Roundtable: DCS’s ROCKING Alternative-Academic (Alt-Ac) Series: Building Bridges between Traditional Academia and Alternative Academic Spaces

Session Submission Type: Roundtable Session

Abstract/Description

The world of careers outside of traditional academic spaces of which students can choose with a criminal justice PhD is growing. This alternative academic or “Alt-Ac” space is inherently academic as it is both theoretically thoughtful and methodologically rigorous. However, there are gaps in the knowledge, resources, and services faculty mentors and their departments provide to students who are interested in learning more about these Alt-Ac career spaces. Over the past year, the Division of Corrections and Sentencing (DCS) sponsored the “Alt-Ac Careers Workshop Series” dedicated to providing instructional information to students; curating resources, materials and support for students actively navigating these career spaces, and; building connections with practitioners with strong research backgrounds. This roundtable: 1) considers the lessons learned from the series; 2) spotlights practicing scholar’s experiences; 3) unpacks student experiences; 4) candidly discusses the system structures working against students interested in these spaces, and 5) offers recommendations for how the field of criminology may embrace and mentor students looking forward to Alt-Ac careers.

Sub Unit

• Area XII. Roundtables

Individual Presentations

• Hindsight is 20/20: Taking a retrospective look at entering Alt-Ac spaces - Marie Garcia, National Institute of Justice; Zachary Mark Drake, George Mason University / Thomson Reuters; Jennifer Lerch, Justice System Partners; Kyleigh Clark-Moorman, The Pew Charitable Trusts

• Follow the Yellow Brick Road: The pathways and skills of exceptional candidates in Alt Ac spaces - Maureen McGough, Policing Project at NYU Law

• Advocating for Your (student) Self: How departments can support Alt Ac bound students - Amber Petkus, The University of Cincinnati; Ashley Appleby, Rutgers University

• Talking about the elephant in the (class)room: systematic structures and processes deemphasizing AltAc student scholars - Danielle S. Rudes, George Mason University; Kimberly Kras, San Diego State University

• Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: Transforming Criminology into a Discipline Celebrating All Student Career Paths - Katherine Ginsburg Kempany, Oregon Department of Corrections; Shannon Magnuson, George Mason University / Justice Systems Partners