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University鈥檚 Criminal Justice Career Expo Brings Together Students and Alumni
Charger alumni who work for the FBI, Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Secret Service, local and state police forces across the state and region, and reformative justice nonprofits returned to campus for a career fair. They shared their insights and guided students through the hiring process.
April 22, 2024
When Samantha Kiss '19 was in her senior year at the University, she stopped by the Bristol Police Department鈥檚 booth at the Criminal Justice Career Fair and began chatting with Officer Mark Kichar 鈥11.
She talked with him about her courses, about taking groups on tour as a student ambassador and how she loved being part of the . Kichar shared his own stories about his time at the University, as a student leader, in , and as president of a fraternity. 鈥淪he was clearly not shy; she was a strong communicator which is important in our work,鈥 Kichar said. 鈥淚 could tell she cared a lot about the field.鈥
By the time they finished talking, Kichar knew she would be a great addition to the force of the Bristol Police, and Kiss knew she wanted to be part of it. By May of that year, she was hired.
鈥業t's a wonderful experience to give back鈥
This April, Kiss was back on campus with Kichar, both working a booth at the spring Criminal Justice Career Fair, representing the Bristol PD. As students dropped by their table, Officers Kiss and Kichar discussed their police work and encouraged students to text them with questions and to take part in a four-hour ride-along.
鈥淲e can talk with students about what the job is like and about how great our department is but until they get in the patrol car with us, they won鈥檛 know,鈥 Kiss said. 鈥淲e want them to get a fully immersed experience.鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 a wonderful experience to give back, to be able to come back to our college campus and see how it continues to change, and to see the familiar faces that stop by from fair to fair,鈥 Kiss added.
They were two of the many alumni who were on campus to recruit students in Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, National Security, and related fields.
Bakhtawar Izzat, employer relations manager for the Career Development Center, said more than 50 local, state and federal agencies, nonprofits and other organizations were represented at the Criminal Justice Career Expo, including the , the , the , the , local and state police from across many states, the , the , and other agencies and organizations. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so important for our students to have the opportunity to make these connections,鈥 Izzat said.
鈥業 have to pass that on鈥
In his work as a special agent with the U.S. Secret Service鈥檚 New York field office, Jahir Blanton 鈥18, 鈥19 M.S. says he 鈥減rotects diplomats and world leaders as well as the financial integrity of the United States, investigating bank fraud, wire fraud counterfeit currency, internet crimes against children, and identity theft.鈥 He also does advance work and protection when presidents, prime ministers, kings, and queens attend the annual United Nations General Assembly. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a really cool job,鈥 he says. 鈥淚 love it.鈥
He was hired after completing his master鈥檚 degree, for a job with a salary 鈥渢hat was life changing. I was 23 years old making a six-figure salary,鈥 he said. A member of the Secret Service for almost five years, he will take on a new position in June, becoming part of the team protecting a former president and first lady.
He said his undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University 鈥渢otally prepared him for his work,鈥 and says he relishes returning for Criminal Justice Career Fairs. 鈥淚 played football and ran track here,鈥 he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 a Charger for life.鈥
鈥業 want to help open the doors that were opened to me鈥
Blanton vividly remembers the alumni and the professors who helped him get internships and who advised him throughout his job-search process. 鈥淚 have to pass that on,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 want these students to get jobs that will change their lives, the same way that happened for me.鈥
Blanton and other alumni spoke about how prepared AV天堂网 students are, arriving with resumes full of pertinent information. 鈥淭hey can give a great five-minute elevator speech, and they do super on interviews. As an alum, I鈥檓 proud to see that,鈥 he said.
Michael Cogan 鈥97, 鈥02 M.S., a group supervisor with the DEA鈥檚 New Haven office, said that when he was a student, he found it helpful to talk with professors and alumni from 鈥渄ifferent facets of law enforcement. They talked with me, answered my questions, and gave me guidance as I was searching for a job.鈥
鈥淚 believe it鈥檚 very important to give back,鈥 Cogan says. 鈥淭he students ask all the questions I used to ask, such as, 鈥榃hat can I do to stand out?鈥 I want to help open the doors that were opened to me.鈥
