CJES grad Jessica Morgan

Jessica Morgan

For Jessica Morgan, achieving her Associate’s degree in Criminal Justice and Emergency Services has an undeniable bittersweet taste.

One on hand, she has much to be proud of – a college degree, and an opportunity to pursue her dream of becoming a police officer. On the other hand, she truly enjoyed her time at SUNY Broome and didn’t want to leave.

“I wish I wasn’t done,” she admitted wistfully.

Morgan is a nominee for the Vanguard Award, which is administered by the New York State Nontraditional Employment & Training (NET) Program. The award goes to outstanding students in fields that are considered non-traditional for their gender.

“To me, it’s an honor,” she said of her nomination. “In this day and age, females can be police officers.”

In fact, many of her CJES classmates were women and she received support and encouragement from Professor Kerry Weber, the chair of the CJES program and a former police officer and detective. When Morgan came to SUNY Broome, she was initially nervous about pursuing her law enforcement dreams, but found both reassurance and solid advice from Weber and other professors.

Currently, Morgan is on the lookout for openings in local law enforcement agencies, hoping to lend a helping hand in the community she loves.

“I hope someone hires me! I like this area,” she said. “I’ve been here since I was 15 months old. I hate the cold, but I don’t want to leave.”

When it comes to her future career, she has a good foundation; many local law enforcement officers get their start at SUNY Broome, and the police academy recruits can often be seen jogging on campus or training on the obstacle course by the ballfield.

Jessica Morgan is proud to be a Hornet, and a part of the community.

“I loved the classes. I love all my professors. They genuinely cared about me wanting to be in the field I’m in,” she said.

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