Academics

Women students assume leadership of Penn State Law's academic journals

From left to right: Catherine Kellogg, Sarah Loy, Casey Millburg Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For the first time in Penn State Law’s history, all three of the school’s major academic journals will be led by women editors-in-chief in the coming year.

Casey Millburg will edit the Arbitration Law Review (formerly the Yearbook on Arbitration and Mediation), Catherine Kellogg will edit the Penn State Journal of Law and International Affairs, and Sarah Loy will edit the Penn State Law Review. Each was selected by the board of their respective publication after a rigorous selection for their previous service as associate editors, and each describes a vision for their publication to build on the success of their predecessors.

“We have all met and begun planning, and we have great boards to work with to make our journals the best they can possibly be,” Millburg said. “It’s not often that women have the opportunity to lead these kinds of amazing publications, so that’s very special. It’s great that we have this chance to contribute to our school and help our students learn, grow and achieve.”

This is “an exciting milestone” for Penn State Law, said professor and feminist legal scholar Dara Purvis, who notes that female students have been underrepresented in the historically male-dominated field of law and legal education — especially in positions of leadership such as journal editorships. The reasons for this are multifaceted and complicated, including what Purvis described as "a male-gendered notion of the ideal law student," but she added that this history of female underrepresentation makes Kellogg’s, Loy’s and Millburg’s achievements all the more worth celebrating.

“I'm thrilled that our incoming 1Ls and rising 2Ls thinking of applying to law review and editorial board positions themselves will see three stellar examples of exceptional students who happen to be female,” Purvis said. “All of those students will have real-life models of achievement that aren't the gendered stereotype, and I hope will be more likely to aspire to similar goals themselves.”

Kellogg said being selected to helm the Journal of Law and International Affairs is “an immense privilege and honor,” and she is aware of the symbolic and practical importance of female leadership in law school and beyond.

“When I interviewed with women at law firms, they all talked about the importance of having women in the practice and in leadership positions, because between law school and afterward, something happens — there are plenty of women in law school, but very few in many firms,” Kellogg said. “Even at this stage, having women leading journals shows everyone what we’re capable of, and hopefully inspires our incoming women students to go out and do important work after this.”

Loy, who said she’s overjoyed at the opportunity to grow as a student of law and help others do the same, agrees with her colleagues about the honor and importance of this new chapter for Penn State Law’s journals.

“It’s really wonderful that this year we have women as some of our student leaders,” Loy said. “I know Casey and Catherine are both going to be excellent editors, and I look forward to working with them and making our journals and our school they best they can be.”

Last Updated October 25, 2017