Portraits of Strength & Hope: Julie Gulledge

Julie (Pilaczynski) Gulledge '15, J.D.

Julie Gulledge '15 grew up in a rural area in Michigan. Her first memory of Olivet Nazarene University is moving into her dorm room in Williams Hall.

"I spent time with my friends every day," she recalls. "I could walk from my dorm to the dining hall, the library and all my classes. I was so excited about my new life!"

A business major at ONU, Julie studied economics for the first time, taught by Dr. Paul Koch. She was impressed by how he approached the subject from a Christian perspective. Dr. Charles Perabeau '94 mentored her as a student in the ONU Honors Program.

"In every class I took, my eyes were opened to new aspects of the world," she says. "I began studying and learning with the idea that my work and my life are for the glory of God. Professors who love Christ and follow Jesus in their careers and their lives modeled this for me and still do."

Before graduating from ONU, Julie completed an internship at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Chicago Regional Office. This ultimately launched her career as a securities lawyer.

She earned her J.D. degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 2019. During law school, she spent a semester working as an intern with the World Intellectual Property Organization, a special agency of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. While in Europe, she visited new places every weekend. That experience began her love for travel that continues today.

Julie's career as an attorney began in corporate law at Dickinson Wright in Detroit, Michigan, and continued in securities law at Alston and Bird in Atlanta. One of her biggest surprises in life is being able to put her full-time legal career on hold and raise her three children as a stay-at-home mom.

Julie and her husband, Caleb '16, are the parents of three children, Jaina, Scarlett and Rory. They live in Atlanta and are actively involved in Dunwoody Community Church.

"I will be forever grateful for my time at ONU," Julie says. "I discovered that the value of my education went way beyond the classroom. Living and growing with a community of people who love the Lord is one of my greatest blessings. At ONU I made lifelong friends who continue to inspire me, encourage me as a mom and support me in my relationship with God."

Learn more about how you can become part of Olivet's mission for many years to come. Contact campaign director Susan Wolff at [email protected] or call 815-928-5776 to schedule an appointment with a member of our team.