Donald Polden, professor emeritus and former dean of Santa Clara University School of Law, was a mischievous and curious child growing up. Moving around often due to his father’s military position, Don and his four siblings lived in several places ranging from Kansas to Germany. In high school, he was the shortest basketball captain in the school’s history and held eclectic jobs like sheep shearing and car upholstery replacement. Before attending University of Indiana for law school and passing the bar, he graduated from George Washington University with a degree in economics. Don pursued an expansive career in law and academia, serving as dean of SCU Law from 2003 to 2013 and as dean emeritus from 2013 until his passing. Referred to as “the grandfather of leadership education for lawyers,” he was celebrated for far more than his legal achievements. He was the kind of person who would spend hours with his friends at lunch, and his wry sense of humor left a mark on all who knew him. Don is survived by his wife Susie and children Andy, Emma M.A. ’13, and Laura M.A. ’17. Don died on October 15, 2024.