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Polden scrapbook

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Erica Bay
Erica Bay

Don Polden served successfully as Dean of Santa Clara Law for 10 years from 2003 to 2013. Many colleagues and alumni expressed gratitude for his leadership, support, mentorship and friendship. Polden created a welcoming environment and supported diversity. Well wishes were expressed for Polden as he embarks on a sabbatical and new opportunities, while looking forward to his return to teaching. Polden will be missed but left a strong positive legacy through his decade of service to Santa Clara Law.

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Santa Clara Law Congratulations to Dean Donald Polden for his 10 successful years of service and education. 2003-2013
Don, Thank you for giving me my start at Santa Clara. I will always be grateful for your support during the very first years of my academic career, shepherding me from a new hire through my tenure vote. You can finally start working on the things that really matter - like lowering your golf handicap. Best, Deep
I have so many memories of Don's great leadership, mentoring, and friendship. Here are two. First: when I came to Santa Clara to interview I realized moments before our breakfast meeting that I left my PowerPoint presentation in New York; he cooled me out, we came up with a workable solution, relaxed and had a great breakfast, and by the time noon came around the PowerPoint was there and ready to go. The second: Midway through my second year I totaled my car one foggy night driving home from San Francisco. Don's solution the problems this presented: He loaned me his prized personal car, welcomed me to use it for as long as I needed. These are the human, personal memories, evidence of the institutional support and intellectual inspiration Don gave me are remembered in all of my teaching and writing. / David Yosifon
I hope that you have a wonderful much-deserved break, and look forward to working with you when you return to SCU! Laura Norris You are a great colleague, wonderful boss, inspiring mentor and a dear friend. Thanks for putting such energy into the School for the past ten years. Your friend and colleague, Cynthia I always appreciated the time and energy that Don gave the part-time students! Good job, young man! James Lauth Dear Don: It has been a pleasure working with you and I wish you the best of luck in your new legal endeavors!!! Becky Jones
Dean Polden has always been a strong supporter of diversity at SCU Law, which definitely helped me feel included and a part of the SCU Law community from day one. I could always count on his enthusiastic support for student groups, like APALSA, and I will never forget the warm hospitality I received when he so graciously invited several student groups to his beautiful home for a breakfast reception. I will definitely miss seeing his unassuming, always smiling face on campus. I'm so happy to have chosen SCU for my law school, and I know that Dean Polden's vision and accomplishments are what made SCU such an amazing law school. Thank you for everything you have done for me and for this school! / Allison Mizushima
It has been a privilege working under your leadership...Thank you for all your support. Congratulations on your appointment with the Center for Creative Leadership - they are fortunate to have you. Look forward to your return! Best, Deborah Moss-West Don , Many thanks for your leadership, your friendship, and your good humor these many years. Your commitment to Santa Clara and the values of the law school are clear. I know you fought on our behalf (often without any recognition) and I appreciate that as well. And remember- I am definitely their favorite professor! :) I look forward to working beside you in the years to come. With warmest wishes, Ellen Kreitzberg
Wishing you all the best, Marina Don, You'll always be my "first Dean" at Santa Clara Law! Thank you for bringing me to the law school, welcoming my ideas, and fostering my professional development. Your encouragement, support, and creative leadership has made a great difference in my life and those of so many others in our extended community. It has been great getting to know you in and out of the classroom. And while I hope you enjoy all of the opportunities of your well-earned time without the burdens of the Dean's life, I look forward to continuing to benefit from your leadership (and wry humor).
