Andrew Towne
“Penn Law connects us with leaders in law, policy, business, academia, and non-profits - incredibly useful as I chart my path.”
Andrew Towne is from Grand Forks, ND, and he graduated from Yale University in 2005 with Honors in Political Science. At Yale, Andrew was a national champion lightweight oarsman and studied abroad at the University of Nairobi as a Boren Scholar. Before enrolling at Penn, he was a CIA analyst, serving in Iraq under Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.
Andrew won Penn’s Morgenthau Scholarship for his commitment to public service and was elected the winner of Wharton’s first-year leadership prize. Andrew wants to use the JD/MBA to strengthen ties between the public and private sectors, eventually returning to government service in either North Dakota or Minnesota.
Cross-disciplinary study for a versatile professional.
I came to Penn Law because of its incredible cross-disciplinary offerings and the JD/MBA program in particular. Penn Law has taken my writing and logical analysis to new levels, while Wharton has taught me an incredible amount about making strategic decisions, taking risks, and using data to analyze problems. These complementary programs are making me a versatile professional who has the tools to tackle a wide variety of problems.
Working in the Minneapolis office of the Boston Consulting Group last summer had a profound impact on my education and the way I am approaching my career. Helping a multi-billion dollar retailer transform its sales organization taught me how to tackle problems in a methodical way, and the office’s pro bono projects showed me just how much is possible through public/private collaboration.
The people here are so different from the stereotype.
I am grateful that Penn Law surrounds us with leaders in law, policy, business, academia, and non-profits. The CLOs, Army Generals, Law Firm Managing Partners, and US Cabinet-level officials that I’ve had the chance to meet and get to know since coming to Penn Law was something I did not expect, and which has been incredibly useful for me as I chart my path.
I actually have a hard time imagining studying law anywhere but Penn Law, because the people here are so different from the stereotype I’d heard of law school students. Not only do my section mates help each other cover when they need help or have to miss class; they proactively look for ways to help each other learn more thoroughly and efficiently.
Moot court competitions.
A highlight of my first year at Penn Law was probably delivering my first oral argument soon after the school had its intramural Moot Court championship (which we call the Keedy Cup). Seeing the skill and expertise of the third year students earlier that week motivated me to new levels in my own legal writing and persuasion, and presenting my thoughts on a point of law in a formal setting for the first time was exhilarating.