UMPI Class of 2017 (Jan) Associates in Criminal Justice, (Dec) Bachelors in Criminal Justice

Kyle’s relationship with UMPI began before his first day on campus.  Taking classes at the Caribou Technology Center while a student at Presque Isle High School, he was able to receive credit toward his UMPI degree while learning from Reed Nonken, an adjunct professor at UMPI.  With Reed’s recommendation, as well as advice from his brother Kevin (CJ ’08) Kyle knew that UMPI would be a good fit. UMPI would also be close to home allowing him to work full time at the grocery store just down the hill from UMPI’s campus

The cornerstone of Kyle’s experience was his relationships with faculty Lisa Leduc and Lorne Gibson. He enjoyed getting to know his professors as the same teaching team follows you throughout the criminal justice program.   This, along with small class sizes, supports the development of close relationships with professors and peers. He felt free to ask questions and have open discussions, which might not have been the case in larger learning environments, with no fear of being the one “not getting it.”  Originally only intending to complete an associates degree, Kyle credits his professor Lisa Leduc with encouraging him to finish the four-year bachelor’s degree.

Another crucial component to a UMPI education is real-world experiences. The Law Enforcement Pre-Service (LEPS) course, more commonly referred to as the 200-hour course, provided vital hands-on experience.  Through 200 hours of classroom instruction and field experience with criminal justice professionals at local law enforcement agencies, students gain crucial insights into the day-to-day operations of practicing law enforcement professionals.  Building off of the relationships he established during the 200-hour course, Kyle was hired as a reserve officer with the Limestone Police Department.

Kyle credits the quality of his education at UMPI for being able to join the workforce directly after graduating. Following completion of his bachelor’s degree in December 2017, Kyle received a job offer with the United States Border Patrol and reported for duty on January 24, 2018.  With his BA in Criminal Justice in hand, Kyle entered the Border Patrol Academy with a solid foundation in constitutional law, criminology, and valuable real-world experience.

“I encourage CJ majors interested in the border patrol to stick it out and finish their four-year degree.  Aside from starting at a higher wage-band, delving into constitutional law, criminology, and the extra field experience directly benefited my work at the academy. I felt I was a step ahead having completed my four-year degree at UMPI.”