ALBANY LAW SCHOOL — Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack ’75 shared words of encouragement as he returned to Albany Law School, albeit virtually, to speak at the launch event for his alma mater’s newest Online Graduate Program in Government Affairs and Advocacy on Thursday, Feb. 10. “This new effort embarks on providing a preparation for participation in public service and advocacy. What I am confident in is that you will be well prepared to go into government in a variety of capacities and be able to make a difference from the onset,” he said. “It’s just incredibly important.” Speaking from his home office in Iowa, Vilsack also shared how his Albany Law School education has impacted his storied public service career which includes two terms as Governor of Iowa and two stints as the leader of the USDA. “None of what [Dean Alicia Ouellette] outlined in her kind introduction would have been possible without Albany Law School—make no mistake about that—everything I did was founded on the great education I got and the opportunity that Albany Law School gave me to practice law.”