Thank you for your sense of humor, for your willingness to listen to people with different viewpoints, and for your tireless attendance at so very many meetings and events. Have a great time as a visiting scholar. When you return home to us, I hope you'll enjoy feeling that a weight has been lifted from your shoulders. Best wishes, Ray Bernstein Dean Polden, Thank you for all you have done for Santa Clara Law. I wish you the best in your sabbatical year and I look forward to seeing you when you return. Enjoy all of the adventures that await you! Best wishes, Andrea Shaheen
Dear Dean Polden, Thank you for all your work as dean for Santa Clara Law! All the best in the new (and continuing) adventures! ~Adriana Duffy-Horling Dean Polden, Many thanks for all your support on the Law Reunion Program. I've enjoyed working with you and wish you all the best during your sabbatical. See you in 2014! Susan Moore
Congratulations on a job well done, Don! I've enjoyed our conversations, although infrequent. Thank you for your willingness to collaborate, guide and help. Best wishes, Nancy Calderon Wishing you all the best in your future endeavors! Thank you for the many accomplishments you have contributed to our law school! Christina Johnson DON, SO SORRY I WILL BE OUT OF TOWN ON THE EVENING OF YOUR TRIBUTE. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE FOR SCU LAW ! ENJOY YOUR LESS STRESSFUL FUTURE MY FRIEND, RAY DAVILLA It was great talking to Dean Polden at the Kasner Symposium Reception about the future of estate planning and taxation at Santa Clara University! Lauren Corman
Dear Don, It has been a pleasure working with you, especially getting to spend time with you at the Brick'n Bytes conference in San Diego last year. Thank you for all you have done for the law school. Enjoy your year off, it is well deserved. Regards, Prano Dear Dean Polden, I sure am going to miss you!! I remember when I first started here at SCU, you made me feel so welcomed. You have such a wonderful personality and are such a joy to talk to. I wish you the best in your new endeavors and look forward to seeing you again on campus. Barbara Lindley
Don, thank you so much for your enthusiastic support of our external moot court program! You've made it possible for us to develop our program and for our students to have valuable learning experiences! Best, Karin Dear Dean Polden, I wish you the best on your next endeavors. Thank you immensely for all you have done for me and Santa Clara Law. We will miss you as Dean but at least you will still be with us in a different role. Enjoy your sabbatical! Best Regards, Cassandra Francois Dear Don, You will be missed as our Dean, but of course I look forward to seeing you on campus. Have a wonderful sabbatical year. Best regards, Vinita Don, your great sense of humor and kindness will be missed! I wish you much success and happiness in your future endeavors! Sincerely, Michelle Waters Dear Don, Thank you so much for all your help and support during the last 10 years. It has been a pleasure working with you and I am looking forward to working with you again when you come back to campus. I wish you all the best. Angela Lee Dean Polden, Many thanks for all of the good work that you have done for Santa Clara Law School. Enjoy your time off and your return to the classroom! Best wishes, Lori (Cimino) Johnson, JD '79
Don, It has been a distinct pleasure working with you these past 5 years. I appreciate your sense of humor and your compassion for the law school, its students, faculty and staff. I wish you a relaxing "vacation" and look forward to seeing you upon your return. Fondly, Laura McGeehon
Dean Polden, you have been ever approachable and welcoming of students. Were I Dean I'm not sure I'd regularly say hi to the likes of me, as there are some 900 of the likes of me, and I'd be saying hi an awful lot. But this never seemed to color your genuine smile. You welcomed us into your home to break bread on numerous occasions. I interpret this as going the extra mile. I can't close without mention of your fantastic portrayal of Investigator Bert Franklin in the Trial of the Century, which has inspired me. We'll assume this to be a good thing ;^) George Atkins Although I never worked directly with the Dean, I have always appreciated his warm and friendly demeanor. He never missed an opportunity to do what he does best -smooze! He may not know my name, but he sure knew my face! He made an effort to keep the law school community connected with his informal meetings, his accessibility, staff appreciation events and much more. I wish him well in this new chapter of his life's adventure. Maria B. Library
