Criminal Justice Students Take Top Honors in National Competition

Fairmont State University Criminal Justice students recently took top honors at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences/Alpha Phi Sigma National Conference in Philadelphia. Two FSU students also earned individual honors.

Nicole Allison of New Cumberland won first place in the Criminal Justice General Knowledge Exam and first place in the Special Topics/Victimology Exam. Each first came with a $500 prize.

“My time at Fairmont State has really prepared me for competitions like this one. The professors in the Criminal Justice program have more real-life experience that they can impart to us than I think any other program that we have competed against. My ability and our ability as a team to be able to do as well, if not better, than those at larger schools we meet at conferences is not only an honor for ourselves as students, but I also think this reflects upon our professors and their excellent skills. I hope that our accomplishments will encourage new students to look at our program to carry on our tradition of excellence,” Allison said.

Marshal Sherry of Farmington was one of five Alpha Sigma Phi students chosen to present a paper at the conference. His paper was titled “Mental Health in Female Prisons.”

“The experience is unlike any other. Attending nationals, you not only create friendships with the group you go with, but with people from schools all over the United States. Meeting other future professionals opens up so many opportunities for your future, and the friends you make are lifelong. It’s such an honor to be able to say that I’ve presented my research at a national conference, as well as captain a three-time nation champion crime scene team,” Sherry said. 

For the third consecutive year, FSU’s chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma took first place in the Crime Scene Competition. As part of the competition, the students investigated a mock homicide scene set up in a hotel room. The team was allowed into the area for a limited amount of time, and then team members worked through the night to determine the details of the case and identify the killer. The Crime Scene Competition team included Sherry, Allison, Kaitlyn Antolock of Fairmont, Amy Bess of Hughestown, Logan Fletcher of Mount Clare, Katie Vest of Mount Nebo and Tyler Hawkins of Buckhannon. Antolock is in her second year as national Vice President of Alpha Phi Sigma; she was elected to the post at last year’s conference.

“These wins speak volumes for our students, faculty and program. Fairmont State was up against many larger colleges and universities. Our students don’t just compete, they win. We produce graduates who are prepared to enter the workplace or graduate school. Our Criminal Justice students know they have the skills they need to succeed when they graduate from Fairmont State’s undergraduate and graduate level programs,” said Dr. Deanna Shields, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and advisor to FSU’s Epsilon Iota chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma, the National Criminal Justice Honor Society.

For more information about FSU’s Criminal Justice programs, click here or call Shields at (304) 367-4161.

About the photo:

Posing with their team award from left to right are Nicole Allison, Tyler Hawkins, Marshal Sherry and Logan Fletcher.