Rodney Akers has had a lot of firsts in his life. He was the first child to go to a desegregated school in his hometown of Martinsville, Va., the first person in his family to go to college, and the first to graduate law school. You may think he mapped out his destiny, but that would be mistaken.
“I didn’t entertain the idea of going to law school until my third year at the University of Virginia,” he said. That’s when he wrote an Honors Thesis about desegregation in his hometown.
“One of the things that intrigued me was my experience in my hometown was very peaceful. That was not the norm everywhere,” he said. “That made me realize the law could be very impactful on people’s lives.”
As an undergrad, he says his goal was far less specific than going to law school, but when he decided to apply, he got into the best – Harvard Law School. When he arrived at Harvard, he found his fellow students were already planning careers in finance or large New York law firms.
“When I arrived in law school, I was surrounded by people who knew their path. I did not have that perspective,” he said. “My goal was to be a well-rounded individual. I was always driven by academic curiosity.”
That is something he tries to instill in his students as an adjunct professor at Carlow University. “I appreciate the opportunity to make an impact on the minds of young people,” he said. “I believe in servant leadership, and the mission of service to others attracted me to Carlow.”
The Carlow community has received him well, too. Students have returned exceptional reviews of his teaching and leadership.
“Carlow is so fortunate to have on its faculty a person of Rodney’s stature, talent, training, and integrity,” said Howard Stern, PhD, professor and director of Carlow’s MBA program. “His professional skills are exceptional, but beyond that, he embodies the values and spirit of the Sisters of Mercy. Rodney is a charismatic person, who brings a level of excitement and enthusiasm to the classroom. Our students are in awe of him!”
Akers worked in Pennsylvania’s Office of General Counsel for almost 20 years until his recent retirement. He was originally appointed by Governor Ed Rendell, a Democrat, and, as often the case in an appointed position, was ready to step down when Republican Tom Corbett succeeded Gov. Rendell. Gov. Corbett kept him on and so did former Gov. Tom Wolf, and current Gov. Josh Shapiro.
“I’m honored to have served four Pennsylvania governors,” he said. “I enjoy working behind the scenes to accomplish larger goals.”
Despite his desire to stay out of the limelight, the Pennsylvania Bar Association recently recognized Akers as the “Government Lawyer of the Year.” Although the award caught him a bit off guard, he was gratified to receive the honor.
“In my career, I’ve been told that visibility matters, and I can appreciate that, but I’m content to work behind the scenes,” he said. “One of the things I enjoy doing is mentoring younger co-workers, and that fits well with teaching, too. I try to mentor everyone, and I believe this award recognizes that as well.”
Before his appointment to the Office of General Counsel, Akers worked for the City of Pittsburgh, and often crossed paths with Dr. Stern, which eventually led Akers to the adjunct position at Carlow.
“Howard is a former colleague at the City of Pittsburgh, and I stayed in touch with him over the years,” he said. “He’s a wonderful ambassador for the university.”
Whether mentoring younger colleagues in the General Counsel’s office or Carlow students in the classroom, Akers says he tries to model not only professional competency, but also human decency.
“Live your values and be kind to people,” is the advice he offers. “Be the change you want to see in the world. It’s not hard.”