Advocating for student
success at Wayne Law
New assistant
dean of students
begins first full
school year
By Paula Neuman
Ilana Ben-Ze'ev decided a few
years ago that working as a law
school dean of students would
be the perfect job.
As a senior member at Bodman
PLC with nearly three decades
of experience, she concentrated
her practice in all aspects of
commercial real estate, finance
and development,
and was good
at it. But she
found she was
getting the most
satisfaction from
mentoring the
newer lawyers
at the firm and
from her work as
chair of Bodman's
diversity
committee.
dean of students at a law school
somewhere. Those positions
proved hard to find, however.
to say, 'I made a difference. I
have contributed and made
something better.'"
"In January, I found out that
this job had posted," Ben-Ze'ev
says. She started in May.
Her goals include making her
office "both businesslike and a
welcoming place," Ben-Ze'ev
says. "I'm putting a big focus
on expanding and developing
academic support, and creating
a greater sense of community.
That helps build alumni who are
connected to their law school."
Wayne Law Dean Robert
Ackerman welcomed her and
noted that her mentoring and
training experiences at Bodman
"will certainly contribute to
her effectiveness in serving our
students and enhancing the
sense of community at Wayne
Law."
"This office has been through a
really tough year with Michele's
All of those efforts brought
awards and recognition to the
firm, one of Michigan's largest,
and made her want to do more.
"I realized I was ready to
expand the arc of my career,"
Ben-Ze'ev says. "But I wanted to
stay connected to law."
Through research and
conversations with her peers,
including Michele Miller, Wayne
Law's beloved dean of students
who passed away last year, Ben-
Ze'ev decided she'd like to be
2
Lots of ways to get involved:
social, Jewish learning,
community service, sports,
Shabbat dinners and more
facebook.com/hmdetroit
313-577-3459
hilleled@wayne.edu
6th floor of the Student
Center Building
Monday-Thursday:
9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
She has some advice
for first-year law school
students, something
she herself was told
during her law school
orientation in 1980 at
Emory University.
In that role,
she "had an
opportunity to
Ilana Ben-Ze'ev was named Wayne Law
initiate a host of
assistant dean of students last spring.
programs, both
traditional and
passing, and has worked very
innovative," Ben-Ze'ev says. "I
hard to provide continuity of
got to do really creative things."
service in a uniquely challenging
time," Ben-Ze'ev says. "She
She launched a marketing
was
so well-liked and well-
training series for younger
respected."
lawyers, as well as a peer-
connection program that
fostered relationships.
She wants "to make sure we
establish and maintain a sense
of civility and respect, so we
teach and model the values that
make a difference in the world,"
and to "make sure the
students find us, so
they know support is
here."
Building community for
Jewish college students
Ben-Ze'ev is sensitive to that, as
well as to the needs of students
and coworkers. Her background
includes an undergraduate
degree in psychology from the
University of Pennsylvania.
She's been meeting one-on-one
with students and has found she
gets a great deal of gratification
from being able to help them,
and from being able just to
"sit and talk to people where a
half-hour of my time makes a
difference."
"It's great," she says. "Every
day brings new challenges. At
the end of the day, it feels good
"Worrying is like
3 sitting in a rocking
0 chair," Ben-Ze'ev
says. "It will give you
something to do,
but it won't get you
anywhere. Going to
law school can bring
some tremendous strains. If
you get into trouble, get help
right away. We're here and
we'll see what we can do to
help. It's smart to know when
you need help. It is terrible and
embarrassing to fall in a hole
academically or otherwise,
but it is so much worse to fall
in a hole and stay there." She
laughs and imitates Tom Cruise
in his role as Jerry Maguire in
the movie of the same name,
saying, "Help me help you."
Ben-Ze'ev encourages students
to stop by her office on the first
floor of the Law School just to
say hello or share a story.
"No crisis or questions required,"
she says with a smile.
■
Neuman is a communications
assistant at Wayne Law.
Wayne State University
Showcase
NOVEMBER 1, 2012
Editorial
Alex Bienkowski
Kristin Copenhaver
Rebecca Kavanagh
Michelle Moser
Paula Neuman
Tom Reynolds
Phillip Van Hulle
Design
Jo Click
Christa Mowry
Cover photo
Liza Lagman-Speri
Board of Governors
Tina Abbott, chair
Debbie Dingell, vice chair
Eugene Driker
Diane L. Dunaskiss
Danialle Karmanos
Paul E. Massaron
Annetta Miller
Gary S. Pollard
Allan Gilmour, ex officio