BGSU criminal justice students get an immersive look at future careers during their first semester

Dana Juby has been in college for just over two months, but her list of hands-on career experiences is growing by the day.

The Bowling Green State University criminal justice major has already practiced accident reconstruction, flown a police drone, heard from incarcerated individuals at a correctional institution, witnessed a sentencing in court and shadowed a police officer during a ride-along.

And there’s more planned before the end of the semester.

“I absolutely love that I have these opportunities,” Juby said. “I didn’t initially know with 100% certainty what I wanted to do in the field of criminal justice, but all the experiences I’ve had have helped me narrow it down. I want to either be a police officer or work in probation or parole. I’m so excited for my career.”

Experiences like Juby's exemplify why Bowling Green ranks among the nation's top public universities for first-year experiences and career preparation.

U.S. News and World Report places BGSU in the top 10 of the country’s public universities for first-year experiences, recognizing its comprehensive efforts to support students’ transition to college while helping students build community, engage in campus life and define their path forward.

BGSU is also ranked the No. 2 public university in the nation for career preparation by The Wall Street Journal. 

For Juby, the hands-on experiences started before classes even began.

She moved to Bowling Green on a Wednesday, and by Thursday, she was on a bus with dozens of other criminal justice majors heading to the Mansfield Correctional Institution and Ohio State Reformatory. The trip was organized for members of the BGSU Criminal Justice Learning Community, of which Juby is a member.

Juby said she was initially hesitant to go but quickly realized she had made the right choice. 

“I was so nervous because I didn’t know anyone else who was going, but on the bus ride home, I kept thinking about how great of an experience it was,” she said. “I’m so glad I had the opportunity to go.”

Then, in early October, Juby was among a group of about 100 students who traveled to the Lorain Police Department near Cleveland for an immersive day of activities organized by BGSU alumni and adjunct faculty members, Capt. Jake Morris ’17 and Lt. Kyle Gelenius ’22.

During the visit, which has been part of the curriculum since 2022, students learn about SWAT, go through an active shooter scenario, conduct accident reconstruction, fly a drone and use virtual reality to practice decision-making.

The trips throughout the semester, which also include visits to courts and correctional facilities, align with the topics students are learning in class.

Catherine Pape, an associate teaching professor and director of the Criminal Justice Learning Community, intentionally aligns these experiences with classroom instruction to enhance students’ learning.

“I think that hands-on exposure is incredibly important,” Pape said. “In addition to getting them into the field to see what these careers are really like, it makes them better in the classroom because when they’re more interested, they’re more invested.

“I’m a big believer that students should not have to wait semesters or years to try different activities or take different classes that are going to show them the career that’s going to be of interest to them. I think they should have that experience right out of the gate.”

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