Students and faculty gathered Tuesday to “crash” retiring professor Mary Peterson’s final class at Kent State, celebrating her impact on the paralegal studies department.

Peterson, who joined Kent State in 2016 as an assistant professor in the paralegal studies department, taught her final Tort Law class before retiring. Faculty members invited students and colleagues to attend Peterson’s final class before retirement. 

In an email invitation sent to students and alumni, Professor Amanda Paar Conroy described the event as an opportunity to celebrate Peterson’s “well-earned retirement after a decade of inspiring us all.”

About half an hour before class ended, students and faculty began filling the room to observe Peterson’s final lecture. The class focused on insurance liability, a topic tied to Peterson’s previous career in insurance law.

As the lecture came to an end, Peterson appeared emotional as students and staff gathered around her at the end of class. 

Before teaching, Peterson practiced law for nearly three decades. She worked as an associate counsel and managing attorney for The Cincinnati Insurance Company and served as an assistant attorney general in the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. 

During her time at Kent State, Peterson taught courses including Tort Law, Family Law, Legal Research and Writing, Labor and Employment Law, Real Estate Law and Principles and Practice of Litigation.

Professor Paar Conroy, director of paralegal studies, said Peterson’s enthusiasm and care for students stood out throughout her time in the department.

“It’s hard to narrow it down to just one,” she said. “I think her enthusiasm and her genuine care for the students is the best thing, and of course, her awesome teaching abilities.”

Students said Peterson’s teaching style and legal background helped prepare them for careers in the legal field.

Harper Samblanet, a junior paralegal studies and criminology and justice studies student, said Peterson made classes engaging while sharing practical knowledge about the legal profession.

“She always made class so fun,” Samblanet said. “She knows so much about the legal world, and everything about the way she teaches was really helpful.”

Grace Johnson, a sophomore political science and paralegal studies major, said Peterson helped students understand expectations within the legal profession. 

“She taught me so much about the legal world and what to expect after graduation,” Johnson said. 

Peterson was also known among students for teaching the concepts of law through a creative lens, frequently using the phrase “it depends” while discussing legal concepts and case analysis.

Kathleen Haverstock, a paralegal certificate student with a bachelor’s degree in political science, said the phrase became one of Peterson’s most memorable lessons.

“How she taught us to take things case by case and to come at things creatively,” Haverstock said. “It seems like she always encouraged us to look at things from a different perspective.”

After class, students and faculty stayed to enjoy refreshments, share memories and congratulate Peterson on her retirement.