SOCIOLOGY/CRIMINAL JUSTICE NEWSLETTER

APRIL 2013 Vol. 1 Issue 4

Outstanding Senior of the Year: Sarah Spriggs

Congratulations to Sarah Spriggs (pictured left) for being the outstanding senior of 2013! She is a Criminal Justice major with a minor in Psychology. She has also been a student work study for the Sociology/Criminal Justice Department and has been the president of the departments club, Justice and Goodwill (JAG). She currently is working at Neace Lukens, an insurance company, in the surety department as a Surety Account Coordinator, which is a job that she will continue to pursue after she graduates. She is also planning on becoming involved weekly with the Animal Rescue Fund. When she found out she was the outstanding senior she was so flattered to have been chosen. She said, "It feels so good to be acknowledged for all of the hard work that I have put in these past four years and I credit my professors for challenging me to be a better student and to find my place in the adult world, especially regarding my ability to help others." When asked to describe her experience at Thomas More, she stated, it can only be described as incredibly enriching. TMC has helped me prepare for life after college by giving me the knowledge to succeed in my field, as well as the skills that I can use in any part of my life. When asked what her favorite class was she said Marriage and the Family because not only was it entertaining, but it made her more aware of how to act in different situations with different types of people and it was loads of fun! She isnt sure about what she plans to do in the future, but plans on continuing her education. She has always had a dream to work for the FBI, so that is something that she has said she wants to work towards. Her advice for upcoming seniors and other younger students is simple: Get to know your professors! I have learned so many valuable lessons from them outside of the classroom and they are truly amazing people. I always try to encourage younger students to work hard, but I also think senior year is a time to have fun and enjoy what is left of your undergraduate years. Before you know it, you will have two weeks of class left and wonder where the time went! We wish Sarah the best in all of her future endeavors and hope to hear from her after she graduates!

Ronald McDonald House

Throughout the 2012-13 school year, Justice and Goodwill (JAG), the Sociology/Criminal Justice Departments student club, supported the Ronald McDonald House of Greater Cincinnati. The Ronald McDonald House is a nonprofit organization that provides a home away from home for little-to-no cost for families of hospitalized children if they are being treated in a different city, state, or country. The House emphasizes the healing power of family and the importance of keeping families together when a child is ill. During the fall semester, JAG invited Ginger Schnecker, a volunteer from the Ronald McDonald House, to come to Thomas Mores campus and inform students and faculty about the House, the families that it serves, and the service opportunities available to the public. In addition to the speaker, JAG facilitated a donation and collection for the Ronald McDonald House on Thomas Mores campus and asked that students bring in items of which the House was most in need, including trash bags, pots and pans, and nonperishable snack foods. If you would like to learn more about the service opportunities available at the Ronald McDonald House, please visit their website at www.rmhc.com.

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Vol. 1 Issue 4

Seniors Present at the ASK Conference

Senior Sociology majors Dani Farris and Elizabeth Pritchard, along with Dr. James Camp, Ricky Snow, Catherine Burke, Chloe Amitin, and Amber Cox presented at the Anthropologists and Sociologists of Kentucky Research Conference this year, held at Bellarmine University on April 6, 2013. Professors Kate Arnold and Ellie Megerle, along with 7 other students, were in attendance to support the presenters. The exposure to conferences such as this one will allow students to be more comfortable attending and presenting their research at conferences in the future. Congratulations on all of your presentations!

Students Present at Thomas Mores Student Research Forum

For the first time since its inception, students from the Sociology/Criminal Justice Department presented their research at the Fourth Annual Thomas More College Student Research Forum on March 22, 2013. Students spent the first nine weeks of the semester gathering and analyzing their data as they prepared for their poster presentations at the Forum. Senior Sarah Spriggs presented her research, A Descriptive Analysis of the Effect of Mandatory Arrest Laws on Incidence of Domestic Violence. Seniors Megan Schnelle, Tony Ruff, and Katie Kees, along with junior Mac Stevens, presented Police Discretion to Arrest Based on Social Class at the Forum as well. When asked about the experience, senior Megan Schnelle stated, Overall, it was a positive experience. I had never presented at any type of research conference before, so I was pretty nervous beforehand I think we all were. The faculty that oversaw the Research Forum received us well and calmed any nerves that we had about presenting. It was a relaxed presentation and Im really glad I was able to participate. Hopefully, the participation of the students in the Research Forum this year will encourage younger students to participate in the future.

