Criminal Justice Student Stories
Learn about our students' experiences at the School of Public Affairs
What has continually motivated me to get a degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Victims and Victim Studies is knowing I can make a positive impact with people who are experiencing difficult times. So much of the spotlight is on offenders, but my mind always goes to how we can better serve victims.
Hannah Huyck
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal JusticeI have always been interested in how people process trauma and what ways the criminal justice system can either help them heal or further victimize them. I wanted to further my education of the criminal justice system while gaining a deeper understanding of cognition and psychology, so that is the main reason I decided on this degree path.
Madison Carney
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal JusticeI've always wanted to affect some sort of positive change in the world, and I believe that can be done through helping individuals who have come into contact with the criminal justice system—whether that be through the rehabilitation of criminal offenders or through victims advocacy.
Sawyer Victor
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal JusticeMy courses and the professors in the undergraduate program were so great I wanted to delve into the study of Criminal Justice further. I had never considered getting a graduate degree before, but the Pathways program seemed like an easy way to test out graduate-level classes. I loved it and decided to continue on in the program. I hope to receive my MCJ in fall of next year.
Maria Mize
Pathways Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice - Master of Criminal JusticeEvery person I met and every building I walked through made me feel like I was at home. Becoming a Crime Scene Investigator has been my greatest goal for many years, and I felt as though I could accomplish that goal at the School of Public Affairs at CU Denver.
Mackenzie Matzeder
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal JusticeOne of my first classes was Intro to Criminal Justice, and I always looked forward to the class. Next, I took Crime Theory. It finally clicked that my enthusiasm and interest in CJ classes meant that this was definitely my calling. I then declared my major and never once looked back after that.
Lydia Buttrick
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal JusticeMy internship experience at the Colorado Innocence Center benefitted me in many ways. As a clinical intern, my job was to investigate cases that have been sent to the Center that claim an individual has been wrongfully convicted. This is the type of work that I hope to do in my future as a criminal lawyer, so I was beyond excited to get that real-life experience. Reading about a case in a textbook is very different than actually reading a letter from an inmate’s perspective as to what events occurred and collaborating with attorneys and determining whether the Center is able to take on a case. I now understand the importance of internships and couldn’t thank the School of Public Affairs enough for making this a required aspect of the BA in Criminal Justice!
Kimberly Luna
BACJ ‘19, Internship Client: Colorado Innocence Center