Oakland Mediation Center (OMC) conducted a graduation ceremony for its fourteenth class of mediators from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School on Wednesday, April 27, at the Auburn Hills Campus. Taking part in the graduation ceremony were (front row, l-r) OMC Education Manager Kenzi Bisbing, Lisa Orr, Stephanie Smith, Amanda Miller, Andrianna Fiddler, and OMC Mediation Manager Charity Burke; (second row) Deirdre Armstrong, Wanda Roberts, and Lyndsey L. Hof; (third row) Terry Priest, Michelle Reeves, David Numan, and Syed Fatmi; (back row) Jamil Mourad, Torrey Johnson, and Peter Mancini. Speaking at the event were Doug Van Epps, director, Office of Dispute Resolution; and Charity Burke, OMC mediation manager. The class of 14 law students participated in this program as a result of a partnership between OMC and WMU Cooley. This partnership provides law students with the opportunity to expand their professional skill set with the guidance of mediation experts. “The program prepares WMU Cooley students for the real-world of mediation by providing experiential training and practical experience while developing highly-trained mediators,” said OMC Executive Director Bonnie Hanes.
Photo by John Meiu
