Balance: The Blueprint for a Functional Life
Having graduated in 1976, Karen R. Scheiner is celebrating her 49th Reunion from Beaver College this upcoming April. As an alumna, she has stayed active in the community. In the 90’s, Karen was Vice President, and then President, of the Arcadia University Alumni Association. Furthermore, she continued to serve her Alma Mater as a (former) University Trustee.
The New Jersey native practiced as a private attorney specializing in Divorce and Family Law, for 30 years. She is Certified by the Supreme Court of NJ as a Matrimonial Law Attorney, and during her years of practice, Karen was recognized by New Jersey Monthly Magazine as a “Super Lawyer.” In February 2017, she decided to leave her full-time practice so she could devote more time to training and competing dogs. She has been involved in training dogs for more than 25 years and is nationally recognized for training and handling of her dogs. Karen has won accolades for having top dachshunds and poodles in the country in conformation, obedience, and agility.
She is the author of various training articles published in books and magazines, and most proud of writing for the National American Kennel Club (AKC) magazine. Karen believes, “If you work hard, you should ‘play’ hard. That is, find an activity that you really, really love, or your work will eat you alive.”
How did Beaver College support you and your education?
Almost fifty years later, Karen recalls brilliant English professors who were inspiring to her as a student: Dr. Pradyumna Chauhan, Dr. Elaine Maimon, and Dr. Patrick Hazard, to name a few. These professors went out of their way to make their courses rewarding and, most of all, challenging. Never one to shy away from a good challenge, Karen became an English major because she always loved to write. As a student, she was the editor-in-chief of the Beaver News, a student-run weekly publication. She also relished classes in journalism, creative writing, and linguistics. Her writing has carried over into all phases of her life, including the practice of law and further, into the canine domain.
How did you become interested in working with dogs?
As a First-Year student at Beaver College, Karen unwittingly attended a mandatory biology assembly in Murphy Hall that would ultimately change her life. The program was intended to demonstrate the unparalleled canine scent ability: it’s about 100 times that of a person. The presenter brought his dog onto the stage, and the dog was able to find his scented dumbbell out of an array of other dumbbells, within seconds! Karen was so impressed by that presentation, that it always stayed in the back of her mind. Years later, she decided to train dogs to perform that presentation. Karen is proud to say that several of her dogs have performed that exact same scent demonstration in multiple assemblies as well as at advanced levels of obedience competition.
What made you want to divert from the corporate world?
When Karen first started working as an attorney, she worked long hours, leaving early and coming home hours after dinner. On weekends, she would bring her briefcase home and continue working. There was never a break. After a dozen years in this routine, and recognizing that this was a draining experience, Karen sought an outlet that would be worthwhile, yet challenging and fun.
Karen retired from the practice of law in 2017. She made the conscious decision to change direction in her life’s path to invest more time in the dog world. Karen became approved as an American Kennel Club (AKC) Judge in Obedience, Rally and Conformation. She now spends most of her weekends at AKC Dog shows, either judging or exhibiting. She loves to evaluate beautiful and well-trained dogs of various breeds or even to exhibit her own dogs! It really doesn’t get better than this.
What advice would you give to current students exploring potential careers?
She believes you should always maintain a balance in life. Keep focused and work hard, but remember to make time for what you love doing the most: “My advice would be to keep a balance in your life. Never let work take over your existence. Always find an outlet that is relaxing and enjoyable. Working hard is admirable and can also be financially rewarding, but can also result in burn-out. I loved being an attorney, so initially, I worked late and weekends, never leaving time for myself. I soon realized that life is too short to give all of yourself to your clients or your supervisor. Once I found a balance, I left work at the office and began looking forward to training my dogs on weekends, everything came together!”
