The Criminal Justice Society
Among the professionals who spoke to the CJSociety this year are Tracey Oxendine, Missouri Probation and Parole specialist in violent sex offenders, along with several other representatives from the field of law enforcement.
With a membership of about 30 students, Ryan is joined on the organization’s Executive Committee by Vice President Liz Michenfelder, Secretary Cindy Benson, Treasurer Crystal Conley and Social Chair Kyle Campbell. This semester’s public affairs activity involved several members going door-to-door on Halloween collecting food for Food Harvest of the Ozarks, a non-profit organization that distributes food and other essential items to those in need.
The Department is very proud of this outstanding student organization and of the officers who work so hard to keep this group involved with the profession and the community.
Members of Sigma Mu Sigma Travel to Cincinnati for Professional Conference
Six criminology majors (Brittany Davenport, Stacie Hammer, Sarah Handlang, Oliver Hoedel, Tylene VanGelder, and Kristen Zegar), along with criminology graduate student Matthew Brown, traveled to the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) annual conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. These students were funded through a grant written by faculty members Ivy Yarckow-Brown and Aida Hass. Undergraduate Tylene VanGelder presented a paper she wrote about racial issues in pretrials.
While at the conference, each of the students had opportunities to attend many paper presentations, roundtable discussions, and keynote addresses. A few of the students took advantage of a ride-along tour with the Cincinnati Police Department.
In addition, four students formed a team to participate in a National Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) competition. These students were Sarah Handlang (senior, double major in criminology and chemistry), Brittany Davenport (junior, criminology major), Oliver Hoedel (junior, criminology major), and Matthew Brown (graduate student). Approximately twenty teams from across the country competed in this event and our Missouri State team received third place.
Sigma Mu Sigma, The National Criminal Justice Honor Society, Raises Funds for Domestic Violence Awareness
During October 2008, officers of Sigma Mu Sigma, the Missouri State University Chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma, the National Criminal Justice Honor Society, conducted a fundraiser for the Family Violence Shelter in Springfield. The officers, Oliver Hoedel, Stacie Hammer, Brittany Davenport and Sarah Nichols, sold stems of artificial flowers in the Strong Hall Atrium. These flowers were placed in a display case along with information about domestic violence to increase attention for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In total, the chapter collected over $100 and donated these funds to the the Family Violence Shelter.