Culver values guide Nemani's life, work

Why I give to Culver

October 29, 2020

Priti Nemani ’05 is the founder of Nemani Law in Glenview, Illinois. The firm offers legal services in the areas of commercial real estate, residential closings, business law, estate planning and asset protection, and tax law.

Nemani was named the 2018 Alumna of the Year award from the Northern Illinois University College of Law, and Nemani Law was honored as the 2018 Firm of the Year by the South Asian Bar Association of Chicago. She has also recently been named a 2020 Rising Star by Super Lawyers of Illinois.

She credits much of her success to Culver Academies. Here are her reasons for giving back to Culver.

Why do you give to and/or volunteer for Culver?

I give back to Culver because Culver gave me so much. When I scrutinize the ingredients underlying any of my accomplishments, the values impressed by Culver ­– honesty, discipline, and autonomy - tend to be a strong part of the mix. My best friends and closest mentors are from Culver, and some of the best moments of my life happened because of my time at Culver. Culver is a part of who I am.

What motivates you to stay engaged with Culver?

I participated in the 2018 Culver Connections weekend. The students that I met were not only respectful and intelligent, but they were innovative and opinionated. I loved engaging with the diversity of the students now attending Culver, and in a brief visit, I learned from those students. That is reason enough to keep Culver close to my heart.

Was there someone who influenced or made an impact on you while you were at Culver?

Catherine and Richard Battersby were extraordinarily influential for me as mentors while I attended Culver. They reminded me to stand for my beliefs and not to compromise in the face of adversity. They also taught me the beauty of naps and self-care, which are hard concepts for any Culver student to remember. They were like second parents to me, and I’m grateful to have had their counsel and mentorship during and after my Culver years.

What would you say are some of your strongest beliefs about Culver?

The Culver Honor Code stays with you. Those principles that guided my actions for those four brief years at Culver navigate my actions daily, which can be more often than not in the legal profession. Culver’s commitment to routine and discipline have also helped me through the various chapters of my career, including law school and the bar exam, and as I embark on a second graduate degree, my now instinctual work ethic, developed during CQ at Culver, comes alive when I study.

I try to live the notion that service must be at the heart of leadership, which is a value informed by my time at Culver. To me, being my best self, professionally and personally, means contributing to my community, and as some would say, “walking the walk.” I am proud of the way that I lead others within my firm and my legal community, and I feel that my readiness and initiative to lead through service comes from my time at Culver.

What would you tell someone who is thinking about giving or volunteering?

I understand that giving financially is not feasible for everyone, but don’t underestimate the value of volunteering! Volunteering your time by helping out with your class newsletter or other Culver events is free yet immensely valuable. To those considering volunteer work, I encourage you to volunteer the way you work – meaning, volunteer wholeheartedly with follow through, clear communications, respect, and passion.

What is one thing you wish people knew about Culver?

Culver’s beauty rests with its students. Look past the campus and the pretty viewbooks and see how the students are smiling when they are together. Look at the halls of any dormitory and note the way the Culver kids inspire one another. Their connection is contagious, special, and entirely rare. While I’ve made valuable friends since my Culver days, it is my Culver family that lifts me when I’m down, that turns my tears into laughter, makes me realize how my dreams can become reality. Culver is beautiful, not because of the crystal lake, the magnificent facilities, or the world class academics. Culver is beautiful because of the students and their bond.