Instilling others with a can-do attitude

Meet patent attorney and experienced Meliora Collective mentor Jeremy Kriegel ’92

Tell us about your time as a student (favorite classes, clubs, memories, etc.)

Among many great Rochester memories, my favorite classes include my first and last Mechanical Engineering courses, both with Professor John Labropoulos, which were a great way to bookend my time at the University. I shared my goal of becoming a patent attorney with Professor Labropoulous once early in my freshman year, and he never forgot, asking me at the end of my senior year “Are you still planning to be a patent attorney?”.

A few other favorite memories include: Dandelion Day ‘89 (despite it pouring rain most of the day); standing front-row-center on the Palestra floor for the Bangles concert; seeing MTV’s Remote Control Live and Gilbert Gottfried in Strong Auditorium; Rochester Men’s Hoops winning the NCAA D-III National Title my sophomore year; long study sessions in Carlson Library; the balsa wood bridge building challenge where my team’s bridge had the highest strength-to-weight ratio and the egg drop competition where my contraption laid an egg in the Wilson Commons Pit—which the Rochester Review was kind enough to memorialize; the late, great, Dean Paul Burgett—he put the “We” in “WeAreUR!”; the annual Boar’s Head Dinner; and Senior Week ‘92.

How did your experience at the University of Rochester influence your life?

Rochester instilled in me a can-do attitude. While some of my Rochester friendships continue to this day and others may have faded, I think back on the friendships made near the banks of the Genesee River often.

What inspired you to get involved and volunteer? Feel free to touch on the mentorship experience.

After hosting a Rochester student and alumni networking event at Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP, I was invited by Michelle Cavalcanti, senior associate director of alumni relations, career and professional affinity programs, to join The Meliora Collective Mentorship Program. My first mentee was a mechanical engineering major with an interest in patent law. I’ve had several mentees since, both in mechanical engineering and other majors, undergraduate and graduate students, and most recently an alumna from New York City considering going to law school. I’ve stayed in touch with most of those I’ve mentored after the programs, hopped on video calls for some spur-of-the-moment advice, and offered suggestions for resumes, job searches, and navigating the law school admissions process.

What’s the most rewarding part of staying connected with your alma mater?

My wife Michelle and I have a daughter (Kayla) and son (Asher) both currently enrolled at Syracuse University, and another son (Daniel) still in high school, so it is comforting to have frequent connections to western New York and academic life, and I’ve really enjoyed being a sounding board to current and past University of Rochester students.

What are you looking forward to next?

Meliora Weekend 2023, and seeing the Cubs win another World Series.

What advice do you have for others looking to get involved?

Join The Meliora Collective, sign up for a couple of groups that interest you, and send & accept invitations to connect. Also consider volunteering as a mentor for The Meliora Collective.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I also recommend signing up for announcements from Futurity, a great University of Rochester-based publication dedicated to topical research news from leading universities across the country and around the world.