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Where Are They Now featuring Mike Kellerman '04
Current Position - Attorney Adviser with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Office of the General Counsel, located in Washington, D.C.
While at Calvert Hall, Mike was involved in:
-Student Council (Assistant to the Executive Board; homeroom representative)
-Water Polo (Varsity)
-Swimming (JV and Varsity)
-Peer Educator
-Regis Writing Tutor
-National Honor Society
-Calvert Conclave (speech and debate), freshman year
Work Experience: Mike is a member of a team made up of economists, engineers, energy analysts, and other lawyers that analyzes pleadings and review cases related to public utilities’ electric rates. His focus is on the Midwest/Western United States and issues related to renewable/non traditional energy sources. He also work on some of FERC’s rulemaking proceedings.
Prior to working for FERC, Mike worked in private practice with two large law firms in Washington, D.C. who primarily practiced federal energy regulatory law. Before entering private practice, he served as a law clerk with FERC’s administrative law judge corps, and immediately after law school, Mike worked as a law clerk for the Honorable H. Patrick Stringer, Jr. '70 on the Baltimore County Circuit Court. "It was an honor to learn from him in my first post-law school job."
After college, Mike served as an aide to U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski (Maryland) and worked with Alex Csicsek ’02. “I’m proof that Calvert Hall connections can be extremely valuable after high school graduation,” said Mike.
Education: Mike graduated from the University of Maryland College Park where he earned a B.A. in History and American Studies in 2008. In 2013, he graduated from the University of Maryland Carey School of Law with his J.D.
College Activities
University of Maryland, College Park
-Campus Tour Guides (co-president)
-Club Water Polo
-Study Abroad
University of Maryland Carey School of Law
-Moot Court Board
-Association of Legislative Law (co-president)
-Internships with the White House, U.S. Senator Benjamin Cardin (Maryland), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, United Nations Environment Programme
How did the McMullen Program prepare you for college and your career?"I found that the McMullen Program, and Calvert Hall, challenged me in a way that prepped me for post-high school academics and my career. I found many of my first year, introductory courses in college to be less challenging than the honors and AP courses I took at Calvert Hall. I give full credit to the McMullen Program, and Calvert Hall, for the academic preparation during high school that helped me succeed in college. In addition, having scored well enough on AP courses in high school gave me the flexibility to skip certain introductory courses and dive into my majors sooner than I otherwise would have been able to."
Capstone Project: "My Senior Seminar Project was titled 'Stereotypes and the Mafia,' with my thesis concerning how cultural stereotypes surrounding Italian Americans and the Mafia moved from being localized in urban areas to their expansion into American suburbia, analyzing the media’s role in this change in views. I dove into the history of the Mafia and relevant stereotypes stretching back to the 13th century, reviewing the impact of U.S. Congressional hearings related the Mafia beginning in the 1950s, and ultimately, the modern media’s portrayal of the Mafia in America. I was able to hone historical research skills while taking into account pop culture surrounding the Mafia—an experience that proved helpful when working on a college-level, semester long project on the Beatles at the University of Maryland. It was an invaluable experience, especially because I worked on three “capstone” projects after high school—one for my History major, one for my American Studies major, and one for law school. From a time management perspective, I knew I’d be able to dedicate time to these projects."
The best thing about being in the McMullen Program: "Being able to take courses outside of the typical high school curriculum, in my experience, is the best part of the McMullen Program. In addition to my Senior Seminar course senior year, I have fond memories of my sophomore year Humanities course with Dr. Moore and my junior year Formation of Conscience class with Ms. Jones. Both teachers strove to have us think critically and question our preconceptions—both in art and in spirituality. I count myself fortunate to have been able to take those courses while at Calvert Hall."
The best thing about being in the McMullen Program: "Being able to take courses outside of the typical high school curriculum, in my experience, is the best part of the McMullen Program. In addition to my Senior Seminar course senior year, I have fond memories of my sophomore year Humanities course with Dr. Moore and my junior year Formation of Conscience class with Ms. Jones. Both teachers strove to have us think critically and question our preconceptions—both in art and in spirituality. I count myself fortunate to have been able to take those courses while at Calvert Hall."
Favorite memory from the McMullen field trips- We did go on a few field trips, including the National Gallery and International Spy Museum (both in Washington, D.C.). The most emotionally moving field trip in my recollection was our visit to the Holocaust Museum. Seeing a room full of shoes worn by concentration camp internees helped me and my fellow McMullen Scholars better understand the Holocaust’s impact in a way one can’t gather from a book.
Advice for the current students in the McMullen Program- "Dr. Moore, the director of the McMullen Program during three of my years at Calvert Hall, advised me once (and I’m paraphrasing) about the importance of taking advantage of opportunities. As a planner, it can be challenging for me to diverge from a set plan—be it academically, professionally, etc. But in being open to pivot, I’ve been able to take advantage of opportunities I may not have been seeking out. For example, I “fell” into practicing energy law. I graduated from college convinced I’d pursue a PhD. In American colonial history. But a stint on Capitol Hill led me to pursuing law school, where I focused on learning as much about environmental law as I could. This ultimately led me to energy law, where I now deal with challenging legal and policy questions on a daily basis. Don’t be afraid to diverge from your plan if opportunities present themselves."
