Criminal Justice is just one of the majors at Waynesburg University that is constantly setting itself above programs of rivaling schools.
One of the programs newest accomplishments is the recently added Freshman Career Development Course.
This course seeks to set up freshman for success not only in their collegiate years but also in the workplace.
“The course is designed to set Waynesburg apart as well as encourage freshman to stay in the major,” said Department Chairman Adam Jack.
Jack also hopes that this course will set up the students for their sophomore year.
“The sophomore year here is very heavy when it comes to hands on things,” said jack. “That is when they get heavy on the firearms and American policing.”
This course was created to specifically lay the foundation of the tactics that will be taught more in-depth during the upcoming years.
“What we are finding is that, if we don’t lay the base for that as freshman more, we end up spending more time introducing the kids to things that they can get a hold of quickly.”
By taking part in this class, it removes the need to use class time in the upcoming years to cover the basics.
Career Development is a one credit course that is offered to second semester freshman.
The class as of now is a test run but Jack says that it has a potential to become a three credit course as well as a requirement for graduation.
Because of the overwhelming amount of freshman in the criminal justice major the class will be split into two sections. One will be taught by Adam Jack while the other section will be taught by Professor Jim Tanda. The classes will switch half way through the semester.
Jack’s section will focus on the basics of firearms, safety, and laser point systems. Professor Tanda will teach the basics of searching, handcuffing, and interrogation interviewing, as well as how to properly write a
police report.
An advantage to being a part of this class is the abundance of guest speakers that Jack has set up.
The guest speakers will include alumni who are currently working in the field as well as seniors here who have interned at a variety of different places.
Jack and Tanda hope that through the guest speakers the students will not only see what they have to look forward in this field but also begin networking.
“I believe that this a class that every freshman should have to take or at least want to take,” said Sydney Howe, a freshman currently enrolled in the new career development class.
Howe says that she is very excited to continue to get a sneak peek of what the rest of her college years are going to look like.
Although it is early in the academic school year Howe believes that this course is destined for greatness.