W
hen the topic is Texas Wesleyan, the eyes of Darrell Adkerson ’80 and Perry Cockerell ’78 bloom, much like, coincidentally, the liberated buds of spring in 1978. A harsh winter of snow and ice kept Cowtown under the covers for more than its fair share of December, January and February. Come April, though, the temperature rose to unseasonal heights around these parts because of an episode hereafter known as the Rhubarb on Rosedale (with rhubarb meaning “heated dispute”).
Truly, A Legal Upbringing
Affinity Groups Expand Horizons
Adkerson, then a sophomore political science By John student, was running for chief justice of the Student Government Association. Cockerell, then a chemistry senior and outgoing student body president, was running his new friend’s campaign. Adkerson appeared to be the winner after a 29-vote victory. However, his opponent filed a protest alleging improprieties by an election booth supervisor. An adjunct election committee overturned the election. “I was shocked,” said Adkerson, now an attorney and director of Adkerson Hauder & Bezney in Dallas. “They just had a vote. I didn’t get to say a word, and they overturned the election without hearing any evidence from me whatsoever.” Cockerell advised his friend to appeal to the College Appeals Board. “I said, ‘Let’s do it. At least we’ll get a fair hearing,’” Adkerson said. Rest assured, Adkerson’s and Cockerell’s next campaign at Texas Wesleyan won’t create quite the fuss.
TEAMING UP AGAIN TO SPEARHEAD A NEW VISION
The two college politicos are teaming up again, bringing more than 30 years of networks and know-how to help University President Frederick G. Slabach marshal through his vision of affinity groups for alumni interested in various professions and professional graduate programs. Though Slabach’s vision will be new to Wesleyan, colleges and universities around the country have used the networking tool to great success in engaging alumni, who are able to remain engaged in the life of the university while mentoring students through a variety of programs. Slabach said the idea was the brainchild of brainstorming groups with faculty, staff, students and alumni in the early months of his administration in January and February. One common theme that emerged “loud and clear,” Slabach said, was Wesleyan’s established reputation for providing the type of undergraduate education that students need to go on to graduateprofessional schools. “We really want to make that a focus,” Slabach said. “Texas Wesleyan is a place where motivated students can come to prepare for professional careers and graduate professional schools. “We started thinking, ‘Well, what resources do we need to make sure we continue to excel in that area? One of our natural resources that we have is our alumni.’” The goal is to eventually create multiple affinity groups, including law, medicine, ministry, entrepreneurs, fine arts and others.
A HISTORY OF LEADERSHIP
The two are well qualified as professionals and share a lifelong love affair with Texas Wesleyan, where the Fort Worth natives lived the spirit of John F. Kennedy’s words: Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other. “Wesleyan provided a place where I could have that opportunity to try to be a leader and actually become one,” Adkerson said. Both were very active here. In addition to their activities in student government, Adkerson was a resident assistant in his dormitory, a lifeguard at the pool, and a member of Henry the Wesleyan Singers. Cockerell was on The Rambler newspaper staff and both were active in Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, where Adkerson followed Cockerell after the disputed election. “Wesleyan provided a place where I could become more involved in different facets of receiving a well-balanced education through not only academic study and organizations, but also through service organizations and business organizations and fraternity atmosphere and student government,” Adkerson said. “I was into everything. I couldn’t have done that at a bigger school.” Adkerson’s path to Texas Wesleyan was through Eastern Hills High School, where he graduated in 1976. Texas Wesleyan is a family tradition for Cockerell. His four brothers and sisters all journeyed from across town at Paschal to attend Wesleyan. The Cockerells’ father, too, was a Ram. And their mother worked as a nurse at the University. One of Perry Cockerell’s three sons is pursuing a graduate degree at Wesleyan. Both Adkerson and Cockerell attended Texas Tech law school. They even roomed together for a year. “They’re great alumni,” Slabach said. “They’ve been involved in many, many ways over the years. “So, when we were thinking about trying to formally organize these types of affinity groups we immediately thought of them as people who were already engaged and able to help us reach out and organize others.”
Adkerson and Cockerell, an attorney with Cantey Hanger in Dallas who specializes in commercial litigation, real estate and bankruptcy appellate work, are spearheading the effort and will continue leading the law group.
NOW, THE SHARING OF EXPERIENCE BEGINS
As mentors for law school and pre-law students, both will bring a treasure trove of professional experiences. Before opening his firm in 1995, Adkerson gained court experience as a prosecutor in the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office. There are a lot of cases that “stick out in your mind,” Cockerell said. But one . . . “I had just joined the firm [as a young lawyer] and was given a case that didn’t look like a very good case at all. A real loser. “And it wasn’t a significant case in terms of how much was at stake, but it turned out to be an important case. It went all the way to the Texas Supreme Court.” Cockerell argued that case before the Texas Supreme Court and won. As an adjunct professor at Wesleyan’s law school, Cockerell taught that case to students. The two will also no doubt relate how they became friends in the spring of 1978. They won that appeal, too, by the way. Adkerson won his seat as chief justice. “The relationship with your undergraduate college never ends,” Cockerell said. “That’s the way it should be. This is a way to continue that effort. “I think people need to know that.” The Law Affinity Group will launch Nov. 10 at The City Club in Dallas. For more information, contact Gina Phillips at 817-531-4220, or gphillips@txwes.edu.
If you are a lawyer, contact the alumni office at 817-531-4404 to keep updated on this affinity group.
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