Sometimes there is one professor who opens your eyes to new possibilities, or a course that stays with you and sets you on the path to your future career.
For Faith Martinez, that inspiration came from Criminal Justice Professor Leigh Martindale. “It was in her juvenile justice and criminology classes that I realized what I wanted to do,” said Faith, who will graduate from SUNY Broome this May with a degree in Individual Studies.
Long-term, she wants to become either a criminologist – analyzing the patterns behind crime, and learning how to predict and prevent criminal behavior – or a juvenile therapist, helping set young offenders on a better course.
“It’s giving them another chance, and it could change their future,” she said of the latter career option.
Learn about Individual Studies at SUNY Broome.
Individual Studies allowed her to customize her major, and take a broader perspective in her field. She will transfer this fall into the University at Albany’s College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity.
Learn more about seamless transfer.
An Oneonta native, Faith chose SUNY Broome because she could get the full college experience as a residential student – and still be relatively close to home. A resident assistant at the Student Village, she helps plan the many lively events that make the residence hall a fun and exciting place to live – including salsa dancing, karaoke and a game-show that challenges her peers to prove that they’re smarter than a fifth-grader.
“It involved helping others, which is what I want to do. It’s dealing with people from different backgrounds and environments, which will be useful in my career,” she said of her decision to join residence life staff.
Learn about SUNY Broome’s Student Village.
Overall, she described her SUNY Broome experience as “fun and eye-opening,” and good preparation for the next chapter in her educational and career journey.
“It’s taught me things about people and myself as a person, now that I’m on my own,” she said.