Dean Polden, I dined with you with the Vice Chancellor of Delaware, drank wine with you and our alumni on the shores of Tiburon, enjoyed your company in High Tech networking events, rubbed elbows at the bar association events, and was quick on my feet to respond to your request to help organize the Master Road Show. It's been a great few years for me. Thank you for the opportunities you presented. Patrick Wallen Dean Polden, I cannot imagine three years at Santa Clara Law would have been quite as enjoyable without the always enjoyable occasion to pass you around the Alameda Mall. Your easy, consistently affable demeanor not only exuded calm regardless of turbulence, but inspired it in others. Though I missed a course with you, you taught me the value of this mode and I look forward to emulating it and sharing it as best I can throughout my practice. Thank you, Marc S. Wiesner
Dear Don, Thank you for all you have done for Santa Clara Law School. You took the lead on the "lawyers as leaders," and I know from Bob Cullen that has been a successful theme for our institution. Thank you too for all your leadership with the local bar and alumni; close connections between the School and the community are important. In time I am certain you will see the building you have worked hard so hard to assure that Santa Clara offers its students the best environment possible. Now I wish you good luck with new endeavors and hope that you enjoy your sabbatical and then the classes you will teach upon your return. Sincerely, Patty Rauch
Don, Thank you for six remarkable years! Thank you for letting me learn alongside you, for including me in the grand adventure of Cannon Design, and, most of all, for your friendship. That will never change. All good wishes to you and Susie as your future unfolds, Jacqueline Don, In my years here I've really appreciated your good humor, your straight shooting, and your ability to remain calm when others around you are losing their heads. It's been great to have you as my first dean--you've set the bar high! Best of luck to you in your future endeavors, and thanks so much for all your years of service. Yours, David Ball
A small factoid. There's always a risk having the law school dean give introductory remarks at an event. They tend to drone on painfully. In contrast, I always was glad when Dean Polden would give introductory remarks about our events because he would do a beautiful job. He'd get to the stage, crack a joke, say a few nice things, and reliably get off the stage in a couple of minutes. Eric Goldman Don: Thank you for your support of my scholarship! That has meant the world to me. Thank you also for your calm and patient guidance at so many faculty and committee meetings throughout the years. I hope you enjoy every minute of your much-deserved sabbatical, and I look forward to welcoming you back as a colleague in 2014. Take care, Kerry Macintosh
Don, You have made a positive and indelible contribution to the students you have taught, the culture and character of the Law School, and the all folks that were lucky enough to have worked with you as Dean. Your wisdom and humor in that role will be missed tremendously, but forever remembered. You did good. Have a great time with the next adventure in your life; you have certainly earned it and more. Your friend always, Ben Martin.
Dear Don, Where did the time go? It seems like just yesterday that you were settling in to the dean's suite. You've accomplished a lot in the past ten years and Santa Clara is a better place for all your efforts. You are leaving behind a marvelous legacy. Thank you for all your support and good counsel through out the years. You will be missed. Warm regards, Julia Yaffee
Dear Don, I will really miss you as our Dean of the Law School. Thank you so much for your leadership and support of Law Admissions and Financial Aid. Best Wishes to you . Always, Elinore Burkhardt Thank you Dean Polden for everything you have done for us. We really enjoyed having you as the dean of our wonderful law school. Wishing you the best. Shaherzad Azim
Law Student Golf Association This year, we had our first annual Student/Attorney Golf Tournament. Dean Polden demonstrated his support for his students by playing in the tournament and finding local attorneys to participate. Everyone that played in the tourney had a great time, and we'll all hold onto that day as a great Santa Clara Law memory. We're sad to see Dean Polden go (temporarily), but we are extremely grateful for his decade of service to the school. We at the LSGA wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors and hope to see him sooner than later. Sincere regards, Chris Glass & Anne Boyer LSGA Presidents (2012-13)
