alumni impact
Introducing Pioneers for Progress The UK J. David Rosenberg College of Law Pioneers for Progress program engages African American alumni and graduates of color to share their stories and experiences, many of which have been lost, with a new generation of students, staff and faculty. An alumni committee will advise the best steps to accomplish this goal. Here, we introduce the project and highlight two of our African American graduates.
Dwight A. Washington, Class of 1975 Dwight A. Washington, a Dayton, When asked about Washington’s Ohio, attorney who specialized in most significant achievements, employment and labor relations Peggi, his wife of 40 years said, matters, died on June 2, 2016 at “I think there were many, but the age of 66. The 1975 graduate the three most significant were of the University of Kentucky marrying me, being a successful College of Law, now the UK J. entrepreneur, and being ordained David Rosenberg College of Law, as deacon.” handled legal matters in federal and state courts as well as before Washington’s obituary in the administrative agencies for more Dayton Daily News noted, “Dwight’s faith in the Lord was strong and he than three decades.
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lived accordingly. He never met a stranger and was respected and loved by all.”
Columbus State Community College, State of Ohio and City of Columbus.
Washington was serving as an In addition, he hosted a weekly attorney at NCR Corp., when he was sports talk show on WDAO-AM in appointed for a nine-year term on Dayton, Ohio. the Central State University Board of Trustees, becoming chairman in “He had several hobbies, which 1990. He was formerly employed by included a variety of sports and the National Labor Relations Board music,” Peggi Washington said. “He Ninth Region, Pickrel, Schaeffer & enjoyed running and participated Ebeling, and served as director of in the Atlanta Peachtree Half the legal department for Dayton Marathon. Grilling was a favorite Public Schools. He maintained hobby, where he won a cookoff a private practice since 1993. among friends, which was hilarious Washington was managing partner considering he was a vegetarian. with Cooper, Gentile, Washington Dwight enjoyed a challenge, so he & Meyer and Hollingsworth & decided to teach himself to play the drums and he was an avid Washington. recreational reader.” “His passion was to support and help people in all circumstances, which Peggi Washington said her husband is why I think he chose to practice also enjoyed watching National law in the area of labor relations,” Geographic, the History channel and HGTV, as well as movies such Peggi Washington said. as The Godfather. His primary concentration included equal employment opportunity, If he could advise law students race and age discrimination, today, Washington would probably wrongful termination, labor say “Don’t Quit,” a personal mantra relations, school law and mediator/ that he adopted from a poem titled arbitrator. As a mediator/arbitrator, “Don’t Quit,” Peggi Washington said. Washington was involved in more than 4,000 cases involving myriad “Dwight would advise law students contractual interpretation issues today to prioritize, maximize and and discipline-related matters use wisely the 168 hours in a week in both the public and private and also to know who they are, sectors. Washington served on the know what it is that they stand for, panel of arbitrators for the City of and to be true to themselves,” she Dayton-Human Relations Council, said.
