Daniel J. Dykstra Jr. ’69 discusses the merits of a liberal arts education
J. Dykstra Jr. ’69 of Rohnert Park, Calif., who serves as Deputy District Counsel, San Francisco District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
He says the law establishes a basic set of governing principles upon which a civilized society operates.
“In a perfect world, law provides a process that assures fairness and equality of treatment,” he says. “Of course, because humanity has flaws, this articulates goals that we should strive for within the legal process.”
Dykstra was in ROTC at Ripon and became an Army JAG attorney after law school. After his service in the Army, he joined the Corps of Engineers and has been with them for 34 years.
“I principally handle issues related to the administration of government contracts under federal law,” he says. “Beside my regular duties, that has allowed me to assist the Corps of Engineers’ efforts to build facilities in Afghanistan twice.”
Dykstra reviews contracts, environmental impact statements and project decision documents, which often requires an appreciation for the political or historical context in which the project is proposed.
“Having had a liberal arts background/training has helped immeasurably in being able to thoroughly review the documents,” he says.
“Personally, I find law to be fulfilling on two levels. First, the intellectual challenge caused by finding a solution or developing an innovative legal argument to various legal issues is very satisfying. Second, there is satisfaction in giving something back to my country.”
Related Posts
Edward Fruth, Class of 1912, elected to basketball coach Hall of Fame
E. D. (Edward Daniel) Fruth, Ripon College Class of 1912, has been elected to the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Fruth was at […]
Struggles early shaped Brad Balof ’00 into activist, advocate
“I came to Ripon knowing that I’m gay,” says Brad Balof ’00. “While many would think moving to a small town would be a step […]
A student leader at Ripon, Reynolds ’14 remains active in LGTBQ+ advocacy
Frankie Reynolds ’14, more commonly known as Rosette Reynolds during her time as a student at Ripon College, “came out” as a high school freshman […]
“I was terrified” — Van Leer ’78 describes being gay in the 1970s
The Rev. Lois Van Leer attended Ripon at a time when gay students had very few outlets to discuss their sexuality. She realized as a […]