Growing up in Pittston, Pennsylvania, political science major John Sudol didn’t have a particular career in mind, but he knew he wanted to work to make the world a better place. Whether he’s involved in classroom discussions or community advocacy work, he has the greater good in mind.
The 2016 presidential election sparked Sudol’s interest in politics. While he was still in high school, a visit to a Law and Society class, taught by Kyle Kreider, professor of political science, sealed the deal. Then Sudol learned what it means to be a servant leader through Leadership Northeast’s junior leadership program. “That’s something that I think, outside of politics, could be applied everywhere and anywhere, and it ought to be,” says Sudol.
Now the junior is on the pre-law track and all-in on politics both on and off campus. Sudol has minors in international relations, legal studies and women’s and gender studies. He’s the vice president of College Democrats and a member of Speech and Debate Club, History Club and Pre-Law Society. Sudol works for Action Together NEPA and is the vice chair of NEPA Young Democrats. He’s also running to represent Luzerne County in the Democratic State Committee.
“I fell asleep at the dining room table last night because my days are long,” Sudol says with a laugh.
The benefit of those long days is practical knowledge that crosses the boundaries between campus and the community. Concepts he learns in a lecture carry over to his advocacy work on the local, state and national level, and vice-versa. “I learn things at work that I then have a better understanding of when I then come to school and get a lecture on a related subject,” says Sudol. “It’s pretty full circle.”
Sudol credits Kreider and Ben Toll, associate professor of political science, with inspiring these full-circle moments and connecting coursework to the real world. For Toll, preparing a student for life after graduation goes beyond lectures and advising. “It’s about figuring out the student’s strengths and weaknesses throughout the semester and helping them build on their strengths, develop their weaknesses and give them the tools to figure out who they are,” says Toll. “I enjoy seeing the students in this phase, that light bulb of figuring out who they are and what they believe.”
When Sudol visited Wilkes and fell in love with campus, he believed he wanted to be a force for good, but he didn’t have a legal career in mind. Then a class with Kreider and a discussion of the infamous lawsuit involving a fast-food customer spilling hot coffee moved Sudol toward an interest in plaintiff tort law. Now he can see himself as an advocate for the average person who feels like they’ve been wronged by a big corporation. “I always like an underdog story,” says Sudol.
After two more semesters at Wilkes, Sudol plans to attend law school. As a pre-law advisor, Kreider is helping him get ready for this next chapter of his story. From starting the law school search to preparing for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) to obtaining letters of recommendation, Kreider offers personalized attention. “I think one of the strengths of the program is being able to cater to each student’s needs,” says Kreider.
As a small school, Wilkes has a few advantages that contribute to the success of the pre-law program. Smaller classes give students more opportunities to hone their writing and critical thinking skills. Professors typically have students for more than one class, so they gain a deeper understanding of students’ academic interests and abilities. Through one-on-one connections, these same professors tend to know about students’ campus involvement and work outside the classroom, allowing for more in-depth letters of recommendation. For Kreider’s pre-law advisees, these factors mean results: More than 90% of students are accepted to at least one law school.
While Sudol has a few law schools in mind, for now he’s going to keep on learning everything he can and working to leave northeastern Pennsylvania and the world a little better than he found them. “I am so, so lucky to have this specific faculty and this specific poli sci department. I have people like this in my corner and I can stand on their shoulders,” says Sudol. “They are going to help me become the best version of myself during my tenure here.”