Glendalee Scully, ‘72, known to her friends and students as Glee, a retired professor who taught at McGeorge School of Law for many years, passed away in her home in early July. The McGeorge community mourns her passing and honors her contributions to the school.  Her husband, Jed “Skip” Scully, also a McGeorge professor, passed away in 2019.

McGeorge Professor Warren Jones, the supervising attorney of the law school’s Bankruptcy Clinic, recounted Scully’s time at McGeorge with great affection. “It was my pleasure to work alongside Glee from when she first came to McGeorge through her retirement. Over those many years, she became a dear friend. She was always there for me, and I could always rely on her friendship and her sage advice and counsel. She helped me in so many ways. She and Skip were always inseparable, as I’m sure they are today,” said Jones.

Scully graduated from McGeorge in 1972, having been a top-performing student in the day program, and the University named her the outstanding student of her division. In an oral history interview conducted in 2013, Scully expressed surprise at the honor. At that time, her connection to the University had been so limited; her first visit to the Stockton campus was to receive the award.

After practicing law privately for a few years, Scully was approached to direct a clinical program at McGeorge that provided legal services to the low-income community in Sacramento. She initially hesitated but eventually accepted the offer and very quickly expanded the program's enrollment and caseload.

Her hiring process was informal, and she couldn't recall her exact title or whether she was part of a tenure track. Scully's early days at the law school involved preparing the law office by painting and securing a new rug with the help of students.

Scully fondly remembered the then-Dean, Gordon Schaber, as the most memorable person at McGeorge School of Law, emphasizing how he hired her and his unique approach to shaping the institution. She appreciated his capacity to anticipate future developments and his success in helping the institution become a close-knit family. Scully also spoke highly of her colleagues, including her supportive spouse, and she found Professors Fred Muskal and Peg Ciccolella particularly helpful and interested in her well-being.

During her time at Pacific, Glee had positive interactions with then-President William Atchley and Provost Phil Gilbertson, especially as she became better acquainted with them during her tenure on the Academic Council. She found the university faculty and staff and Regents to be superb, enjoying the camaraderie and support from these individuals. Scully was especially pleased with the pleasant and cooperative nature of the Stockton campus students she interacted with, particularly the student body presidents she met as a representative on the Academic Council.

Director of Legal Clinics and Professor Melissa Brown also had fond memories of Professor Scully, saying “Glee was always an inspiration, a friend since before I started law school. She and Skip were instrumental in making my transition from private practice to Community Legal Services. Although it was in the works before Skip died, she established an endowed scholarship for evening legal clinic students. Their generosity, and impact on our students and community, lives on.”

The Scully Social Justice Endowed Scholarship, matched by the Powell Fund, currently has an endowment balance of $147,000. Annual awards support working McGeorge students for whom receipt of the scholarship will allow them to participate in a legal clinic.

Overall, Scully's time at McGeorge School of Law reflected a deep appreciation for the positive connections she had with various members of the campus community, including colleagues, administrators, students, staff, and Regents. Her sense of warmth and gratitude for the enriching experiences and relationships she formed during her time at McGeorge will live on through the relationships she formed, and her presence will be missed.

For more information about McGeorge School of Law, visit our website.

Media Contacts:

• Ashley Golledge, Director of Marketing and Communications, agolledge@pacific.edu, 916.325.4687
• Victoria Ambriz, Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications, vambriz@pacific.edu, 916.325.4631
• Alex Banks, Communications Coordinator, abanks@pacific.edu, 916.520.7479