Summer/Fall 2015 Vol.7, Issue 2
Welcome again to all our new MACJ students and well as our returning MACJ students. I hope you have settled into the quarter nicely. This year promises to be jam packed full of exciting academic opportunities sponsored by the Criminal Justice Department including colloquiums and several student thesis defenses. We hope to see you at these events! Be sure to join the MACJ Facebook page so that you can stay on top of everything going on from events, news, and job information. It is a great way to connect with current MACJ students and alumni. To join, request to be added here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MACJ.SU/ Also, don’t forget to join our other social media cites, Twitter and LinkedIn so that you can stay connected with the department.
The Criminal Justice Department strongly encourages you to present/attend conferences as part of your education at SU. Attending conferences allows you to stay abreast of the current research and issues in discipline as well as affording you the opportunity to build a strong set of networks. There is a small travel stipend that you can apply for to help you attend. Please contact Devin for an application.
For all the new and continuing MACJ students, as Graduate Director of the MACJ program, I am always available to meet with you if you need advising in the form of course selection or career advice. Please do not hesitate to contact me at any time. All new MACJ students will have a formal advising meeting with me in Winter quarter to plan your academic career at SU and post-graduation success.
Have a wonderful Fall quarter!
Elaine Gunnison
Graduate Director
Emma Grochowsky was born and raised in Aiea, Hawaii, and chose to attend Seattle University to obtain a B.A. in Criminal Justice. Upon receiving her undergraduate degree, Emma was hired at a non-profit agency in Hawaii, and returned to perform outreach, social work, and representative payee services to homeless, low-income, and marginalized populations --many of whom struggled with legal encumbrances and disabilities. The agency was located next door to the Oahu Community Correctional Center, and the influence of the criminal justice system was never far away.
After two years working in social services, Emma returned to Seattle University to pursue the MACJ degree. She knew the social justice-driven values of the MACJ program at Seattle University would resonate strongly with her personal goals and career path. At the same time, Emma began working at a local non-profit housing agency, and quickly realized the connection between criminal justice involvement and the lack of housing opportunities. With the support of her job, faculty encouraged her to pursue a thesis on the correlations between criminal history and housing success.
Completing the MACJ degree and a master's thesis allowed Emma to realize her passion for social justice as it relates to some of the most marginalized populations in society. She is in the process of presenting her master's thesis findings to her agency and collaborating to improve services. Continuing her work with the same company, Emma is a Coordinator for the Shelter Plus Care program, which works to reduce housing barriers through rental subsidies and supportive services for homeless, low-income, and disabled households. In her free time Emma enjoys ice skating and reading.
David Patrick Connor, as the newest addition to our faculty, Dr. David Patrick Connor starts work in the Criminal Justice Department in Fall 2015. Earlier this year, he received his Ph.D. in Justice Administration from the University of Louisville. During his doctoral studies, Dr. Connor served as a part-time instructor in the Department of Justice Administration at the University of Louisville, where he was nominated for The Trustees Award in 2015 and received the Faculty Favorite Outstanding Professor Award in 2014 for his teaching. He holds a Master of Science in Justice Administration from the University of Louisville and a Bachelor of Arts in Radio/Television Broadcasting from Northern Kentucky University. Dr. Connor is a native of the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area.
Dr. Connor’s research interests include sex offender policy, institutional corrections, probation and parole, inmate reentry, and social deviance. His most recent publications appeared in Criminal Justice Review, Deviant Behavior, The Justice System Journal, and The Prison Journal. Dr. Connor’s work often focuses on the experiences of individuals involved in the criminal justice system, including justice system actors, offenders, and their families. Professionally, he enjoys field research and partnering with criminal justice agencies. Dr. Connor’s current projects include qualitative examinations of parole board members and support partners of registered sex offenders. He is willing to work with students who share similar research interests, so if you are interested in any of these areas, feel free to contact him. Classes that Dr. Connor will be teaching in the graduate program include Criminal Justice Legislation and Policy, Law and Social Control, and Critical Criminology. In his free time, he enjoys exploring Seattle, eating at restaurants, and relaxing with his wife and cats. Although absent in his life for many years, a saltwater aquarium is something that Dr. Connor hopes to establish in his home in the near future.
Joe Cooper was born and raised in Houston, TX. After high school, he attended Penn State University in State College, PA. After struggling to decide between majors, he eventually graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, with a business option, and a minor in Women’s Studies. During the course of his time in PA, Joe worked at one of the oldest bars in the state, the All American Rathskeller, which holds a record for the most cases of beer (Rolling Rock pony bottles) sold in a single day. He also worked as a Domestic Violence/Stalking/Sexual Assault advocate for the Centre County Women’s Resource Center. This job is what led Joe to his interest in criminal justice.
As an advocate, Joe worked with the State College Police Department in the Victim Centered Intensive Case Management Unit, which was an effort to create a coordinated community response to DV. He got to see how the system worked from all sides, including law enforcement, prosecutors/judges, and probation. While the position was enlightening, Joe realized that the counseling aspect was not for him. He applied to graduate programs in criminal justice, especially those with an investigative focus. He was accepted to SU in 2012, and is currently finished with classes but in the process preparing for the comprehensive exam.
Currently Joe is employed by the University of Washington Police Department. He is in the process of Field Training, having just completed the Basic Law Enforcement Academy. The 720 hour curriculum is designed to provide recruit officers with the basic knowledge and skills necessary for safe, proper, and effective law enforcement service. Instructional blocks include: Criminal Law and Procedures; Traffic Enforcement; Cultural Awareness; Communication Skills; Emergency Vehicle Operations Course; Firearms; Crisis Intervention; Patrol Procedures; Criminal Investigation; and Defensive Tactics. As an officer, Joe safeguards the academic community of over 75,000 people with PRIDE through community oriented policing and a problem solving approach. Eventually, Joe would like to utilize his degree by becoming a detective.
In his free time, Joe enjoys spending time with friends and his Weimaraner Debo. He is an avid runner who has completed over 25 half marathons and 5 full marathons, with a goal of running a half in each state.