Investigating the CJSA
Posted on November 14, 2017
In our second week of Student Organization Showcase, we investigated (pun definitely intended) the Criminal Justice Student Association. These students come from all different disciplines, but they all have one thing in common: a love for the study of Criminal Justice.
For those who don’t know much about CJSA, the organization is part learning opportunity and part volunteering opportunity. Abby Elliott, the president of the organization, said:
“We as the CJSA focus on the community. We do a lot of volunteering for our community, Grand Valley, and surrounding communities, as well as fund-raise for the Thin Blue Line of Michigan. Our members hear from different people in the criminal justice fields and are trained on different aspects of the field for their resumes.”
Students do not need to be criminal justice majors to join the organization. Members come from all areas of studies. The only prerequisite to join? A love for criminal justice. Abby describes the organization as a tight-knit group that uses their shared interest to grow and make great connections in the community. It may seem like every organization has goals similar to this, but CJSA stands out by helping to expand its members’ resumes and different experiential skills. Most employers in criminal justice fields want to see prior experience, training, or even volunteering, and CJSA takes pride in the fact that they help their members become more competitive by providing a way for them to gain skills. These skills and volunteering opportunities still look great on any resume for any profession, even just as a conversation-starter!
Abby specifically joined CJSA her first year because she wanted to pursue an extracurricular activity that fit well with her chosen area of study. She remembered being warmly welcomed by all the e-board members. Because of this, she wanted to do the same for those who came after her, so she became risk manager her sophomore year. Junior year, she became president. She says she has been honored to serve and help CJSA members and is thrilled that she can help give new members the same fulfilling experience that she has had.
Contact Information
For anyone looking to get in contact with CJSA, they are available on Facebook (Grand Valley Criminal Justice Student Association), Twitter (@cjsa_gvsu), email ([email protected]), and of course, on LakerLink (Criminal Justice Student Association). They also meet every other Wednesday in LOH 164 at 9:10 p.m. The next few meetings are on November 15 and November 29. Feel free to stop by, as they are always open to new members and often have guest speakers who have no shortage of interesting stories!
Email [email protected] if you want your organization to be part of our Student Organization Showcase.