude with an accounting degree from BU in 1982. He later worked with Price Waterhouse in Baltimore for several years before moving on to the Dickinson School of Law where he obtained his Juris Doctor in 1988. In 1990, Diehl opened his law practice specializing in tax law and preparation, bankruptcy, real estate, estate administration and planning, corporate law, contracts, and civil litigation.
The Diehl Center’s main objective will be 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 will also eventually offer experiential programs, such as 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.
“On behalf of current and future Bloomsburg University students, I express my deep appreciation to Craig for this generous gift to establish this law school preparation center,” said BU President Bashar Hanna. “This gift will benefit students across several colleges who are interested in pursuing a career in law and will give our students a distinct advantage as they navigate the law school preparation and application process.”
“BU currently lacks a single repository of information about the law school application process where interested students can be directed,” said Diehl. “I am honored to be able to establish this center where BU students can go for assistance in pursuing their law degree. This center will look to assist students with the process of applying for law school with advisors there to lead them in the right direction.”
“My goal was to give back to Bloomsburg in the manner that provides a legacy gift from my family and also helps the university,” said Diehl. “I’m blessed to have the ability to do this gift. I’m very proud of it and want to see it develop and help BU recruit and retain talented students.
Over the last five years (not counting 2018-19), an average of 15 BU students have gone on to law school after graduation. Loren Selznick, JD, will be the director of the Diehl Center.
“Each year a number of BU students express interest in law school, but until now these students have not had a coordinated, university-wide resource serving them,” said Selznick. “Thanks to the generosity of Craig Diehl, BU will have a unique center dedicated to students exploring and preparing for law school.”
Selznick continued, “We’ll be there to answer all the questions students may have, including ‘Is law school for me?’ The Diehl Center will be the place to go for answers, meet other students interested in law school, and participate in activities relating to law school and legal careers. The Center will advise students and sponsor activities like law school visits, trips to law school fairs, law-related competitions, seminars, speakers, engagement with BU alumni and networking events. BU students in any major in any college are welcome.”
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.
He was also a standout on the tennis courts for the Huskies. During his career, he posted a then-school record 99 wins against 30 losses. He won four PSAC singles titles and three double crowns along with four team titles in his four years. He also won the 1979 ECAC Number Two Singles title as a freshman.
During his senior year, he was also ranked in the top 25 of the Middle States Tennis Association (MSTA), along with being awarded the number one men's player for Central Pennsylvania. He was an NCAA qualifier, an NCAA scholar-athlete and helped the team to national rankings of 8th, 13th, and 14th during his career. He was inducted into the BU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004, the York County Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Spring Grove High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015.
Since graduating, Diehl’s been ranked number one by the Middle States Tennis Association (MSTA) four times in singles and once in doubles. The MSTA encompasses all of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and northern West Virginia.