DONORS IN ACTION Dusty Elias Kirk’s estate commitment expands scholarship support at Dickinson Law Dusty Elias Kirk, a 1979 graduate of Dickinson Law, was the first
Farage Professor of Law Danielle M. Conway. “We are grateful
person in her family to go to law school as well as the first in her
for and appreciative of her longstanding support, and we are
family to attend college. She is a successful real estate attorney
confident that her philanthropy will inspire new and existing
and partner at Reed Smith in Pittsburgh; a member of the
donors to invest in the next generation of Dickinson Law
Executive Council of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Women
lawyer leaders.”
in the Profession Committee, Dickinson Law Association, and Dickinson Law Leadership Council Advisory Board; and avid alumni volunteer for Penn State Dickinson Law, among her many positions.
Kirk’s husband, Caroselli, who died in 2018, also attended Dickinson Law and graduated in 1966. “He really revered Dickinson Law as giving him his career, and so do I,” said Kirk. “I thought a lot about it, and I thought between my husband and
Her accomplishments are possible, she said, thanks to the
myself, he would agree with my decision to make an
foundation laid at Dickinson Law.
estate commitment.”
INCREASING THE IMPACT THROUGH LEGACY GIVING Kirk chose legacy giving for several reasons. She appreciates the flexibility of making an estate commitment, which allows donors to adjust the terms if their means change over time. “I have already put that money aside, and it is not something I have to keep thinking about for the future,” said Kirk. “My kids will be glad. It is a decision they do not have to make because they Dusty Elias Kirk ‘79
“I do not think I would have had the career that I do now if I had not attended Dickinson Law,” said Kirk.
know exactly what I want to do with that money. If you have the means and ability to do it, I think it is an easy way to make a gift.” As Dickinson Law’s volunteer campaign chair, Kirk sees firsthand the importance of planned gifts and hopes other alumni will be inspired to invest in this current six-year campaign that to date has raised $12,000,000 toward a goal to raise $16,400,000 by June 30, 2022. Planned gifts often represent approximately 30 percent of campaign totals and will be critical to a successful campaign for the Law School. Dickinson Law’s fundraising goal is part of a
As a way to show her appreciation for that education, Kirk
University-wide campaign, “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century
recently made a $250,000 estate commitment that will increase
Excellence,” to raise a cumulative $2.1 billion.
her existing Dusty Elias Kirk ’79 and William R. Caroselli ’66 Scholarship at Dickinson Law. Kirk created the scholarship
Kirk sees volunteering her time to help lead fundraising efforts as
through the Graduate Scholarship Matching Program, which
another way to give back to Dickinson Law.
provided a 1:1 match for her original $125,000 gift.
“If we do not have the money, we cannot get those great students
“Dusty Elias Kirk’s estate gift reflects her stalwart commitment
who may not have the resources to pay for law school but who
to Dickinson Law, and it demonstrates her resolve to enhance
will be good lawyers. Then you are losing out not only at the Law
the teaching and learning that we do in service to the rule of law,
School but also as a society,” said Kirk.
the legal profession, and our society,” said Dean and Donald J.
D I C K I N S O N L AW Y E R
