<p>Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell lauded Widener Law and Dean Linda L. Ammons for the school&rsquo;s commitment to promoting diversity and the leadership role the school demonstrated by hosting the second-annual Dean&rsquo;s Leadership Forum on Diversity.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s extraordinarily impressive,&rdquo; Rendell said, looking out at a forum audience of nearly 200 people, &ldquo;and I congratulate you.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Rendell was one of a host of political, legal, business and educational leaders to speak at the event, held Monday, March 17 on the Harrisburg campus. Ammons founded the diversity forum in 2007 with a daylong examination of diversity in higher education. This year&rsquo;s event focused on state government. Other speakers included Pennsylvania Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland, chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus; former Philadelphia Mayor John Street; former Washington, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams; and Pennsylvania Treasurer Robin L. Wiessmann.</p>
<p>Ammons introduced Rendell as the first speaker of the day. The governor talked about the importance of state government supporting minority- and women-owned businesses, his appointment of the Commonwealth&rsquo;s first chief diversity officer &ndash; who also spoke at the forum &ndash; and his belief that Pennsylvania is fighting an important battle over the viability of the economy.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We need to take advantage of all the gene pool,&rdquo; Rendell said. &ldquo;We can&rsquo;t let one genius, one entrepeneur, one Bill Gates, be left behind because they didn&rsquo;t get the opportunity to come in and grow their idea.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Ammons told the crowd that Widener Law takes great pride in being civically engaged, and the school would continue to be a community leader on the important issue of diversity. Ammons took over the deanship at Widener in July 2006. She is one of only three African-American women currently serving as dean of a U.S. law school.</p>
<p>Widener is grateful to event sponsors Dilworth Paxon; the Hershey Entertainment &amp; Resorts Co.; and McNees, Wallace &amp; Nurick; for their generosity.</p>