[Contemplating Careers-- Criminologist]

SPEAKER: I took a pretty nontraditional pathto get to where I am today, and I wouldn't change a bit.I'm a community college graduate.I then continued my education in Houston, Texas.I worked my way through school, so I really understandstudents who are doing this.It's not easy, but it can be done.I found that I actually enjoyed learning

SPEAKER [continued]: and ended up with a PhD.I call myself an "accidental PhD."Upon finishing my PhD, I found a positionat the Department of Justice dealing with big data--the National Crime Victimization Survey.And it looked like a great job.And I applied, and I got it.And it changed my trajectory in life.One individual who I really credit with changing my life--

SPEAKER [continued]: and without one brief interaction,I wouldn't be sitting here today--his name is Dr. Jon Lorence.He's at the University of Houston in the SociologyDepartment.And he was a professor and who I took my first Methods and Statscourses from.And I found that I loved it.And I loved his dry sense of humor.And as I was finishing my bachelor's degree,he asked me one day, what are you going

SPEAKER [continued]: to do once you get your degree?And coming from my background, I answered what we all say.It's like, I'll try to get a better job.And he simply said I would be wasting my talents if I didn'tconsider graduate school.And until that moment, I never thoughtof myself going to graduate school,because somebody growing up the way that I grew upand having to work my way through school--

SPEAKER [continued]: we didn't think about graduate school.And that simple statement to me changed my life.I went to graduate school and I got a PhD.I ended up at the Department of Justice and then in academia.And every day I work with students,I think about what he said.And I try to encourage other students who are on pathslike I was to go for it.