Champion
of
challenges
2L Mary Kennelly merges
law with public health—and
plenty more interests
“If we as a nation
are ever going to
rein in health care
spending,
we need
to consider how
we can help people
stay healthy.”
—2L Mary Kennelly
Mary Kennelly and her husband,
Mike Askew, take pooch Miles
Davis for a lakefront stroll.
Tell us about your family and the
neighborhood you grew up in.
We’re definitely a South Side Irish family. I’m the
oldest of four kids born and raised in Beverly and
attended St. Barnabas Parish. At the holidays, my
dad would put on a Tommy Makem or The Clancy
Brothers record, and all the little kids would do their
best Irish dancing imitations. My cousin is Mary Pat
Kelly, author of
Galway Bay.
We have strong Irish
cultural ties.
Growing up, I was a jock, spending most
afternoons at Ridge Park’s pool. I was a swimmer and
played soccer and water polo. I spent my teenage
years lifeguarding at Calumet Beach, and East Side is
very dear to me. I’ve been a lifelong Chicagoan, and
that’s something that always comes through when
you talk to me.
What brought you to Loyola?
I’ve always been very interested in doing good
in the world and working toward greater social
justice. I decided to go to law school because I
wanted to work on health and health care policy
issues, and I wanted to pair my law degree with a
master’s degree in public health. Loyola was ready to
work with me toward that goal.
I entered Loyola in fall 2010. After I finished my
first-year classes, Loyola granted me leave, and in
July 2011, I moved to Baltimore to start the Johns
Hopkins master’s program. That’s complete, and
when I finish law school, I’ll be awarded my public
health and law degrees. Loyola has been incredibly
supportive. Faculty members are genuinely
interested in each student individually and willing
to work with you on your own goals.
How did you become a Peace Corps volunteer?
I can remember the day I decided I was going
to pursue the Peace Corps seriously. I’d graduated
from Georgetown University and was working in an
office. It had been raining, and I had no idea of this.
Sitting in an office where I didn’t even know what
was going on outside wasn’t something I wanted to
be doing for the next couple of years.
I’d spent a semester abroad in Chile, where
my Spanish had come a long way. It hadn’t come
easily to me, but I loved it and wanted to use it
as part of my work. I’d also wanted to do more
volunteerism in college but got swept up in
Georgetown’s crew team. The Peace Corps was a
way for me to make that commitment to community
service. I worked with Paraguayan subsistence
farmers as a health educator.
Where would you like your career to take you?
If we as a nation are ever going to rein in health
care spending, we need to consider how we can
help people stay healthy. Lawyers have an important
role to play in identifying how the law can be used
as a tool to promote public health. I want to be a
champion for health equity, changing the conditions
in which people live and their quality and access to
medical services. I see myself working in and around
government so we can create legal solutions to
reduce health disparities.
What do you do for fun?
I’m a newlywed, and my husband, Mike
Askew, and I like to walk our dog, Miles Davis. In
the summer, we swim in the lake and go sailing.
Swimming for me is really a source of calm and a
way to be centered.
What would people be surprised
to learn about you?
I’m quite skilled with a machete. That always
catches people off guard! I used it to cut grass and
clear land for my garden in Paraguay. I also love to
blow off steam by dancing and singing—whether
it’s in the kitchen belting out Irish folk songs, singing
along to the radio, or celebrating New Year’s Eve
with the Polkaholics. Nothing’s more fun than
singing and dancing with friends.
■
H
ow many law students take a leave of absence during law school to get another graduate degree?
Mary Kennelly is taking an unusual path: she’s currently working on a joint degree from Loyola’s law
school and the public health program of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
At the age of 22, Kennelly served as campaign manager on Sharyn Elman’s bid for a seat in the Illinois House
of Representatives. “We didn’t win, but we gave an 18-year incumbent a good run for his money,” explains the
second-year health-law student. Between her undergraduate years and law school, she volunteered for the Peace
Corps in Paraguay. As her packed record of achievement attests, Kennelly is cowed by few—if any—challenges.
Here she explains how she’ll apply that determination and openness to new experiences in her legal career.
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STUDENT PROFILE
SPRING 2013
19
18
LOYOLA LAW
