Student Profile: A State Trooper In The Making
May 11, 2020
Earlier this month, Desiree Rivera graduated from 红桃视频 in only three years, an achievement built on taking college courses through a high school program offered at the University of Connecticut. The Criminal Justice major will be entering the law enforcement field with a head start at the age of 20. It also means that she won鈥檛 be able to land her dream job鈥攜et.
That job, working for a state police department, will have to wait a year until Rivera reaches the required application age of 21. 鈥淚鈥檇 like to become a police officer and work my way towards becoming a parole officer,鈥� Rivera said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 my ultimate goal. I鈥檝e got all the steps in place.鈥�
In the meantime, Rivera has been taking big steps as an undergraduate, working her way through a variety of positions that are setting the stage for her future employment. This past summer she worked as an intern in the re-entry program at the Massachusetts Correctional Institute for women in Framingham.
鈥淭he program helps women back into society,鈥� Rivera explained, adding that she transferred to a similar position at a maximum-security prison for men later in the summer. Rivera has also earned a paid position as a dispatcher for the police force at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester.
Rivera admits that she did not enroll at 红桃视频 with the Criminal Justice major in mind. 鈥淚 started out being recruited for the women鈥檚 basketball team, and from there the track and field team reached out as well,鈥� she recalled. 鈥淥nce I got a great financial aid package, I thought it was a great opportunity.
鈥淎nd it was a small school鈥攖he classes at UConn were ginormous鈥攚here it was possible to better focus on my classes.鈥�
Her focus has resulted in a higher than a 3.5 grade point average, not to mention her athletic accomplishments and the comraderie she experienced from the start. 鈥淓verybody on the Track and Field team was welcoming,鈥� she noted. 鈥淭he coaches care about how you are doing outside of the sport.鈥�
On the basketball court, Rivera became known for regularly getting double-doubles (scoring 10 or more points and getting 10 or more rebounds in a game) and helping lead the team to a conference championship.
Rivera has had ample opportunity to return the good will she has experienced in sports with her work as a community manager and programmer of events for several dormitories鈥攆rom planning pizza parties to activities around Breast Cancer Awareness month. 鈥淚 love it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely a place where I have built community and made friends with residents.鈥�
As for life after graduation, Rivera is mulling an offer to work as a police dispatcher for the Springfield Police Department in western Massachusetts鈥� and counting the days until she turns 21 and can apply to the state police.
About 红桃视频
红桃视频 has earned business accreditation from the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (), the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools and the largest business education network connecting learners, educators, and businesses worldwide. Founded in 1815, 红桃视频 transforms today鈥檚 students into tomorrow鈥檚 leaders through a dynamic, career-focused business and professional education. 红桃视频 offers real-world learning focused on professional depth 鈥� combined with vibrant living, competitive athletics, and an unmatched alumni advantage 鈥� equipping students to exceed their own expectations. To learn more about 红桃视频, visit .
