Big Dreams

Tito Valdes, Esq., ’14 dreamt of being a lawyer from the time he was eight years old, and Lebanon Valley College helped him to make that dream a reality.

Currently employed by Buzgon Davis Law Offices in Lebanon, which is led by Bernerd Buzgon, Esq., a fellow LVC graduate, Valdes’ job requires him to fill many roles.

“I am involved with all stages of client representation, from the intake process to in-court representation,” Valdes said. “The job requires you to wear many hats: professional pessimist to identify what the client’s problems are likely to be, counselor to clients going through very difficult, life-changing situations, and zealous advocate for their best interests.”

Valdes chose to attend LVC after being involved with the Lebanon Valley Educational Partnership (LVEP) beginning with his time at Lebanon Middle School. He later became president of LVEP during his time at The Valley, and held leadership roles in Student Government, residential life, and on the College’s Board of Trustees. 

“Lebanon Valley College is where I discovered my spirit for advocacy,” Valdes said. “As a student leader at LVC, I had the opportunity to sit in rooms with administrators and challenge the status quo.”

Along with these leadership opportunities, experiences outside of the classroom also impacted Valdes. He received a prestigious Pennsylvania House of Representatives Legislative Fellowship and worked in the Minority Whip’s office. The fellowship afforded him the opportunity to observe the house in session, attend party caucus meetings, and be involved in policy research and constituent outreach. 

“I have always had an interest in government, hence my major, but regularly engaging with lawyers who utilized their legal education to further policies from the Commonwealth had a huge impact on me,” Valdes said.

A product of the LVC political science pre-law program, Valdes credits Dr. Diane Johnson and Dr. Phillip Benesch with helping to become the best version of himself. 

“They believed in me when I did not believe in myself and pushed me to think critically about everything,” Valdes said. 

Valdes suggests that students interested in law school should utilize the College’s writing intensive courses to prepare for the difficulties of legal writing. He also suggests taking as many of Dr. Benesch’s courses as possible, as they were incredibly helpful in law school.