Throughout the years, my fascination with Criminology concentrated on victimization, delinquency, and the correlations between gender and crime. These specific subjects piqued my interest as I grew up and witnessed various events.
During my adolescence, the academic environment presented many norms in which my peers participated in delinquent behavior. Even though I left those conditions in high school, I encountered inappropriate behavior from an adult who made advances toward me while I was alone at my bus stop.
Events such as these should not occur to underage individuals; however, labeling an individual as an offender can happen anywhere and anytime. I want to pursue these topics at a higher educational level and create a positive impact within the research community through my analysis of these subjects.
As a young adult, I focused on securing a part-time job that provided flexibility when I attended school full-time. I found employment with two companies that allowed me to communicate with a diverse age group. The day-to-day activities included maintaining accurate orders and organizing personal information in correspondence to HIPAA/FERPA regulations.
With my academic and working presence, I needed organization to ensure my arrival at various locations. Due to conflicting schedules with my parents' work hours, I relied on public transportation to get me to school and work. In some situations, I would miss the bus and had to utilize Uber or Lyft to drop me off at work.
Regardless, I continue to use VIA buses while saving a portion of my checks to buy myself a personal vehicle. With a goal in mind, I set a date to secure a car by the end of my academic program. Since one of the requirements needed to earn a degree included participation in an internship program, I required personal transportation to travel to multiple destinations.
A part of my success in buying my first car and securing a diver's license resulted in my father and significant partner's assistance. Any free time I had went towards learning how to operate a vehicle with my boyfriend as my instructor. With my father's guidance, I bought a used Mazda 3 from a car auction and purchased the necessary parts my dad needed to fix the vehicle.
Obtaining reliable transportation gave me the confidence to accept an internship with the Department of Family Protective Service. In the fall of 2018, I received placement within the Conservatorship division. Throughout the 3-month duration, I focused on various case files given to 5 employees by organizing confidential documents and scanning classified paperwork. Meanwhile, I supervised court-ordered visitations and summarized interactions between parent and child.
Projecting a 4-year outline from the required courses needed to earn my bachelor's degree, I successfully graduated a semester early in comparison to my peers by accumulating exactly 120 credit hours. With that accomplishment, I qualified and earned a tuition rebate of $1000 from the institution.
Now there are several scholarly ideas and professional goals I strive to accomplish while participating in the master's program. My ambitions throughout the academic year include obtaining a solid foundation in research methods to address topics that correlate crime to gender and minorities. With access to the college research capabilities, some goals include independent studies, participation in group discussions, and learning various seminar topics.
Exploring the resources provided by the university, I seek to secure a Teaching Assistant position so I can obtain professional experience in an academic setting. Upon completing the master's program, I aim for full-time employment that will utilize the skills acquired towards becoming a victim advocate for minorities. My long-term goals include applying my abilities and knowledge to earn a profession as a professor teaching a Criminal Justice course.
Reflecting on the time spent during the undergraduate program, I lacked the resources to advance myself when professors offered opportunities to accomplish scholarly achievements. However, the courses taken throughout my academic attendance allowed me to observe various facilities that correlate to the criminal justice system. I visited establishments like the Fusion Center, a facility that maintains constant communication for multiple agencies. In addition, I toured an Adult Detention Center that detains adult males for various durations.
Within my 4-year education gap, I decided to continue my part-time employment with Visionworks to improve my individual growth and develop skills in leadership and communications. I took more supervision roles amongst my peers and spoke to customers when they were dissatisfied.
As I continued my employment, I received multiple recognizations. Customers wrote positive reviews on Google that addressed their impressions about the facility and interactions with me. During our monthly meetings, I received an incentive for having the highest lens enhancement sales. Lastly, I received a certificate of recognition titled the Hero Award for 2021 for upholding the company's goals.
Unfortunately, my employer closed their establishment and gave vague answers on when all employees would return to work. With CDC regulations enforcing limitations of individuals in one facility, several employees and I received a furloughed notice. It took a few months to receive a definitive answer on my employment status. However, I left my previous employer after weighing the pros and cons of Covid-19.
Difficult conversations emerged in my family about the community's impact on the current pandemic. We determined our the household's main priority is taking care of each. In addition, I had a significant amount of funds set aside in my savings account that secured me until changes occurred within the community.
Maintaining my well-being, I scheduled annual physical exams. As a result, I became diagnosed with PCOS and a pancreatic cyst. Even though PCOS is common in women, there is not enough scientific data that explains why females are diagnosed with this condition. Overall, it increases testosterone in female bodies and makes our bodies insulin resistant. Currently, I am taking medication to moderate my body while researching other ways to maintain a positive lifestyle.
I became aware of my pancreatic cyst because my provider requested an MRI. My doctor recommended an out-of-state facility to analyze fluids from the cyst based on its location and size. The results determine benign cells, and a follow-up appointment is set for October to recalculate the size and shape. Unforeseen circumstances emerged throughout the pandemic that caused me financial, medical, and social barriers. However, my hesitation in applying for higher education diminished after positive results from medical professionals.
I mustered up the courage to follow up on the application process by attending online sessions and traveling to the university to request additional assistance. With the guidance I received from my peers and parents, the college notified my acceptance into the Masters of Science in Criminal Justice on May 9th.
Rejoining the university gives me openings to connect with professors, guest speakers, and experts with professional experience in my field of interest. The public university I am attending received a prestige title of a Tier One institution. I will confide with the Criminal Justice department when researching data, set myself to flourish within the community, and become a reliable assistant to the faculty. Overall, my expertise will strengthen my applications for career advancement and increase my opportunities to educate undergrads in a college setting.