Reflection
Connection of my time in honors with my goals in the future
HON-H 496:
Retrospective Reflection Introduction
My retrospective reflection goes to explain who I was in the beginning of my educational journey, who I have become, and who I plan to be in the future. Through this reflection, I will highlight the experiences I have gained as an honors student that have made me the blossoming academic I am today. My work with honors, criminal justice, and psychology have allowed me to explore various topics and career fields while applying those to what I have learned during my time in undergrad. I have refined my qualities of good work ethic and ambition through my time with the honors college. I learned how to work efficiently with others to create products that can showcase my learning and knowledge. Finally, I expanded my capabilities in communication with higher ups and peers while fine tuning my skills in research.
Growth in Analyzing Criminal Justice
Analysis of policing in Training Day:​
Spring 2023
Summary: This paper was written as a way to analyze the type of policing seen in the film Training Day. The task was to watch the film, summarize the plot, and find prominent criminal justice themes that connected to the course SPEA-J 101 or American Criminal Justice System.
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Skills gained: I was able to gain skills in observation. I expanded my ability in analyzing the actions of law enforcement in the criminal justice system in the United States.
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Connection to future career goals: This was my first ever course about criminal justice. It opened my eyes to new pathways for my future. This began my passion and interest in the criminal justice system as a whole that I would continue throughout undergrad.
Honors Projects: Policing and Courts
Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Spring 2025​
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Summary: These three projects, the first two can be viewed through the Honors Projects page or HON-H 496 page, have allowed me to research and have first person experience with careers in various fields in the criminal justice system. These career options include law enforcement officers, public defenders/prosecutors, and judges.
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Skills gained: I gained skills in participant observation research methods. These skills expanded into more efficient note taking and journaling following an experience.
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Connection to future career goals: Doing this type of research gave me more experience to weigh my future options. I was able to see what a day looks like for a person in each career. This allowed me to truly understand what each career path entails and what would work best for me and my future goals.
Connections Between Criminal Justice and Psychology
Honors Project: Substance Abuse in the Prison System
Fall 2024
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Summary: One of the first projects I did to connect my major of psychology with my interests in the criminal justice field was an honors contract int he course PSY-B 396 Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. This project was over substance abuse in prisons. It allowed me to conduct personal research using past studies. I used that research to make connections to what is happening in prisons today with the information I learned in class from the psychological perspective.
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Skills gained: The main skill I gained was furthering my skills in research. I used scholarly sources and articles that focused on studies done scientifically. This allowed me to familiarize myself further with researching and understanding how to read a scientific source.
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Connection to future career goals: This project connected to my future goals as it allowed me to connect both my passions in academics of criminal justice and psychology. I was able to analyze the prison system through the eyes of a psychologist.
Capstone Project: Mental Healthcare in Prisons
Spring 2025​
Summary: The capstone course is my final project in undergrad for psychology completed as a requirement for graduation. I was able to choose the topic for my group, which was researching mental healthcare in prisons. Our goal was to look at the prison system from a psychologists perspective in order to find methods that will make the dealing with mental health disorders more efficient and person forward. This allowed me to end my undergraduate career with a final project connecting criminal justice and psychology.
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Skills gained: I was able to further my skills in conducting personal research as well as writing a research paper. The extensive research and writing allowed me to expand and finetune these skills with the help of guidance from my professor and teaching assistants. ​​
Connection to future career goals: This project connects to my future goals because of its use of research to connect criminal justice and psychology. While the main focus is on the prison system, the point of the project is to see these issues as a psychology major with the knowledge I have gained over the years. This allowed me to see the prison system in a specific way that I can carry into my future.
Conclusion
My experience as an honors student has allowed me to broaden my horizons in academics in ways I could have never imagined when coming to college. I have gained skills in various areas including research, communication, and writing. I have been able to network with those whose careers I admire. I have been able to connect with individuals who have helped me grow into my confidence and abilities as an academic. Overall, the honors program helped me show my work ethic and only further my ambition as a student and future employee.