JAG Supports Relay for Life

Over the past two years, Justice and Goodwill (JAG) has become increasingly involved in the American Cancer Societys Relay for Life held at Thomas More College. This year, the Relay was held on April 19, 2013. Along with students from many clubs around Thomas More, JAG members took turns walking the track for 12 hours to support those who have battled, conquered, or who have lost their battle with cancer as well as those who are caregivers for those with cancer. Over a dozen students from JAG attended the Relay, facilitating a raffle for an iPad Mini that raised over $400 dollars for the American Cancer Society.

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Vol. 1 Issue 4

Alumni Spotlight: Dani Farris

The alumni spotlight this year is Dani Farris. She graduated in December of 2012. Dani currently works for Child Protective Services in Cincinnati, OH. Now that she has been there for a few months, she feels confident that she chose the right career because she really enjoys going to work every day. She says it is a hard profession, the hardest thing she has ever done, but she really enjoys the work. Although she has to work overtime almost every day and work even after coming home, she loves it. She says that her liberal arts education gave her the ability to communicate with anyone about almost anything. It has helped her understand her social responsibility to others, which she thinks is a part of her job. When asked about the hardest part of her job so far, she stated, "Well, working in CPS, horrible things happen daily. For me, working with mentally ill parents is the hardest thing because mental illness is a soft-spot for me and it's hard for me to watch people struggle with all that comes along with that." We are so pleased that Dani has found employment so soon after graduation and has been so kind to contribute to the newsletter this year. We wish her happiness, good health, and success in her blossoming career!

Educations purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one. Malcolm Forbes

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sr. Margaret Stallmeyer, president of Thomas More College, announced that she will be retiring at the end of the 2012-13 academic year. We would like to acknowledge and thank President Stallmeyer for dedication to Thomas More College. Congratulations to the Sociology/Criminal Justice Department for winning Penny Wars once again this year! Congratulations to our seniors, Dani Farris Katelyn Kees, Rob Nader, Tony Ruff, Elizabeth Pritchard, Megan Schnelle, and Sarah Spriggs, graduating this year. Good luck on your activities after graduation! Congratulations to Sarah Spriggs for being OUTSTANDING SENIOR OF THE YEAR of the Sociology/Criminal Justice Department. Congratulations to SOC381 (Border Studies) for another successful trip! Congratulations to the new JAG officers that were elected this year! President Amber Cox, Co-Vice Presidents Mac Stevens and Ashley Lewis, Secretary Megan Sparks, and Treasurer Sarah Perkins OTHER NEWS Congratulations to Megan Schnelle, Tony Ruff, Katie Kees, Mac Stevens, and Sarah Spriggs for representing the Sociology/Criminal Justice Department for the first time at Thomas Mores Student Research Forum!

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Vol. 1 Issue 4

Inspired by the teachings of the Catholic Church, and by our patron, Saint Thomas More, we challenge students to examine the ultimate meaning of life, their place in the world, and their responsibility to others.

Louis Valencia, Immigration Attorney

In the spring, Cincinnati-based Immigration Attorney Louis Valencia visited Dr. Camps Border Studies/Jamaica Service Learning Program class to discuss issues surrounding immigration and citizenship for undocumented migrants entering the United States. The discussion included cases in which undocumented migrants have been in danger of being deported and situations surrounding equal opportunity employment for these undocumented migrants. About the experience, student Andy Wilmes stated, It was very informative and he was able to grab my attention and make me consider issues surrounding undocumented migrants that I had not considered before. Thank you Mr. Valencia!

From the Chair

Ellie Megerle Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice

Welcome to the latest edition of the Sociology and Criminal Justice Department newsletter, created by our student editors Sarah Spriggs and Ashley Lewis. The goal of the newsletter is to keep students, alumni, and the Thomas More community aware of happenings around the department. I hope you find our newsletter informative and we would love to hear from you. On a more personal note, Sarah is graduating this spring. We congratulate her on her 4 years here at Thomas More College. She has been the Department work study student, JAG President, and Editor of the Newsletter. Her work in and out of the classroom is exemplary. We wish her well on her new endeavors. Ashley Lewis will be the primary editor of the newsletter now. She can be reached at Ashley.Lewis@thomasmore.edu.

Department Chair Ellie Megerle, Dr. James Camp, and Professor Catherine Arnold before a friendly game of laser tag.

Ashley Lewis ashley.lewis@thomasmore.edu 333 Thomas More Parkway Crestview Hills, KY 41017

If you would like to contribute to future issues of the newsletter, please contact me!