Janine Geske, distinguished professor of law, said she worries about people who make a decision at a young age about who they want to be and where they want to be when they grow up and don't waver.

"I think part of carving out your life is it's a journey," she said. "When I was growing up in Cedarburg, if somebody would have said you'll be a lawyer and a judge someday, I would have said you're absolutely out of your mind. It never occurred to me that I'd be doing what I did."

Geske has taken on many roles throughout her career, including sixth grade teacher and several positions in the legal system – chief staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, a Milwaukee County judge for 12 years and interim Milwaukee County Executive.

"I'd never met a lawyer or talked to a lawyer before I went to law school. I just kind of applied," said Geske, a Marquette Law School 1975 alumna. "What I really wanted to do when I graduated from law school was practice in some small town, be a general practitioner. At that time, less than 10 percent of the (graduating law) class were women and small towns weren't ready for women yet. I couldn't even get interviews."

Prior to her current stint, Geske taught at Marquette, but one of her most notable roles came in 1993 when Gov. Tommy Thompson appointed her to the Wisconsin Supreme court. She was elected for a 10-year term, but resigned after four.

Geske said she left the court for spiritual reasons.

"I felt I needed to be spending more time with the poor and the community. So I left the court," she said

And she ended up back at Marquette, where she is content, especially since she was able to negotiate her contract so she wouldn't have to go to meetings.

"Although the meetings are important, that's not what I wanted to do," she said. "Marquette was very kind. They've given me the freedom to be able to just roll up my sleeves and take my students with me (and be out in the community)."

Eva Soeka, director of the Center for Dispute Resolution Education, said the work Geske does for the Law School and its students is invaluable and what she does adds to the "richness of their education."

"Her breadth of knowledge, commitment to restorative justice and dedication to her students are beyond compare," Soeka said.

Geske's love of teaching and being able to work with people made her feel blessed. She doesn't have any wish to go back to the bench.

"Those were important phases in my life; I'd like to think I did them well. I learned a lot and they enabled me to my job better now, but I wouldn't go back. What I'm doing now is so fulfilling and exciting," Geske said.

Geske believes what her students learn now will benefit them in their future, both in the world and in law.

"Our law students, like many of the people that graduate from Marquette, will be leaders when they go out in the world," she said. "I want them to understand what the issues are and what it's like to be voiceless and powerless; they'll be in a better position to lead."

Second year law student Teresa Mambu considers Geske's work inspiring.

"Professor Geske is so supportive and is open to giving her students as broad experience as possible. I have learned so much about restorative justice and about the community in Milwaukee," Mambu said. "Over the past semester, I've been in places and situations that many other law students will never experience."

Geske considers her teaching methods two-fold, spiritual and pragmatic.

"I talk to my students a lot about a spiritual life. I'm a Catholic. A lot of my students are not Catholic and don't practice any formal religion, but we talk about that inner soul, that has to connect with people and finding joy in the choices that you make," she said. "The other level is the pragmatic, the skills. I take great satisfaction that I see a great transformation in my students from the beginning of the semester to the end."