Henry “Hank” Carkhuff ’18 came to Ferrum College because he was recruited to play on the men’s lacrosse team and now applies the lessons he learned on and off the field in advising his clients.
As a freshman, Carkhuff was not sure what he was going to major in, but he leaned into a subject he was always good at in high school – political science. It was not until his junior year at Ferrum that he committed to the idea of becoming a lawyer. Today, Carkhuff is an insurance defense attorney and has a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in finance from Elon University.
Previously, Carkhuff worked as a real estate attorney and shared why he decided to go into real estate law. “I never really wanted to get into the courtroom. I didn’t want to be a litigator. I’ve always liked the transactional side of law. Having an MBA, I also wanted to utilize it. I find business very fascinating and real estate law is one big puzzle you’re trying to solve. Real estate law is something new; I didn’t have any prior experience from internships I’ve done. It’s fun for me,” said Carkhuff.
Carkhuff first heard about Ferrum back in 2013 through an assistant coach from the lacrosse team. He liked the College because of the smaller class sizes and that he would be able to know his professors. He also liked the people and that Ferrum felt like a community.
During his time on the men’s lacrosse team, Carkhuff won two conference championships in 2015 and 2016. He also stayed involved with his fraternity, Delta Chi, where he served as the secretary and as the scholarship chair. Carkhuff also volunteered with the Panther Packs program and participated in various canned food drives.
Carkhuff’s professors had a huge impact on him. “Dr. Vie told me to never lose sight of my goals. If you really want it, you’re going to make it happen. Dr. Halley reminded me to take a break, have freedom, and not to overwork myself. Dr. Daniels was a great man, and a great motivator. He was one of my favorite professors that I had class with. He was always very caring and genuine,” shared Carkhuff.
Edmond Halley, program coordinator of political science, remembers Carkhuff as a very engaged student. “He participated often in class and really enjoyed exploring multiple sides of an issue during class discussion, which is a valuable skill for a lawyer to have. Students like Hank likely would have thrived no matter what they majored in or which professors they associated with.”
Carkhuff shared advice for students who might be interested in becoming a lawyer. “Never be afraid to take an opportunity that is new – treat it as an investment. Everything that you do the minute you step on campus is an investment to your future, and an investment to yourself.”
He also offered advice to current and prospective student athletes. “When you come to Ferrum, it’s a commitment, not only to your teammates and coaches, but also to the professors that you’re going to show up, and do what you need to do. It’s a commitment to staff members that you’re always going to treat them with respect,” concluded Carkhuff.
