GREENVILLE, Pa. - May 11, 2020 - Magisterial District Judge Mary Odem, J.D., of Farrell, Pa., is among the new faces on the Thiel College Board of Trustees.
Thiel College (https://www.thiel.edu/) is a leading independent institution in northwest Pennsylvania.
Odem is the first black woman in Mercer County to be elected a magisterial district judge. Her district includes Farrell, Hermitage, West Middlesex, Wheatland, and Shenango Township.
Odem is a 1999 graduate of Sharon High School in Sharon, Pa. She earned a Bachelor's degree in political science from Pennsylvania State University and her law degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 2006.
Before being elected to the bench, Odem served as an assistant district attorney from 2008–2018. She was elected in November 2017. District judges commonly handle arraignments—the first court appearances defendants make after they have been arrested—set bail amounts and conditions, preside over preliminary hearings in criminal cases and handle small civil claims.
Her Board of Trustees membership adds to her extensive philanthropy work. Odem has served the Board of Trustees at Sharon Regional Health System, Christian H. Buhl Legacy Trust, Buhl Regional Health Foundation, George Junior Republic, Community Missionary Baptist Church, and is a member of the Pennsylvania and Mercer County Bar Associations. She also has assisted in coaching the Sharon Lady Tigers basketball team and is a proud mother.
About Thiel College
Thiel College (https://www.thiel.edu/) is a private liberal arts institution founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 24 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2016 and remains committed to combining tradition with innovation.
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