What is your background?: I grew up in Marion, Iowa and went to Marion High School. I have one younger sister of nearly two years and no pets of my own. I graduated from Marion in 2017 and left for the United States Marine Corps the summer after I finished high school. I served four years in the Marines as a Reconnaissance Marine and was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. I have traveled all over the States, as well as mainland Japan and Guam. Leaving for the Marines was an incredible experience for myself and my family and I’m very proud of the friendships I made.
What brought you to Kirkwood and why?: I came to Kirkwood because I wasn’t completely sure what I wanted to do when I was getting out of the Marine Corps. I decided to continue my education and was looking at community colleges in the area, so I could ease back into student life after being out of it for four years. I chose Kirkwood because of the location, and I knew many people that either went to Kirkwood or worked at Kirkwood and had always heard good things. The advisors for both my major and the veteran’s representative made it incredibly easy to sign up for classes and navigate the campus.
What is your program of study and what interests you about it?: I am pursuing a degree in criminal justice because I come from a law enforcement family and have always had interest in the field. I am planning on finishing my associate degree after this semester (Fall 2022) and applying to federal agencies. I have multiple members of my family that are currently in the police force in the area, and I wanted to do something similar but at a higher level. Federal law enforcement is where I have decided I want to land and having a better understanding of the criminal justice system felt like a good route to go.
Are you involved in anything else on campus? If so, what and why?: I am not currently involved in any campus-related activities. I keep myself busy outside of class, and just have not researched into many of the things on campus that may interest me. I think Kirkwood does a great job of offering a lot of opportunities for students to try new things, I just never took the time to pursue them myself unfortunately.
Are you involved in anything off of campus?: Off campus I work a part-time job at an outfitter store that sells firearms, some camping equipment, and ammunition. I also participate in an internship with the United States Marshal Service. These two positions fill up my schedule six days out of the week and then I’m active in a church that I have been a part of for the last five years. My internship with the Marshal Service has been an incredible experience, and that is the agency I am applying with. Not a lot of people know very much about the Marshal service, including me, and this internship has allowed me to get a sneak peek into some of the work they do.
What do you do for fun?: I am a little bit of a thrill seeker. My number one hobby is riding dirt bikes. I am an enduro style rider, so I prefer technical trails over racetracks. I have ridden in a few places across the country as well as raced in a couple hare-scrambles (woods racing). I also maintain a skydiving and scuba diving license from being in the Marines and I love skydiving. I have approximately 30 jumps overall and am planning to increase that number for many years to come. I recommend skydiving to most people I meet because it is one the most incredible sensory overloads someone can experience.
Where do you see yourself in five years?: In five years, I am planning on working for the Marshal Service. I can’t guess where I’ll be working or living, the federal government does a good job of keeping you on your toes. I have built a lot of good relationships with the Northern Iowa district through my internship and have found what I want to do. The hiring process takes approximately two years to complete which does not include a four-month long academy. Hopefully in five years, everything goes to plan, and I’ll be a Deputy US Marshal doing what I have dreamed to doing.