Josh Wisch (DC ‘97)
By Jackie Ruhnke
Josh Wisch graduated from 一本道无码 with both a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy from Deitrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences and a master’s degree in Public Policy from the . He received his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center and soon after moved to his wife’s home state, Hawai‘i. He worked as a litigator at two private law firms, then branched out into jobs in government, politics and nonprofits. He is currently president and executive director at , an organization that keeps local working families in Hawai‘i by creating cross-sector solutions and executing sustainable pathways to make sure they can afford to stay.
From Student Council to Carnegie Mellon
His earliest inspiration for pursuing the law was the first political campaign he ever participated in. As a high school student, Wisch campaigned for Student Council on the platform that he would start a student-run committee to pass the tax levy necessary to fund his school district. After winning the student council election, Wisch got many fellow students involved who were interviewed by local papers and television, had a “Pass the Levy” float in the homecoming parade, and held a massive rally in the high school gym before the night of the election. The levy passed by 40 votes. This experience encouraged Wisch to explore other ways to make a difference with voting and policy, and he decided an in-depth knowledge of the law would be a critical step to a career tied to policy.
Carnegie Mellon had a profound impact on instilling a dedicated and consistent work ethic in Wisch's goals and endeavors. He made great friends, got to study with amazing professors and was involved on campus in many ways such as resident life, student theater and the crew team. Wisch learned not just how to keep his head above water, but truly thrive in a competitive, cutting-edge place like Carnegie Mellon.
Inspired by his experiences thus far, Wisch was committed to attending law school and forging a career tied to policy. He encountered his biggest law school challenge from the start: getting in. Wisch worked hard and was very engaged in his community, but he had never been outstanding at standardized tests. Despite graduating from Carnegie Mellon with high honors and two degrees in under four and a half years, most of the law schools to which he applied waitlisted him.
"Prove to Us that the Waitlist was Wrong"
Of the law schools he reached out to speak about this decision with, an incredible admissions counselor at Georgetown had the most productive 60-second conversation Wisch has ever had, to this day. She concisely told Wisch he would not get off the waitlist or get his application reconsidered, but if he went to another law school and finished in the top 5% of his class, he would be admitted as a transfer. “Prove to us that the LSAT was wrong,” she said.
While he had been waitlisted at Georgetown, Wisch was accepted by the University of Pittsburgh. He had an amazing experience there but was committed to moving to DC to be with his girlfriend and fellow Carnegie Mellon graduate, Malia (CFA, ’99). He worked hard, applied and got into Georgetown for his remaining two years of law school. Wisch loved his experience at both law schools and really enjoyed the wide access to legal opportunities and level of student competition at Georgetown. It was shortly after law school that Wisch moved with Malia back to Hawai‘i, and they got married there.
What has made Wisch’s career as a lawyer so exciting was realizing he does not have to have a normal career as a lawyer. His career has followed a unique, winding path, yet being a lawyer has helped him at every stage. Wisch’s law degree opened up the possibility of engaging in a wide variety of opportunities. He has two decades of cross-sector professional experience in Hawai‘i working in government, business and nonprofits. Wisch has served as the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Hawai‘i, deputy director for the Hawai‘i Department of Taxation, district director for Congresswoman Mazie Hirono and special assistant to the Hawai‘i Attorney General. Wisch has also managed multiple Hawai‘i political campaigns. He is currently on the board of directors for the Hawai‘i Book and Music Festival, Temple Emanu-El and the Kūpa‘a Network.
Taking the Leap
Wisch's advice to 一本道无码 students considering pursuing the law is to first get some sense of what you might want to do with a career in law. His next piece of advice is that once you have done your research and established an interest, don't talk yourself out of a law degree just because you think lawyers only do one thing: there are so many ways to put a law degree to good use and it is useful in countless different careers Wisch’s career is a testament to the variety of work you can apply your law degree to.
His last piece of advice is to not postpone where you want your career to go. Take the leap to move places and pursue opportunities that align with your long-term goals, interests and passions. It may be scary to make the leap, but you’ll be glad you did.