Athornia Steele

In August 2008, Professor Athornia Steele, ’74, L’77, became dean of Shepard Broad Law Center of Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 

Steele began his affiliation with Capital in 1970 as a student. He earned his BA and JD at Capital, and then joined the faculty at the Law School in 1980 teaching Business Associations and Decedents Estates. He later taught Corporate Finance, Securities Regulations and the Law of Higher Education. In addition to his professorship, he served as Director of Student Activities, Director of Academic Support, Interim Associate Dean, Associate Dean and Interim Dean.

Before joining the law faculty, Steele was an Assistant Attorney General of the State of Ohio. From 1984 to 1986, he was a visiting professor at Washington & Lee Law School.

Steele has been extensively involved in the work of his church serving on boards, committees and task forces of the former American Lutheran Church and the current Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA). His most recent involvement included a six-year term on the Churchwide Council of the ELCA and a member of its executive committee, membership on the Advisory Committees on Corporate Social Responsibility and the Office of Personnel and Ecumenical Affairs. He also has served on the board of trustees of the Lutheran Academy (Faith and Life Forum) and the Trinity Lutheran Seminary, where he was a member of the Academic Affairs Committee. He also serves on the Board for the ELCA Foundation.

Steele has been very active in the legal education community, particularly with respect to student issues. He directed the 1991 CLEO Summer Institute for Region IV and the Academic Success Program at Capital. For his dedication and leadership, Capital named its Academic Success Protocol in his honor – the Athornia Steele Academic Success Protocol.

Steele is also actively involved with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) and has served on its Academic Support Workshop, Test Development and Research Committee, Minority Affairs, Finance, and Legal Affairs committees. He has served on the executive committee of the Association of American Law School's Section on Academic Support, as well as the ABA’s Section on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar Committee on Law School Administration.