Hannah Hackett ’25 will be finishing up her time at URI in the spring and is looking forward to the next steps in her criminal justice career. 

What made you choose URI?
I chose URI because I thought the campus was beautiful and felt very welcoming. I saw they had a great criminal justice program that pushed me to choose this school.

How did you decide to major in criminal justice?
Criminal justice has always been something I’ve been interested in since I was young. I grew up with a family working in that world and have always been intrigued by law and criminal law.

What are you most excited about graduating and what are your career goals?
I am really excited to graduate so I can move forward with my criminal justice career. I would love to be involved in a government-affiliated job. I am still figuring out the specifics.

How has your experience been in the criminal justice program at URI? Do you have any favorite classes or professors that made an impact on you?
My professor Brittany Martin is a phenomenal teacher. I am in her CCJ 400 course and I find that she gets her students engaged and interested and I really enjoy the environment in her class. She has made me develop my interest in criminal justice topics further. I also took gender and women’s studies (GWS) 365, a course on sexual violence, and I found it incredibly important. It’s a subject that everyone should consider studying, as it addresses critical issues that affect society. It was eye-opening and really relevant to my future work in criminal justice.

Do you have any advice for incoming students considering a major in criminal justice?
I’d say to get involved as much as possible, join clubs, attend events, and engage with your professors. Building a network early on can really help you find your path in this field. Also, keep an open mind; there are many different career paths within criminal justice, and exploring them can lead you to different opportunities.