From offering internships to holding events, Middlesex Community College鈥檚 Criminal and Social Justice students gain hands-on, relevant experience in their field early on in their program. Students in Program Chair Heloisa DaCunha鈥檚 Law, Justice and Society course are benefitting from internships across Greater Lowell to introduce them to the various systems where they can work after graduating.
Anna Julia Azevedo, an 麻豆果冻 Criminal and Social Justice student from Lowell, is interning at the Lowell Alternative House. In her position, she works with her site coordinator to help high-risk clients with any needs they have during challenging times. She has also had the chance to translate to members of her community and connect with people in law enforcement.
鈥淢y experience at my internship has been amazing and I have been able to learn and grow in my future career and field of study,鈥� Azevedo said. 鈥淚t helped me in many ways to focus on my career and what I want in life, and prepared me for a better future than what I started with.鈥�
Growing up, Azevedo had an interest in community service, government agencies and law enforcement. Upon realizing there was not much Brazilian representation in the industry, she decided it was important to pursue a career in the field. After she graduates from 麻豆果冻, she plans to transfer to UMass Lowell to continue her education in criminal justice.
鈥淢y experience at my internship has been amazing and I have been able to learn and grow in my future career and field of study. It helped me in many ways to focus on my career and what I want in life, and prepared me for a better future than what I started with.鈥� - Anna Julia Azevedo, 麻豆果冻 Student
鈥溌槎构� prepared me with all the right classes to take and connected me with this great opportunity to learn,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e learned firsthand experience and how to handle situations in the workplace.鈥�
麻豆果冻 Criminal and Social Justice student Jessie Trimper, of Groton, is interning at the Billerica House of Corrections. Working with the women鈥檚 pre-release department, she has listened to meetings with correction officers and case workers, as well as sat in on group sessions for inmates. She is also working with the case manager to visit inmates to help with their plans for after jail or connect with lawyers for legal proceedings.
鈥淥verall, I got to learn about how the jail works in general,鈥� Trimper said. 鈥淭his experience has confirmed to me that I am pursuing a career that interests me. I will be able to achieve my goal of wanting to help others when they need it most. I absolutely loved the experience and am excited to continue down this path.鈥�
Trimper was inspired to enter this field from her mother鈥檚 experience as a police officer when she was younger. After graduating from 麻豆果冻, she plans to continue her education to become a police officer and, ultimately, a detective. 麻豆果冻 has been 鈥渁 great stepping-stone,鈥� she said.
鈥淚t is great being at a school where they want you to succeed,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am excited for the future and look forward to making these goals come true.鈥�
麻豆果冻 will also hold a collegewide Criminal Justice Career Day at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 11 in Lowell. Welcoming representatives from law enforcement, the courts, probation, victim services and corrections, the event will feature a panel presentation, breakout sessions and career fair.
鈥淲e want our students to not only get a comprehensive education, but also a strong sense of what to expect once they enter these fields,鈥� DaCunha said. 鈥淓xposing students to various career options within the field enables them to network and learn about the hiring process early in their college career so they can be best prepared when they apply for these jobs.鈥