In her state government positions, Weare advised on a variety of
legal and compliance issues, including issues related to economic
development, education, infrastructure, emergency response, civil
rights, natural resources, elections and Tribal relations. Below Weare
discusses her career path, formative years as an undergraduate student
and her impressive skills in the kitchen.
Why did you want to become an attorney? Did you ever have
another career path in mind? When I was a child, people regularly told me that I would be a
lawyer someday. I don’t think that this was always meant as a
compliment! In all honesty, I didn’t really understand what it meant
to be a lawyer, as I didn’t know any real-life lawyers.
During college, I became interested in international relations,
economic development, international organizations (yay, Model United
Nations!) and international trade. I had some incredible
opportunities, including interning at the U.S. Mission to the United
Nations, living with a host family in Tanzania, interning at the U.S.
Consulate in Lagos, Nigeria and with the Office of the U.S. Trade
Representative. I thought that my next step would be an advanced
degree in international affairs and that I might join the foreign service.
I spent the year after college in Mauritius, an island in the Indian
Ocean. While there, Mauritius hosted a U.N. conference for Small
Island Developing States, and I managed to convince the U.S. Embassy
to let me attend as part of the U.S. delegation. One of the members of
the delegation told me about the Office of the Legal Adviser at the
U.S. Department of State, an office full of lawyers who practice
public international law. I did some more research and concluded this
was my dream job. Because of one conversation on a faraway island, I
went to law school and eventually spent almost a decade working in
Washington, D.C., in that very office at the State Department.
What was it about this position at Grand Valley that intrigued
you the most? I have always been drawn to public service and sought career
opportunities where I could be part of something impactful and
meaningful. This position fits the bill perfectly. It is exciting to
join an institution that is preparing future leaders to contribute to
their communities, promoting regional economic development to secure
Michigan’s future, and innovating and strengthening relationships
across the state.
This particular role is a good fit for me because I learn something
new each day and get to help solve problems. There is no such thing as
a typical day in the Office of General Counsel, and that’s what I love
about it. Partners across campus come to me to work through all types
of issues and to problem-solve. It is incredibly satisfying to have
the opportunity to help so many diverse areas of the university
community achieve their goals and move their work forward. It’s never boring.
As a student at Alma College, you were a Fulbright Scholar and
a Truman Scholar. How did those experiences help shape you? I was tremendously fortunate to have an excellent mentor at Alma,
Dr. Sandy Hulme, who guided me through the process of applying and
interviewing for several nationally competitive scholarships. The
scholarship process improved my writing and presentation skills, but
more importantly, it taught me to think big and be intentional about
my future.
The first nationally competitive scholarship that I received was the
Truman Scholarship, which is awarded to college juniors who have an
interest in public service. The Truman Scholarship changed my life. It
introduced me to fellow scholars from all over the country who shared
my passion for public service, made me a more competitive applicant
for law school, made law school more affordable and taught me that I
could keep up with top students from the best schools in the country.
After I graduated from Alma, I spent the following summer in D.C.
with most of the Truman Scholars. A few months ago, a large group of
us met in D.C. to celebrate the 20th anniversary of that summer. I am
still very close to many of my Truman friends, and I am incredibly
grateful for the support I have received from the Truman Foundation
over the past two decades.
The Fulbright Scholarship was the reason I was living in Mauritius.
Spending time in another country — particularly when you head there
without knowing anyone — is such a formative experience. You are
constantly uncomfortable and sometimes lonely, but you learn a huge
amount about yourself and the world around you, make amazing friends
and learn to be resilient. I am so fortunate to have had that experience.
What's a hobby you enjoy? I love to cook and to eat! I have a minor obsession with
cookbooks; I love looking at the pictures and getting inspired to try
something new or put a spin on an old favorite. Recently, I have
cooked food inspired by Indian, Japanese and Chinese cuisine.
One of my cooking achievements is that I have learned to make some of
the food that would be served at a CHamoru fiesta in Guam, where my
husband grew up. It used to be a running joke with some of his
Guamanian friends that when they wanted CHamoru food, they would come
to the home of a woman from mid-Michigan who would cook it for them!
It was a delicious and beautiful way for us to celebrate their island
and culture.
My children, who are 8 and 3, are pretty adventurous eaters. That
said, I am confident that they would abandon even my finest culinary
masterpiece for a piece of pepperoni pizza.