Ferne Mosley, a Pittsburgh native and senior ethics and compliance attorney for the federal government, likes to tell people she has two degrees from the University of Pittsburgh: a B.A. in political science and communication rhetoric and an 8th-grade diploma from Falk Laboratory School. 

After leaving Pittsburgh, Ferne received a J.D. from the University of Maryland Carey School of Law and went on to serve the White House Counsel's Office and the Office of the Vice President during the Clinton administration. 

Although it’s been decades since her 1977 graduation from Falk, Ferne still feels a strong connection to the school and a deep gratitude to her father—a former Pitt professor and elementary school teacher—for “recognizing the good work Falk was doing” and enrolling Ferne and her sister in the unique learning environment. 

“Falk really framed my personality,” Ferne says. "Because it was a small learning environment, I was able to really just be myself and grow up with a sense of self-esteem and self-confidence. The teachers were so attentive, and I really felt the passion [they] had for teaching.” 

Ferne says her time at Falk also sparked a lifelong love for learning and the arts. “I spent a lot of time participating in the school musicals with Mr. Mushalko, who was the music teacher. Those were really some of the best times I had.” 

Ferne was in the cast of Oliver, Pirates of Penzance, and The Mikado and says it warmed her heart to see Rob, Maura, and Kathleen Marshall featured in En Avant magazine in 2023. “I went to school with them,” she says, “and we were all in the musicals together.” 

Another reason Ferne cherishes her time at Falk is because it provided a sense of authentic community. “I was [at Falk] in the 70s, and we were not far off from the Civil Rights Movement. I really feel that the diversity of the students was very instrumental,” she says. “I grew up in Falk with no racial tension whatsoever, and I think that was just so critical at that time period. [That’s] really one of the things that I reflect upon.” 

Ferne also recalls several influential teachers from Falk, including Mark Tierno, John Wagner, and David Early. Early, whose teaching and mentorship Ferne calls “just excellent,” was one of the few African American faculty members at the school in the 70s and taught fifth and sixth grade back when Falk had mixed-grade classrooms. 

Along with the formative experiences, Falk was also filled with moments of joy, like working on collaborative projects with friends and being on the middle school cheer team. “I don’t even remember [which team] we were cheering for,” Ferne admits, “but we had a little cheer team.” 

Today, Ferne is still in touch with fellow alumni from the 70s and regularly catches up with Elizabeth Johnson Barnes, a former Falk classmate who has remained a close and constant friend. Along with her love for Pitt and Falk, she is also a dedicated Steelers fan despite now living in Maryland. “I always make it a point to wear a Steelers shirt whenever I travel through Baltimore,” she says with a laugh. "I take my life in my hands sometimes.” 

Outside of practicing law, Ferne works with her service sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, and local women’s organizations to uplift disadvantaged communities through scholarships, advancement opportunities, and civil rights protections. She is also an executive committee member of Pitt's African American Alumni Council and was recently appointed as a Director at Large for the Pitt Alumni Association Board of Directors.