Dear Don, It has been such a pleasure working with you on the Easy Pieces Scholarship over the years. Dave and I have so enjoyed our annual holiday lunches with Bob, Mary, Wendy, and you (when you were not too busy with those annoying administrative duties to grace us with your presence!). Please join us whenever you are in the area -- a chair and an empty wine glass will be waiting for you. Until your return, we'll raise a glass to you! Enjoy the sabbatical adventures and we'll see you when you come back to teach. Warm regards, Molly Long and Dave Grunbaum
Best wishes for your next chapter! Joan Harrington Don, Best wishes with your new endeavors and adventures! Caroline Chen Dear Dean Polden, Thank you for everything. Best wishes to you. Law Finance Office Thank you Don for a job well done! Gary Spitko
Dean Polden, I wish you the very best as you embark on the next chapter of your life. Thank you for your inspiration and your dedicated leadership for so many years. -Morgan Dain Thank you for your many years of leadership and service, and best wishes for all that comes next Gus Lane Heafey Law Library Thanks for all your hard work as Dean, and good luck in your future endeavors! Best, Michelle Liang Dean- Thank you for all you did for the law school and the KGACLC. It is appreciated. Enjoy your year off with your beautiful family! Dianne Blakely Don: Thanks so much for hiring Pat and me! And thanks, too, for making it possible for us to get legally married in California. I hope that you have a wonderful sabbatical in this most beautiful place on earth. Jean Dear Don, It has been a pleasure working with you the past few years. You have always been quick to issue a "thank you" or "job well done" and that is greatly appreciated! Thank you for all that you've done for Santa Clara Law and best wishes. -Elyse Amberg
You may have heard this from me before, but I'm saying it again: Best Boss Ever! It's been great working for you these past nine years and thank you for all you have done for the law school. Enjoy the sabbatical - you deserve it! Looking forward to having you back on campus in 2014. Best wishes to you, Suzie and the whole family. Joanie
Dear Dean Polden, Thank you for your guidance and leadership over the past years at Santa Clara Law. You have made our years at Santa Clara a positive and enriching experience that will stay with us as we graduate and become productive members of the legal community. Good luck in your future endeavors. Always know that the students at Santa Clara will remember the days that you help mold us to be 'Lawyers who lead." Sincerely, Deepa Jandhyala
Don, It is hard to imagine Santa Clara Law without your leadership. You have shaped so much with your vision and hard work. Thank you for hiring me, and for then providing an encouraging and stimulating environment to develop professionally. I'll always be grateful for the opportunities and support you so generously gave. My best wishes to you and Susie. I look forward to your continuing leadership in legal education and to future collaborations for Santa Clara Law. Cheers, Marina
Dear Dean, Thank you for the past seven years at Santa Clara! I have enjoyed every minute that I've worked here. You have been a marvelous mentor and so supportive of the Career Services Office. On a personal note, I want to thank you for your flexibility and support as I was being treated for and recovering from my medical issues. I've had more than one conversation with colleagues who thought that the law school's accommodations were remarkable. As a mutual acquaintance noted, you made those adjustments not because of some human resources requirement, but because it was the right thing to do. Vicki Huebner It has been a joy and an honor to work with you over the past 2.5 years. I feel most fortunate to have landed at Santa Clara Law in this job and know it was made much more meaningful and enjoyable by being able to travel around to see alumni with you. You are a master of the audience, a gentleman to each and every guest, and a profound influence on this fine institution. Thank you for all you have done, and for the lasting impact you have made here. I will miss working with you but find comfort in knowing you are available on Netflix streaming or DVD. See you around campus! Ellen Lynch Don, Thanks again for all of your extraordinary work as Dean! Hard to believe, but I've been with the school for over 8 years now. Since the beginning, it's been a pleasure working with you, and I've always appreciated the personal support you've been willing to extend. Marie also shares my appreciation, as well as my sadness in your stepping down, but we look forward to working and spending time with you in the days ahead. Angelo
Dear Don, I will always remember how you teased me, trying to remind me not to take everything so seriously. I think I got better at teasing back over the years. But seriously . . . , as I usually am, I look forward to being your colleague for a long time to come and thanks for your everlasting support for social justice. All the best, Stephanie W.
