Syracuse native and first-year law student Luke Overdyk ’22 (FALK), L’26, has had an appreciation for the environment for as long as he can remember. He attributes that to his parents taking him and his three brothers on hikes, enjoying nature documentaries on family movie nights and instilling an appreciation of the beauty of Central New York.
He first started considering a career related to the environment while earning a bachelor’s degree in sports management at the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics at Syracuse University with a minor in environment policy and communications from nearby State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF).
“Although I was interested in sports, I found myself more excited about my environmental classes,” he says. Overdyk met Payton Sorci L’22, who was studying at Syracuse University College of Law at the time. Both had common interests in sports and giving back to the community, and soon Sorci became a friend and mentor who further encouraged Overdyk to study law as a way to combine his interests.
Overdyk took a sports law class at Falk and later merged his interests in the environment for his senior Capstone, working at Syracuse University’s Sustainability Office as an intern for the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Sports Sustainability Team. There, he worked with other ACC schools to learn how they developed processes to reduce emissions and limit waste for their athletic programs.
Ultimately, he decided he wanted to go to law school, but not just any law school—Syracuse University College of Law. It was the only place he applied to, and he is proud to be the third generation of his family to attend.
”I wanted to be like my mom, and a law degree resonated with me,” he says. “And, of course, my dad, who is an engineer, has also been tremendously supportive of my career decisions.” (Overdyk’s mom, Joanie Mahoney ’87 (WSM), L’90, is president of SUNY ESF and a former Onondaga County executive. His late grandfather, Bernard Mahoney L’69, was a Syracuse Common Councilor and member of the New York State Assembly.)
“My mom taught me to have the confidence to just ‘go for’ things…She credits Syracuse Law with teaching her to problem solve throughout her career, and I know that wherever I end up, law school will have taught me relevant skills.”
Luke Overdyk ’22 (FALK), L’26
“My mom taught me to have the confidence to just ‘go for’ things. And, she has taken a lot of the heaviness out of the parts of law school that can be daunting, starting with taking the LSATs,” Overdyk says. “She credits Syracuse Law with teaching her to problem solve throughout her career, and I know that wherever I end up, law school will have taught me relevant skills.”
On Overdyk’s first day of law school orientation, he sat next to Austin Dewey L’26. “We talked about how we both loved pick-up basketball and were interested in environmental law, and we quickly decided to create a club for other law students who cared about the planet,” he explains. “While we were a bit overwhelmed during our first semester as 1Ls, we hit the ground running the second semester, and the Environmental Law Student Association (ELSA) recently had its first meeting. We are fortunate to have Professor David Dreisen as the club’s faculty advisor, as he is a distinguished environmental law expert.
“Our region’s challenges actually create very positive opportunities for change, which is so important as they pertain to the environment, economic interests and the people who live here.”
Luke Overdyk ’22 (FALK), L’26
Both Overdyk and Dewey want it to be “the coolest club on campus,” and an inclusive organization that can closely examine issues through discussions with government leaders, scientists and others who can speak on the many ways our society interacts with our natural environment, particularly within the Syracuse community. Overdyk is well aware that his hometown of Syracuse has some unique environmental challenges, including a history of pollution in nearby Onondaga Lake, ongoing lead abatement problems in the community and issues surrounding the environmental impact of the reconstruction of Route 81, which intersects the city.
“Our region’s challenges actually create very positive opportunities for change, which is so important as they pertain to the environment, economic interests and the people who live here,” he explains.
As his first year of law school draws to a close, Overdyk is confident in his decisions to pursue the law and co-found a new club on campus. This summer, he will work at the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, while also training for the New York City Marathon in November to raise money for the World Wildlife Fund.
“Syracuse University has an important role to play in the greater community, and I try to be a positive advocate for that. I have made so many great friends in law school, and I like introducing them to all that our city has to offer, as well as the natural beauty around us. I’m hoping they’ll see it the same way I do,” he says. “In the meantime, I’m going to pursue my interests and take advantage of all that the law school has to offer, while taking the next two years to figure out where my career path might lead. I’ve been lucky to grow up in Syracuse— and grateful to attend Syracuse University and Syracuse Law.”
