Brigadier General Christopher Kennebeck Delivers Gunderson Lecture at USD Knudson School of Law
This fall, Brigadier General Christopher A. Kennebeck, a distinguished alumnus of the University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law, returned to Vermillion to deliver the annual Gunderson Lecture.
Kennebeck enlisted with the Army in 1985, where he served as an armor crewman in the 9th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, and the 8th Infantry Division in Mannheim, Germany, before being honorably discharged in 1991. Following his military service, he achieved notable academic achievements including a Master of Law in military law from The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School and graduated from the U.S. Army War College.
With long careers in the military, law and higher education, Kennebeck’s experience filled his interactive lecture with a dynamic exchange of ideas and valuable advice for students.
“First, be open to trying new things. For law students and attorneys, that can mean working at different firms, prosecuting or defending criminal cases or clerking for a judge. Second, find your passion and purpose. For example, my purpose has always been tied to service,” he said.
He also recommended students explore the Reserve Officer Training Crops Program (ROTC) at USD, which he said was instrumental in his career. Likewise, he introduced a potential career path for students, highlighting the Department of Defense’s (DOD) efforts to improve the investigation and prosecution of felony offenses through the newly established Office of Special Trial Counsel.
After the lecture, Kennebeck expressed his gratitude for USD, stating, “I’m motivated by my desire to say, ‘Thank You,’ to the school that laid the pathway for any success I have enjoyed. I loved my time in Vermillion, and I was thrilled to be invited to give the Gunderson lecture.”
Reflecting on his 30 years of service, BG Kennebeck expressed his deep appreciation for the foundation USD provided.
"I have loved every minute of my 30 years of service, and I am grateful that the University of South Dakota serves as the foundation for that service."A Prestigious Tradition: The History of the Gunderson Lecture Series
The Gunderson Lecture, named in honor of Clark Y. Gunderson, is the law school’s pre-eminent annual lecture. After receiving his B.A. from the University in 1931, Gunderson earned his LL.B. from the University of South Dakota School of Law, summa cum laude, in 1932. After completing postgraduate work at Northwestern and Yale Universities, he accepted a professorship with the Law School in 1934.
Professor Gunderson left the Law School, temporarily, in 1941 for military duty and was instrumental in establishing the Judge Advocate General’s School at National University, Washington, D.C. He was a Colonel upon his discharge from the Army and was awarded the Bronze Star and Commendation Ribbon during his period of service. In 1946 Professor Gunderson returned to the Law School and taught there until his death in 1964. The lectureship is supported by a trust fund in the University of South Dakota Foundation, established principally by his family.
BG Kennebeck's visit and lecture honored this legacy and inspired the next generation of legal professionals at USD.