Dear Dean Polden, It was always a pleasure to say "hello" to you, whenever I got a chance to in the hallways of Bannan. Being a foreign candidate from India, I found Santa Clara Law a wonderful microcosm of what the United States is for the world beyond it - a uniquely diverse and homogeneous society with strong work ethics and a great value system that respects and rewards merit and excnce. I thoroughly enjoyed the amazing diversity at Santa Clara Law and felt benefited from the affirmative approach of its wonderful faculty and administrative staff as well as my collegial peers. All this was possible because of your amazing leadership. I congratulate you on successfully reaching this milestone, and wish you the best for the future. - Madhavi Chopra, LL.M. Candidate, Class of 2013, Santa Clara Law

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Polden scrapbook

  • 1. Santa Clara Law Congratulations to Dean Donald Polden for his 10 successful years of service and education. 2003-2013
  • 2. Don, Thank you for giving me my start at Santa Clara. I will always be grateful for your support during the very first years of my academic career, shepherding me from a new hire through my tenure vote. You can finally start working on the things that really matter - like lowering your golf handicap. Best, Deep
  • 3. I have so many memories of Don's great leadership, mentoring, and friendship. Here are two. First: when I came to Santa Clara to interview I realized moments before our breakfast meeting that I left my PowerPoint presentation in New York; he cooled me out, we came up with a workable solution, relaxed and had a great breakfast, and by the time noon came around the PowerPoint was there and ready to go. The second: Midway through my second year I totaled my car one foggy night driving home from San Francisco. Don's solution the problems this presented: He loaned me his prized personal car, welcomed me to use it for as long as I needed. These are the human, personal memories, evidence of the institutional support and intellectual inspiration Don gave me are remembered in all of my teaching and writing. / David Yosifon
  • 4. I hope that you have a wonderful much-deserved break, and look forward to working with you when you return to SCU! Laura Norris You are a great colleague, wonderful boss, inspiring mentor and a dear friend. Thanks for putting such energy into the School for the past ten years. Your friend and colleague, Cynthia I always appreciated the time and energy that Don gave the part-time students! Good job, young man! James Lauth Dear Don: It has been a pleasure working with you and I wish you the best of luck in your new legal endeavors!!! Becky Jones
  • 5. Dean Polden has always been a strong supporter of diversity at SCU Law, which definitely helped me feel included and a part of the SCU Law community from day one. I could always count on his enthusiastic support for student groups, like APALSA, and I will never forget the warm hospitality I received when he so graciously invited several student groups to his beautiful home for a breakfast reception. I will definitely miss seeing his unassuming, always smiling face on campus. I'm so happy to have chosen SCU for my law school, and I know that Dean Polden's vision and accomplishments are what made SCU such an amazing law school. Thank you for everything you have done for me and for this school! / Allison Mizushima
  • 6. It has been a privilege working under your leadership...Thank you for all your support. Congratulations on your appointment with the Center for Creative Leadership - they are fortunate to have you. Look forward to your return! Best, Deborah Moss-West Don , Many thanks for your leadership, your friendship, and your good humor these many years. Your commitment to Santa Clara and the values of the law school are clear. I know you fought on our behalf (often without any recognition) and I appreciate that as well. And remember- I am definitely their favorite professor! :) I look forward to working beside you in the years to come. With warmest wishes, Ellen Kreitzberg
  • 7. Wishing you all the best, Marina Don, You'll always be my "first Dean" at Santa Clara Law! Thank you for bringing me to the law school, welcoming my ideas, and fostering my professional development. Your encouragement, support, and creative leadership has made a great difference in my life and those of so many others in our extended community. It has been great getting to know you in and out of the classroom. And while I hope you enjoy all of the opportunities of your well-earned time without the burdens of the Dean's life, I look forward to continuing to benefit from your leadership (and wry humor).
