It’s been a busy fall for Sugam Langer ’07. The former Siena tennis player, who won a MAAC Championship in 2006, spoke at the United States Tennis Association Foundation’s opening night gala at the U.S. Open. Two months later, Langer ran in the New York City Marathon to raise money for 15 Love, the Capital Region tennis organization that taught her the game.
Langer grew up in Albany, just miles from Siena’s suburban campus. She learned how to play tennis through 15 Love, an organization that teaches youth, especially inner city kids, the game of for free. Langer wasn’t a natural on the court, but worked hard and eventually became skilled enough to play at the Division I level. She joined Siena’s women’s tennis team as a freshman.
In the classroom, Langer was influenced by Professor of Political Science and Pre-Law Advisor Len Cutler, Ph.D. Cutler taught her in courses such as constitutional law, criminal law and civil liberties. Langer was a “solid student academically,” he said.
As part of Siena’s pre-law program, Langer’s interest in the law deepened. She was on The Hon. James P. King Moot Court/Mock Trial Team and a Summer Legal Fellow. The political science major spent the summer after her junior year in Washington, D.C. at American University’s Washington College of Law.
“It definitely solidified the fact that I wanted to go to law school,” said Langer, who matriculated to Syracuse University’s College of Law.
After law school, Langer returned to the Capital Region. She interned and was then hired by the law firm Harris Beach in Albany. She worked there for seven years, doing legal research, participating in both trial and appellate preparation and drafting memorandums regarding contract disputes, complex litigation and government compliance and regulation.
In her free time, Langer volunteered as one of Siena’s moot court/mock trial team coaches. She coached Steven Procopio ’15, a political science major and pre-law student, for two years. He said Langer “brought an energy to the team” and helped him improve on using objections during competition.
“Many of our Siena alumni truly recognize and appreciate their own experiences here and they want to help,” Cutler said. “They want to serve even after they graduate.”
For the last year, Langer has worked in Navigant Consulting’s anti-money laundering department in New York City. She reviews policies and procedures to make sure banks and financial institutions are compliant with legislation.
Though she doesn’t play tennis as much as she used to, Langer stays active through running. She completed her second marathon in November to support 15 Love as part of the USTA Foundation’s charity team. Langer needed to raise a minimum of $3,000; she more than doubled her goal and raised $7,345, according to the USTA Foundation. That money will be sent in the form of a grant to15 Love, one of the many tennis programs the USTA supports nationwide. Langer also helped raise more than $2,000 separately by volunteering at a charity run for 15 Love in Albany.
“In our world, that’s a huge amount of money,” said Amber Marino, executive director of 15 Love. Marino plans on putting those funds toward the Excellence Program, to which Langer once belonged. The program’s goal is to help children get into college. According to Marino, 99% of students in the program graduate from high school and 98% go to college.
“(15 Love) opened a lot of doors for me, and it’s my obligation to give back,” Langer said, adding that her desire to give back was encouraged by Siena’s Franciscan values and a supportive community.
“You can’t forget where you came from,” Langer said.
