For nearly four decades at Chico State, Teddy DeLorenzo (Political Science, ’78) cultivated confidence and real-life skills among her students while guiding them in meaningful service to their community.

From the moment she joined the Department of Political Science in 1982 as a professor, DeLorenzo became the driving force behind the Community Legal Information Clinic (CLIC), a student-run program within the department offering free legal information to anyone seeking it.

Started in 1970 by Professor Emeritus Edward Bronson, CLIC continues to provide underrepresented members of the community with access to legal information, while serving as a training ground for students aspiring to become attorneys. Each year, CLIC students serve more than 12,000 clients from the campus and community.

Under DeLorenzo’s supervision, CLIC expanded to include 12 individual law programs to assist clients, including housing, student legal services, and disability rights. As the program’s directing attorney, she oversaw operations and staff, including three supervising attorneys, 20 student directors, and approximately 95 interns each semester.

CLIC’s longevity is due largely to DeLorenzo’s foresight and management. Early on, she secured a sustainable funding source by establishing a partnership with Associated Students, which has endured for 30 years. CLIC’s success helped the University receive the President’s Higher Education Community Service Award, the highest federal recognition an institution can receive for its commitment to community service.

Her colleague and former student, political science and criminal justice associate professor Sally Anderson, says DeLorenzo led with a quiet humility that prioritized student learning and the long-term success of the program.

“She is the one behind CLIC’s success, implementing the policies and procedures required to be viable,” Anderson said. “She was the quiet, guiding force that never needed recognition but kept the program afloat.”

DeLorenzo’s commitment to her community expanded beyond Chico State; she was active in the Butte/Glenn Family Violence Prevention Council, the Chico Peace and Justice Centerand Legal Services of Northern California. She also taught legal studies at Cal Northern School of Law and served on its Board of Trustees.

She was accomplished academically; her co-authored article, “Civic Engagement in theCommunity; Undergraduate Clinical Legal Education,” was published in the Journal of Political Science Education and reprinted by the American Political Science Association in its book on civic engagement pedagogy.

Until her retirement in 2020, DeLorenzo maintained a distinguished teaching career, providing training and mentorship to multiple generations of students and future attorneys. She is beloved by students and the legal community alike. She received Chico State’s Outstanding Faculty Service Award in 2012.