  • 8. Thank you for your sense of humor, for your willingness to listen to people with different viewpoints, and for your tireless attendance at so very many meetings and events. Have a great time as a visiting scholar. When you return home to us, I hope you'll enjoy feeling that a weight has been lifted from your shoulders. Best wishes, Ray Bernstein Dean Polden, Thank you for all you have done for Santa Clara Law. I wish you the best in your sabbatical year and I look forward to seeing you when you return. Enjoy all of the adventures that await you! Best wishes, Andrea Shaheen
  • 9. Dear Dean Polden, Thank you for all your work as dean for Santa Clara Law! All the best in the new (and continuing) adventures! ~Adriana Duffy-Horling Dean Polden, Many thanks for all your support on the Law Reunion Program. I've enjoyed working with you and wish you all the best during your sabbatical. See you in 2014! Susan Moore
  • 10. Congratulations on a job well done, Don! I've enjoyed our conversations, although infrequent. Thank you for your willingness to collaborate, guide and help. Best wishes, Nancy Calderon Wishing you all the best in your future endeavors! Thank you for the many accomplishments you have contributed to our law school! Christina Johnson DON, SO SORRY I WILL BE OUT OF TOWN ON THE EVENING OF YOUR TRIBUTE. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE FOR SCU LAW ! ENJOY YOUR LESS STRESSFUL FUTURE MY FRIEND, RAY DAVILLA It was great talking to Dean Polden at the Kasner Symposium Reception about the future of estate planning and taxation at Santa Clara University! Lauren Corman
  • 11. Dear Don, It has been a pleasure working with you, especially getting to spend time with you at the Brick'n Bytes conference in San Diego last year. Thank you for all you have done for the law school. Enjoy your year off, it is well deserved. Regards, Prano Dear Dean Polden, I sure am going to miss you!! I remember when I first started here at SCU, you made me feel so welcomed. You have such a wonderful personality and are such a joy to talk to. I wish you the best in your new endeavors and look forward to seeing you again on campus. Barbara Lindley
  • 12. Don, thank you so much for your enthusiastic support of our external moot court program! You've made it possible for us to develop our program and for our students to have valuable learning experiences! Best, Karin Dear Dean Polden, I wish you the best on your next endeavors. Thank you immensely for all you have done for me and Santa Clara Law. We will miss you as Dean but at least you will still be with us in a different role. Enjoy your sabbatical! Best Regards, Cassandra Francois Dear Don, You will be missed as our Dean, but of course I look forward to seeing you on campus. Have a wonderful sabbatical year. Best regards, Vinita Don, your great sense of humor and kindness will be missed! I wish you much success and happiness in your future endeavors! Sincerely, Michelle Waters Dear Don, Thank you so much for all your help and support during the last 10 years. It has been a pleasure working with you and I am looking forward to working with you again when you come back to campus. I wish you all the best. Angela Lee Dean Polden, Many thanks for all of the good work that you have done for Santa Clara Law School. Enjoy your time off and your return to the classroom! Best wishes, Lori (Cimino) Johnson, JD '79
  • 13. Don, It has been a distinct pleasure working with you these past 5 years. I appreciate your sense of humor and your compassion for the law school, its students, faculty and staff. I wish you a relaxing "vacation" and look forward to seeing you upon your return. Fondly, Laura McGeehon
  • 14. Dean Polden, you have been ever approachable and welcoming of students. Were I Dean I'm not sure I'd regularly say hi to the likes of me, as there are some 900 of the likes of me, and I'd be saying hi an awful lot. But this never seemed to color your genuine smile. You welcomed us into your home to break bread on numerous occasions. I interpret this as going the extra mile. I can't close without mention of your fantastic portrayal of Investigator Bert Franklin in the Trial of the Century, which has inspired me. We'll assume this to be a good thing ;^) George Atkins Although I never worked directly with the Dean, I have always appreciated his warm and friendly demeanor. He never missed an opportunity to do what he does best -smooze! He may not know my name, but he sure knew my face! He made an effort to keep the law school community connected with his informal meetings, his accessibility, staff appreciation events and much more. I wish him well in this new chapter of his life's adventure. Maria B. Library
