I am a graduate student at SUNY College at Buffalo pursuing a master’s degree in Criminal Justice. My interest in criminal justice began when I was about ten years old. I was born in Tanzania, located in east Africa. I grew up witnessing and hearing a lot of horrifying stories about mistreatment of people by the police. Growing up in such an environment made me terrified of police officers, the very same people who are supposed to make one feel safe. My uncle, who served on a police force in the city, helped me realize that not all police officers were bad or corrupted. I remember thinking that I wanted to be just like my uncle when I grew up.
In September of 2004, my family settled in Syracuse NY as refugees. About a month later, I started …show more content…
Witnessing police corruption influenced me to seek change. After learning the importance of just (fair and impartial) policing from my uncle, I knew from that moment that If I wanted change, I would have to fight for it. A very wise man once said “be the change you wish to see in the world.”Indeed, from that day forward I knew I would have to work hard if I was to influence change. In order to become a change agent I needed to develop leadership experiences and skills, In doing so, I joined various groups and organizations on campus and sought out leadership …show more content…
I acquired leadership skills such as patience, alertness, problem-solving, communication, and cultural competence. I was privileged to work with students from various backgrounds and became exposed to different cultures, learnings, and living styles. My volunteer experiences helped me feel connected to the Buffalo community in the process of making it a better place. I was also able to meet new people and form long lasting friendships. Through volunteer work with the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center, I discovered a new interest in painting. I learned how to paint houses and helped my cousin paint his family’s home in Syracuse. As a result of my campus involvement I have become a great leader and a role model to my peers. Along with my academic preparation, I have developed transferable skills that I believe will be valuable in my future career with the government.
I chose criminal justice as a major because of the department’s strong reputation for preparing students for leadership positions in criminal justice fields, especially in law enforcement. As a criminal justice student I learned that there is always three sides to a story, not two. There is person’s A version, person’s B version and the
In September of 2004, my family settled in Syracuse NY as refugees. About a month later, I started …show more content…
Witnessing police corruption influenced me to seek change. After learning the importance of just (fair and impartial) policing from my uncle, I knew from that moment that If I wanted change, I would have to fight for it. A very wise man once said “be the change you wish to see in the world.”Indeed, from that day forward I knew I would have to work hard if I was to influence change. In order to become a change agent I needed to develop leadership experiences and skills, In doing so, I joined various groups and organizations on campus and sought out leadership …show more content…
I acquired leadership skills such as patience, alertness, problem-solving, communication, and cultural competence. I was privileged to work with students from various backgrounds and became exposed to different cultures, learnings, and living styles. My volunteer experiences helped me feel connected to the Buffalo community in the process of making it a better place. I was also able to meet new people and form long lasting friendships. Through volunteer work with the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center, I discovered a new interest in painting. I learned how to paint houses and helped my cousin paint his family’s home in Syracuse. As a result of my campus involvement I have become a great leader and a role model to my peers. Along with my academic preparation, I have developed transferable skills that I believe will be valuable in my future career with the government.
I chose criminal justice as a major because of the department’s strong reputation for preparing students for leadership positions in criminal justice fields, especially in law enforcement. As a criminal justice student I learned that there is always three sides to a story, not two. There is person’s A version, person’s B version and the