Criminal Justice and Intelligence Majors Help Soldiers with Outdoor Training Exercise Friday, December 11, 2015

Instructor Sean Elliott Martin, Ph.D., (back row, far left), and Point Park students are pictured with soldiers of the 303rd Army Reserves Psychological Operations Unit.

Undergraduate students in the criminal justice and intelligence and national security programs at Point Park University helped soldiers of the 303rd Psychological Operations Unit of the U.S. Army Reserves in a nine-hour training exercise to prepare them for deployment overseas.

"Captain Michael Schwille and his soldiers expressed their gratitude to the Point Park students for providing such excellent training assistance," said Sean Elliott Martin, Ph.D., instructor of criminal justice and intelligence studies at Point Park, who accompanied the students on the Nov. 21 trip to a U.S. Army Reserves outdoor training facility in Weirton, W.Va.

"This was a great opportunity to gain relevant experience, help out the Army and boost my resume," remarked Meghal Sample, a junior intelligence and national security major.

Senior criminal justice major Amar Shiwlochan also decided to participate in the training exercise to enhance his resume. "Additionally, a good friend of mine is actually a part of the Army Reserves Unit we worked with," said Shiwlochan.

Nicole Merrick, senior intelligence and national security major and president of the Criminal Justice Club, volunteered to help with the training because "the military sacrifices everything to protect us so it was the least I could do."

"As intel students, we learn to analyze information in order to transform it into useful intelligence. This exercise gave us the opportunity to see first hand how soldiers are collecting information that is received," explained Merrick.

According to Martin, the Department of Criminal Justice and Intelligence Studies, is spearheading a new model of collaboration between Point Park and various U.S. military branches.

"Exercises like this help our students gain great experiences and connections with the military," said Martin.

When asked why he chose Point Park, Sample replied: "Point Park is one of the only schools in the nation with an intelligence program. As a Pittsburgh native, it was a natural fit."

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