  • 15. Dean Polden, I dined with you with the Vice Chancellor of Delaware, drank wine with you and our alumni on the shores of Tiburon, enjoyed your company in High Tech networking events, rubbed elbows at the bar association events, and was quick on my feet to respond to your request to help organize the Master Road Show. It's been a great few years for me. Thank you for the opportunities you presented. Patrick Wallen Dean Polden, I cannot imagine three years at Santa Clara Law would have been quite as enjoyable without the always enjoyable occasion to pass you around the Alameda Mall. Your easy, consistently affable demeanor not only exuded calm regardless of turbulence, but inspired it in others. Though I missed a course with you, you taught me the value of this mode and I look forward to emulating it and sharing it as best I can throughout my practice. Thank you, Marc S. Wiesner
  • 16. Dear Don, Thank you for all you have done for Santa Clara Law School. You took the lead on the "lawyers as leaders," and I know from Bob Cullen that has been a successful theme for our institution. Thank you too for all your leadership with the local bar and alumni; close connections between the School and the community are important. In time I am certain you will see the building you have worked hard so hard to assure that Santa Clara offers its students the best environment possible. Now I wish you good luck with new endeavors and hope that you enjoy your sabbatical and then the classes you will teach upon your return. Sincerely, Patty Rauch
  • 17. Don, Thank you for six remarkable years! Thank you for letting me learn alongside you, for including me in the grand adventure of Cannon Design, and, most of all, for your friendship. That will never change. All good wishes to you and Susie as your future unfolds, Jacqueline Don, In my years here I've really appreciated your good humor, your straight shooting, and your ability to remain calm when others around you are losing their heads. It's been great to have you as my first dean--you've set the bar high! Best of luck to you in your future endeavors, and thanks so much for all your years of service. Yours, David Ball
  • 18. A small factoid. There's always a risk having the law school dean give introductory remarks at an event. They tend to drone on painfully. In contrast, I always was glad when Dean Polden would give introductory remarks about our events because he would do a beautiful job. He'd get to the stage, crack a joke, say a few nice things, and reliably get off the stage in a couple of minutes. Eric Goldman Don: Thank you for your support of my scholarship! That has meant the world to me. Thank you also for your calm and patient guidance at so many faculty and committee meetings throughout the years. I hope you enjoy every minute of your much-deserved sabbatical, and I look forward to welcoming you back as a colleague in 2014. Take care, Kerry Macintosh
  • 19. Don, You have made a positive and indelible contribution to the students you have taught, the culture and character of the Law School, and the all folks that were lucky enough to have worked with you as Dean. Your wisdom and humor in that role will be missed tremendously, but forever remembered. You did good. Have a great time with the next adventure in your life; you have certainly earned it and more. Your friend always, Ben Martin.
  • 20. Dear Don, Where did the time go? It seems like just yesterday that you were settling in to the dean's suite. You've accomplished a lot in the past ten years and Santa Clara is a better place for all your efforts. You are leaving behind a marvelous legacy. Thank you for all your support and good counsel through out the years. You will be missed. Warm regards, Julia Yaffee
  • 21. Dear Don, I will really miss you as our Dean of the Law School. Thank you so much for your leadership and support of Law Admissions and Financial Aid. Best Wishes to you . Always, Elinore Burkhardt Thank you Dean Polden for everything you have done for us. We really enjoyed having you as the dean of our wonderful law school. Wishing you the best. Shaherzad Azim
  • 22. Law Student Golf Association This year, we had our first annual Student/Attorney Golf Tournament. Dean Polden demonstrated his support for his students by playing in the tournament and finding local attorneys to participate. Everyone that played in the tourney had a great time, and we'll all hold onto that day as a great Santa Clara Law memory. We're sad to see Dean Polden go (temporarily), but we are extremely grateful for his decade of service to the school. We at the LSGA wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors and hope to see him sooner than later. Sincere regards, Chris Glass & Anne Boyer LSGA Presidents (2012-13)
  • 23. Dear Don, It has been such a pleasure working with you on the Easy Pieces Scholarship over the years. Dave and I have so enjoyed our annual holiday lunches with Bob, Mary, Wendy, and you (when you were not too busy with those annoying administrative duties to grace us with your presence!). Please join us whenever you are in the area -- a chair and an empty wine glass will be waiting for you. Until your return, we'll raise a glass to you! Enjoy the sabbatical adventures and we'll see you when you come back to teach. Warm regards, Molly Long and Dave Grunbaum
  • 24. Best wishes for your next chapter! Joan Harrington Don, Best wishes with your new endeavors and adventures! Caroline Chen Dear Dean Polden, Thank you for everything. Best wishes to you. Law Finance Office Thank you Don for a job well done! Gary Spitko
