Success Stories Department of Criminal Justice and Intelligence Studies Alumni and Students
In the profiles below, meet undergraduate and graduate alumni and students from our programs in criminal justice, intelligence and national security, forensic science and intelligence and global security.
Our alumni and students talk about why they chose Point Park University and how earning or pursuing a degree is helping them reach their career goals.
Allison Mullin
B.S. in Criminal Justice with a minor in Social Justice Studies, 2023
"he connections and resources that Point Park offers are helping me prepare for my career. The faculty, especially the criminal justice professors, have real-life experience and often share those experiences with students."
Justin Stengel
B.S. in Criminal Justice, 2021
Patrolman, Findlay Township Police Department
"I would recommend Point Park to a prospective student because of its distinctive learning opportunities. Point Park’s small class sizes and experienced professors set you up with a unique chance to gain an excellent comprehension of your field before you even begin your career. By choosing Point Park, you set yourself up to be successful in your chosen field."
Nicole Merrick
B.S. in Intelligence and National Security, 2016
M.A. in Intelligence and Global Security, 2017
Police Officer, Peters Township Police Department
"There is so much value in Point Park’s criminal justice and intelligence programs. The subject matter is comprehensive, relevant and captivating. The faculty have a wide range of career backgrounds, from working in field operations to being highly-educated scholars."
Michael Cruse
M.S. in Criminal Justice Administration, 2020
Clinical supervisor, jail diversion, Columbia Community Mental Health
"At Point Park, I learned how to manage multiple projects, conduct research and analyze data, utilize history to assist in making decisions and a great deal about the criminal justice system in Pennsylvania."
Frederick Livingston
B.S. in Criminal Justice, 2015
M.S. in Criminal Justice Administration, 2018
Police Officer, Edgewood Borough Police Department
"The personal and professional hands-on approach by the professors at Point Park University inspired me the most to enroll in both the B.S. in criminal justice and M.S. in criminal justice administration programs."
Raniah Al-Bayati
B.S. in Forensic Science, 2020
General dentistry and oral surgery assistant volunteer, Catholic Charities Free Health Care Center
"I love the location of the University and its dynamic urban setting. Point Park is located in Downtown Pittsburgh, and that gives it a different vibe from other schools that just have rolling green campuses."
Andrew Gall
B.S. in Criminal Justice, 2007
Chief of Detectives, Beaver County District Attorney's Office
"Point Park's criminal justice program put me on the right path to get where I am now ... I enjoyed all of the faculty members I studied under. They were a great cross section of professionals and all of them wanted us to succeed. I look back at my time at Point Park with fond memories."
Maxwell Namey
B.S. in Forensic Science, 2019
Laboratory Operations Intern, Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office
"The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office has an internship program for each semester in which they take seven interns — and three out of the seven are Point Park students … They pick one intern for each of the labs and three for the autopsy department. I was lucky enough to be chosen for the biology lab."
Gillian Stinson, Jordan Cook-Henry & Mindy Vivio
B.S. in Forensic Science, 2019
Public Safety Aides, Ocean City Police Department
Gillian Stinson, Jordan Cook-Henry and Mindy Vivio are making the summer before their senior year a memorable — and productive one — by working as public safety aides for the Ocean City Police Department.
Alex Pochiba
B.S. in Forensic Science, 2017
Drug Chemistry Scientist Intern, Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Officer
"My internship with the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office is a dream. It is one of the main reasons I chose Point Park - because of the connections my advisor has with the office as well as its close vicinity to campus."
Leanna Brooks
B.S. in Forensic Science and Biological Sciences, 2017
Autopsy/Investigations Intern, Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Officer
"During my internship, I learned how to perform an autopsy and how to properly handle evidence by going to death scenes. Both my experience at my internship and my education at Point Park University have prepared me for a career in forensic science."
Ryan Howley
B.S. in Intelligence and National Security, 2014
Facility Security Officer, Software Engineering Institute of Carnegie Mellon University
"The intelligence and national security courses introduced me to the various elements of the intelligence and defense communities that you need to be familiar with in this type of work. Identifying threats and security vulnerabilities is an essential skill and many of my classes in intel helped me to develop the critical thinking skills needed to do that."
Michael Hansom
B.S. in Criminal Justice, 2016
American Disabilities Act Compliance Intern for the Pittsburgh Department of City Planning
"One particular class that really helped me with this internship would be the Corrections, Probation and Parole course with Professor Trudy Avery. Ms. Avery was actually one of the main reasons I applied for this internship."
Andrew LeDonne
B.S. in Intelligence and National Security, 2015
Point Park's 2015 Outstanding Student Leader
"Only a few colleges in the country offer an intelligence and national security program like Point Park does. At the time I was looking at colleges, a friend of mine was enrolled in the program and recommended it to me. I also liked that it was close to home."
Daniel Mikulan
B.S. in Intelligence and National Security, 2013
Cyber Intrustion Analyst, PNC Financial Services
"The intelligence and national security program consisted of veterans from all branches of the military and even those actively serving in the reserves. Some of the professors have decades of experience working within the intelligence community and it was their pre-9/11 knowledge that influenced me the most. It helped me understand why things were the way they were during my post-9/11 service."
Matt Coleman
B.S. in Forensic Science, 2014
Forensic Investigator Intern, Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office
"What I like most about Point Park are the small class sizes. I prefer classes where your professor actually knows your name and you are not just a number in a class of 250. In smaller classes, you can have debates and intelligent one-on-one conversations with both professors and fellow students."
Jeffrey Gurski
B.S. in Intelligence and National Security, 2012
Working within the National Intelligence Community
"When I came upon the intelligence and national security program at Point Park and looked at the courses I needed to take, I was sold. It was the only way I would leave the Marines and go to school. I have a deep passion for the field."
