Immersive learning propels the criminal justice program at William Peace University

By Abbey Slattery, WRAL Digital Solutions

This article was written for our sponsor, William Peace University.

What does immersive learning look like in a criminal justice program?

At Raleigh’s William Peace University, it means conducting a surveillance operation on your professor without blowing your cover — while real-life law enforcement officials take notes on your performance.

“All the faculty here emphasize hands-on experiences. In Criminal Investigations, we have this end-of-semester project where we work with current or retired law enforcement and set up a whole fake drug deal,” said Dr. Elizabeth Kusko, DA, associate professor of political science and program director for criminal justice, political science and pre-law at WPU. “I drive around in a little green Kia, picking up the briefcase full of monopoly money. It’s very exaggerated, but the students get that practice in operations teams. They have walkie-talkies, they’re watching in the windows, they're on the park bench pretending to be on a date — they’re doing actual surveillance.”

Once the fake operation is over, the students receive a debriefing from the law enforcement officials helping with the project. Here, they get tips from a seasoned professional on how well they did, instances where they might have been compromised, red flags to look out for and more.

For Kusko, these hands-on experiences illustrate the emphasis the school puts on immersive, experiential learning. Since class sizes at WPU are smaller than most, students also get personalized feedback and any 1:1 help that they need — building connections with their professors in the process.

“We're really proud of what we've built here, and all of the students' success is why we do it. We have these students who come into our program and find their confidence and build these important relationships,” said Kusko. “Every time they do a simulation or engage in a debate, they're getting skills and knowledge, but most importantly, they're getting the confidence to go out and be successful.”

In addition to the mock surveillance, interrogations and investigations, WPU students are also required to complete an internship before graduating. Oftentimes, a faculty member like Kusko can consult their own connections to help students find opportunities that fit their skills and goals.

Criminal justice students at WPU have gone on to secure internships with the North Carolina Supreme Court, the United States Marshals, the NC SBI and more. In many cases, students then land jobs at the site of their internship — or at a company or agency of a similar caliber.

“We have students in law enforcement who, over the course of nine years, have been at all levels. Never in a million years did I think a small little school would place graduates in state and eventually federal agencies, but I’m so proud of that and our placements in all different types of agencies,” said Kusko. Our students are getting these jobs, they’re getting into these elite law schools, and I credit a lot of that to our immersive learning approach.”

Raleigh Police Department officer and WPU alumni Luis Reyes-Gomes credits his years in the program and his internship experience as laying a fundamental foundation for his future career.

“Sergeant Garcia from the RPD had come into class, and I already knew I wanted to join the department, so I ended up doing an internship there. I loved it, applied, and was honestly hired almost on the spot,” said Reyes-Gomes. “What the criminal justice program at William Peace helped me with is they offer a lot of psych classes for the program. In the field, you'll see people with different disorders or different disabilities, and I was able to reflect back on what I learned in class. Some people don't like stimuli or loud noises, so it has helped me understand and handle different situations. You see a lot of the things that you learned about while you’re in the field.”

Reyes-Gomes also appreciated the small class sizes, which allowed him to interact with and ask questions of his professors, even staying after class sometimes to go more in-depth on particular topics. That small size in addition to the location in the heart of Raleigh helped him make connections that he wouldn’t have otherwise made.

“Location helps out a lot, but also the interaction and the community within William Peace is so tight-knit. You can talk to anybody there, and they’ll be respectful and have a conversation, and they really want to educate people — you actually get to interact with probably 95% of the population there, and everybody gets to know everybody,” said Reyes-Gomes. “The school and professors are also in touch with so many agencies and people, so there are so many options for internships and careers. The school goes out of its way to help you engage with those people and jobs if that’s what you want to pursue.”

It’s not just careers in the Raleigh area, either — WPU graduates are finding success at agencies across the state and the country. Kusko has no shortage of success stories that she’s personally seen during her time at WPU.

“Our success stories speak for themselves. We have one student in particular who was from the middle of nowhere in North Carolina, and she wanted to work for the state department. She got this amazing state department internship, but she was going to have to go in the fall and work 40 hours. We wanted her to succeed so we worked with her to figure it out, so she was able to continue being a full-time student and get her financial aid, while also living with a family friend in Maryland and riding the metro into the city for her internship,” said Kusko. “Now, she is going to graduate in May from Johns Hopkins University with her master's and a guaranteed job.”

“That success is 99% her, but part of it is also our school and our culture,” she finished. “The faculty is committed to figuring these things out by taking what we know about our students and making connections that help them become successful.”

This article was written for our sponsor, William Peace University.