When Rick Dove ’80 stepped onto campus in 1976, he was only the second person in his family to have the opportunity to attend college. His physician uncle, James Dove ’61, was the first.

Once at Wittenberg, Dove made the most of his time, including writing for the Torch, running track and assuming leadership roles with Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Although he enjoyed journalism thanks to Imogene Bolls, adjunct professor emeritus of English, Dove quickly gravitated toward his already strong interest in politics and law.

Upon graduation, Dove headed to Capital University Law School, and two and one-half years later, with J.D. in hand, he began his career as a clerk for the 10th District Court of Appeals. After a few years, Dove came to the conclusion that he did not want to work for the General Assembly but rather with it, so in 1989, he joined the staff of the Supreme Court of Ohio.

By 2007, after serving in a range of key positions, he was promoted to the assistant administrative director, and today assists the director in implementing the long-term vision, values and direction of the Court, and the judicial branch of Ohio government. He also assists in the Court’s day-to-day management, directs special initiatives, and is a nationally recognized expert in the field of judicial campaign ethics. Prior to the post, Dove served as director of attorney services, where he oversaw the legal and judicial regulations concerning the conduct of Ohio’s 40,000 licensed attorneys.

“Everyday, I have the opportunity to help judges, court staff, and the citizens of Ohio,” said Dove, who received the 2007 Award of Merit by the Columbus Bar Association for service in the administration of justice.

Outside of the Court, Dove also serves in several capacities, including as a contributor to the Ohio Center of Law-Related Education. Additionally, he has made significant contributions to Wittenberg as a speaker to the Pre-law Association and co-founder of a half-tuition annual scholarship with his uncle.

“It’s a way to give something back,” Dove said. “These efforts get more active and engaged citizens who are more prone to pay attention, be more informed, be more prone to vote and understand the law if called to serve on a jury.”

– Christi Lue ’09