"The intelligence and national security program is very unique in that our professors have such a deep background working in the intelligence community. Students are not only learning book material but can learn and absorb information and scenarios that our professors have gone through in their careers as intelligence professionals."
Barbara Arroyo
B.S. in Intelligence and National Security, 2010
M.S. in Criminal Justice Administration, 2011
Investigator, City of Pittsburgh Office of Municipal Investigations
"The criminal justice and intelligence studies professors were very professional, responsive and hands-on with their students, which I really appreciated. They were critical but in a good way. If you were slacking, they would call you out on it. They knew my classmates and I on an individual basis and pushed each one of us to do our very best."
Taneka Davis
B.S. in Criminal Justice, 2010
Adult Probation Officer, The Judicial Branch of Arizona - Maricopa County
"I enjoyed the talented professors at Point Park and how they were willing to help you with projects and took on a true hands-on approach. They were very nurturing so you never felt like you were just a number in a classroom."
"Point Park is a really phenomenal school. Life has not been easy for me but my experiences have built my character. Many of the classes at Point Park have been therapeutic and have helped me with where I want to go in the future."
Graduate
Chelsey Driskel
M.A. in Intelligence and Global Security, 2018
Government Contracts Specialist, WESCO International, Inc.
"My graduate studies in intelligence and global security have given me more insight into how the United States government operates and does business, and, in my current role, I use both of those skill sets every day."
Annie Fiffick
M.S. in Criminal Justice Administration, 2016
Food Pantry Director, Community Health Services
"By gaining further understanding on the importance of the community through my education, I ultimately have been able to grow to be a better neighbor and to make an impact in the city I hold dear to my heart."
Eric Holmes
M.S. in Criminal Justice Administration, 2018
Commander and Chief of Staff, City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police
"I have been able to use the knowledge that I gained attending Point Park University in every aspect of my professional career from policy and organizational administration to ethics and economics. Each subject was timely and relevant to my daily job duties of being a member of the command staff with the Pittsburgh Police."
Alethia Bush
M.S. in Criminal Justice Administration, 2011
Founder, The Center for Successful Reentry, case manager/outreach coordinator, Pittsburgh A. Philip Randolph Institute
"Point Park University provided me with the moral support, research and critical thinking skills I needed to explore and pursue my academic interests. During my time at Point Park, my concentration of graduate study was on reentry, recidivism and women in the criminal justice system."
Scott Schubert
M.S. in Criminal Justice Administration, 2010
B.S. in Law Enforcement, 2007
Police Chief, City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police
"I chose Point Park for both degrees because I loved the convenience of being Downtown, going to class on Saturdays and the structure of the programs. The University just had so much to offer and everyone at Point Park went out of their way to help me. Also, to watch how the University was growing was pretty cool."
JoAnn McDaniel-Chinn
M.S. in Criminal Justice Administration, 2013
B.S. in Criminal Justice, 2010
Corporate Compliance Manager, MDLIVE, Inc.
"What led me to choose Point Park for my undergraduate and graduate education were the small classroom sizes and the availability of Saturday classes. Additionally, the courses in offered in the Department of Criminal Justice and Intelligence Studies were applicable to my career interests."
Rick Moody
M.S. in Criminal Justice Administration, 2013
Clinical Outpatient Supervisor, Pittsburgh Mercy
"My graduate degree in criminal justice administration has helped me understand human services administration and study in depth about the criminalization of mental illness, which happens a lot due to a myriad of circumstances. Also, I learned about diversion and specialty courts (such as mental health court and veterans court) in the graduate program, which is something I have participated in during my career."
Natasha Williams
M.A. in Intelligence and Global Security, 2014
Global Security Intern, Mylan, Inc.
"I chose graduate school at Point Park for several reasons. The global security and intelligence program is different from the usual criminal justice or criminology graduate programs. Point Park is one of the only universities that has a graduate major in intelligence and global security. Also, the idea of a one-year graduate program was very appealing to me and of course the location of Point Park's campus in Downtown Pittsburgh was a great benefit as well."
Chris Ingram
B.S. in Criminal Justice, 2006
M.S. in Criminal Justice Administration, 2007
Director of the Extended Care Division, Gateway Rehab
"Earning a bachelor's and master's degree from Point Park has helped me with career advancement. I have also been able to apply the administrative skills I learned in class in my role as director of the Extended Care Division."
"Overall, I enjoyed the learning process and interaction with my peers and professors. I would encourage anyone wanting a career in criminal justice to look at Point Park University."
Maurita Byrant
B.S. in Law Enforcement, 2006
M.S. in Criminal Justice Administration, 2007
Assistant Chief, City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police
Bryant oversees the City of Pittsburgh's police operations branch, with six commanders and 579 officers under her charge, including the SWAT unit. She also was appointed president National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.
"When I look back on my life and think of things that happened or situations where I could have really gone down the wrong path, I feel something led me on the right path. I think I was meant to be a police officer."
Daniel Meinert
M.S. in Criminal Justice Administration, 2007
Securities Investigator, Pennsylvania Securities Commission, Division of Enforcement, Litigation, and Compliance
"When I retired as lieutenant/district commander, I wanted to continue working and believed a master's degree would make me stand out from other applicants. I chose Point Park's accelerated criminal justice administration program because it was offered every Saturday and I could complete it in one year. Also, I knew graduates before me who really enjoyed the program."
"If you want to position yourself for career advancement, I highly recommend a graduate degree in this field. Having a master's degree has opened many opportunities for me and given me the ability to be more selective when it came time to choose a new career."