“What I love about this University has crossed over from my undergraduate to graduate experience. The faculty and staff are incredible teachers who are looking out for students and opportunities for them. I have developed relationships with them that allow me to talk about my specific interests, and they have been facilitating and showing me the doors and encouraged me every step of the way. That is the thing about law school: There are so many doors that open, but the faculty here are helping me channel my interest to make the most of my education and be selective about the doors I walk through.”

—Candace Kilpinen

Candace Kilpinen, a woman of varied interests, a wife, a mother of a teen and a ‘tween’, and a committed volunteer to a variety of causes and organizations approaches her legal education at Valparaiso University School of Law “just like any other regular, 60-hour-a-week job.”  She credits one of her professors with that quote, and her family with providing the support and extra effort at home that has made her educational endeavors possible.

As a non-traditional student, Candace brings a unique perspective to her studies, which is the product of her professional career in education admissions and her extensive philanthropic work with organizations including the Valparaiso University Alumni Association and University Guild, the Women’s Leadership Institute, and Life Journey Ministries.

Embarking on a legal education came from Candace’s desire to incorporate her broad academic interests, philanthropic work, and her education-focused professional experiences to effectively continue serving others. She closely identifies with the School’s philosophy that law is a calling, and to date has been impressed with the breadth and reach of the law and it’s potential to help people in need. That breadth is appealing – and she relies on her relationships with faculty to help guide her interests and choices.

Candace, who finds nothing more gratifying than witnessing her children show kindness to others, has set a worthy example for them to follow. Helping others isn’t something she separates into personal or professional endeavors; service in every area of her life has been woven into the “fabric” of her personality. Instilled with this sense from a young age, she learned the importance of embracing people from all walks of life and working to meet their needs. As she was growing up, her parents demonstrated consistency and commitment to various churches, organizations, and causes, making the responsibility to serve other people part of the family experience. Living in Tehran for two years when she was young also taught her to value different experiences and cultures.

Through her professional, academic, and philanthropic experiences, Candace continually sees the connection between education and service, and remarks on education’s power to affect people’s lives for the better. Her work with the Valparaiso University Guild has also exposed her to professionals who credit the values and ethics instilled in them during their college years with allowing them to follow a particular career path that led them to serve others. “By being involved with these organizations and facilitating opportunities for students or donors who are able to give in time or treasure, I came to see that as just one niche of service that’s possible, and there are so many more ways this world can be touched.”

In her legal studies, Candace is enjoying exploring the link between government and nonprofit organizations, and the relationships that allow philanthropic efforts to thrive.  As for the future, she’s taking things one step at a time. Currently participating in a summer externship with a 7th Circuit Court of Appeals judge, she will also extern with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Indiana next spring. She’s in no hurry to determine the “end game” – but wherever her path may lead, service will play a key role. “I’m interested in taking all sorts of classes to get a diverse experience, but it’s all about the service mentality and finding ways I can have an impact on people’s lives. I’m guided from my nonprofit experience, and I’m looking forward to what doors may open.”