Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor recently met with a dozen University of Dayton Scholars who are serving as interns in state government.

Two of them work for the Court.

The program is led by former Ohio-governor-turned-college-professor Bob Taft. Chief Justice O’Connor served as his lieutenant governor.

She talked about her career path – as an attorney in private practice, magistrate, court of common pleas judge, Summit County prosecutor, lieutenant governor, and now as first female chief justice on the state’s highest court.

From her milestones, she offered words of wisdom.

“Always look around the corner,” Chief Justice O’Connor said. “There’s always something there, and it can be very exciting and very challenging. The only thing you need is to be prepared.”

“Do well in what you are doing now. Acquire as much skill and knowledge as you can. Opportunities will present themselves, opportunities you never even thought of. It takes a little bit of risk, but take advantage of it. You take a risk. That served me well, and that’s why I’m here as chief justice.”

Taft credited Chief Justice O’Connor with her work after 9/11 while heading the state’s Department of Public Safety.

“She was responsible for leading Ohio’s homeland security efforts after the terrorist attacks when she was public safety director,” Taft said. “Guess who would fly on big transit planes overseas?”

The two scholars who work at the Court said the internships are eye-opening and educational.

“I work with a bunch of great people,” said University of Dayton senior Pamela Segalewitz, who works within the Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission. “My job is research, and I like working with data and numbers. It’s helped me because I’ve never done that before.”

“It’s incredible and overwhelming walking in this building every day,” University of Dayton senior Sarah Litteral said. “It’s eye-opening realizing that you work in the Supreme Court of Ohio.”

She works in the Office of Court Services.

The Dayton Civic Scholars program aims to prepare students for meaningful civic leadership roles.