Evan Maninos, of Wilmington, first chose to attend Middlesex Community College to help him figure out what to pursue for a future career. After deciding on the detective field, he started in 麻豆果冻鈥檚 new Criminal and Social Justice Learn and Earn program where he gets paid to work as a Campus Safety Officer while taking classes.
鈥淚 am hoping to learn more about the role and the responsibility and authority I have been given with it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think having these opportunities within the school provides a great overall experience for students. I am a strong believer in Learn and Earn jobs provided by the college.鈥�
In his role, Maninos performs routine patrols around the Lowell campus and assists 麻豆果冻鈥檚 Institutional Security Officers by keeping the campus as safe as possible. To prepare for getting the job, the program offered mock interviews and guided him through the application process.
鈥淥ur Learn and Earn students have the opportunity to understand fundamental public safety guidelines, as well as work side-by-side with our Law Enforcement Officers who work at 麻豆果冻,鈥� said Daniel Martin, 麻豆果冻鈥檚 Director of Safety & Campus Operations. 鈥淭his provides a unique experience for our students as they learn from local police officers and ask questions about the public safety field and what requirements and expectations are involved to start their careers.鈥�
One of the benefits of the Learn and Earn program for Maninos is receiving paid experience that is directly related to the field he wants to enter. He believes the work he does in his job gives him a better understanding of what he is learning in classes.
鈥淚 think having these opportunities within the school provides a great overall experience for students. I am a strong believer in Learn and Earn jobs provided by the college." - Evan Maninos, 麻豆果冻 Student
Maninos had another hands-on experience in December 2022 as part of a Service-Learning project to run a toy drive in partnership with the Lowell Police Department (LPD). Maninos and his classmates had the opportunity to network with officers in the LPD.
鈥淚 learned the importance of community policing and how the police of a city can be community protectors and caregivers,鈥� he said. 鈥淥pportunities to do projects like these 鈥� to work with departments and learn the community relations side of law enforcement 鈥� is an incentive to learn outside of the classroom and apply real life lessons to our studies.鈥�
Two of the best parts about 麻豆果冻鈥檚 Criminal and Social Justice program for Maninos are the flexibility of classes and the professors. In particular, Heloisa DaCunha, 麻豆果冻鈥檚 Chair of Criminal and Social Justice, has impacted his time at the college most with engaging lessons and opportunities to extend learning beyond the classroom.
After completing his Criminal and Social Justice degree, Maninos plans to stay at Middlesex to earn a degree in Information Technology (IT). His hope is to develop his skills in order to work in a local or state police role.
鈥溌槎构� provides you with an affordable option to seek education while figuring out what you want to do,鈥� Maninos said. 鈥溌槎构� has given me a lot of opportunities with the degree and Learn and Earn that I know will help me in my goals.鈥