  • 25. Dean Polden, I wish you the very best as you embark on the next chapter of your life. Thank you for your inspiration and your dedicated leadership for so many years. -Morgan Dain Thank you for your many years of leadership and service, and best wishes for all that comes next Gus Lane Heafey Law Library Thanks for all your hard work as Dean, and good luck in your future endeavors! Best, Michelle Liang Dean- Thank you for all you did for the law school and the KGACLC. It is appreciated. Enjoy your year off with your beautiful family! Dianne Blakely Don: Thanks so much for hiring Pat and me! And thanks, too, for making it possible for us to get legally married in California. I hope that you have a wonderful sabbatical in this most beautiful place on earth. Jean Dear Don, It has been a pleasure working with you the past few years. You have always been quick to issue a "thank you" or "job well done" and that is greatly appreciated! Thank you for all that you've done for Santa Clara Law and best wishes. -Elyse Amberg
  • 26. You may have heard this from me before, but I'm saying it again: Best Boss Ever! It's been great working for you these past nine years and thank you for all you have done for the law school. Enjoy the sabbatical - you deserve it! Looking forward to having you back on campus in 2014. Best wishes to you, Suzie and the whole family. Joanie
  • 27. Dear Dean Polden, Thank you for your guidance and leadership over the past years at Santa Clara Law. You have made our years at Santa Clara a positive and enriching experience that will stay with us as we graduate and become productive members of the legal community. Good luck in your future endeavors. Always know that the students at Santa Clara will remember the days that you help mold us to be 'Lawyers who lead." Sincerely, Deepa Jandhyala
  • 28. Don, It is hard to imagine Santa Clara Law without your leadership. You have shaped so much with your vision and hard work. Thank you for hiring me, and for then providing an encouraging and stimulating environment to develop professionally. I'll always be grateful for the opportunities and support you so generously gave. My best wishes to you and Susie. I look forward to your continuing leadership in legal education and to future collaborations for Santa Clara Law. Cheers, Marina
  • 29. Dear Dean, Thank you for the past seven years at Santa Clara! I have enjoyed every minute that I've worked here. You have been a marvelous mentor and so supportive of the Career Services Office. On a personal note, I want to thank you for your flexibility and support as I was being treated for and recovering from my medical issues. I've had more than one conversation with colleagues who thought that the law school's accommodations were remarkable. As a mutual acquaintance noted, you made those adjustments not because of some human resources requirement, but because it was the right thing to do. Vicki Huebner It has been a joy and an honor to work with you over the past 2.5 years. I feel most fortunate to have landed at Santa Clara Law in this job and know it was made much more meaningful and enjoyable by being able to travel around to see alumni with you. You are a master of the audience, a gentleman to each and every guest, and a profound influence on this fine institution. Thank you for all you have done, and for the lasting impact you have made here. I will miss working with you but find comfort in knowing you are available on Netflix streaming or DVD. See you around campus! Ellen Lynch Don, Thanks again for all of your extraordinary work as Dean! Hard to believe, but I've been with the school for over 8 years now. Since the beginning, it's been a pleasure working with you, and I've always appreciated the personal support you've been willing to extend. Marie also shares my appreciation, as well as my sadness in your stepping down, but we look forward to working and spending time with you in the days ahead. Angelo
  • 30. Dear Don, I will always remember how you teased me, trying to remind me not to take everything so seriously. I think I got better at teasing back over the years. But seriously . . . , as I usually am, I look forward to being your colleague for a long time to come and thanks for your everlasting support for social justice. All the best, Stephanie W.
  • 31. Dear Dean Polden, It was always a pleasure to say "hello" to you, whenever I got a chance to in the hallways of Bannan. Being a foreign candidate from India, I found Santa Clara Law a wonderful microcosm of what the United States is for the world beyond it - a uniquely diverse and homogeneous society with strong work ethics and a great value system that respects and rewards merit and excnce. I thoroughly enjoyed the amazing diversity at Santa Clara Law and felt benefited from the affirmative approach of its wonderful faculty and administrative staff as well as my collegial peers. All this was possible because of your amazing leadership. I congratulate you on successfully reaching this milestone, and wish you the best for the future. - Madhavi Chopra, LL.M. Candidate, Class of 2013, Santa Clara Law