Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE-Joell Schigur, an agent with the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ), spoke to a packed room of University of Wisconsin-Platteville students on Dec. 6. Schigur was invited by the UWP Criminal Justice Association to speak about internship programs, career opportunities and DOJ operations.

Schigur gave an overview of the DOJ and shared a glimpse of her life as a special agent in charge of the Investigative Services Bureau, particularly the computer crimes and Internet crimes against children units. Following the overview, she offered tips on career opportunities and interviewing techniques. "Whenever you are interviewed, particularly right out of college, you should have a three pronged answer to every question: explain what you have learned, what your hands-on experience is, and how you will put those concepts and experiences to work for the potential employer. People will also be looking at your flair and your fire - what's your confidence level and where's your passion?" she asked the group.

During the question and answer period, Schigur suggested that those students interested in getting involved in the field of computer forensics should take basic computer courses for overall understanding, but to also be aware of coming technologies. As an example, she narrated stories of accused criminals who were tracked down using cell phone technology and said that technique is becoming particularly effective. However, she pointed out that, in her own college experience, every course she took played a role in enhancing her skills and preparing for life as a law enforcement officer. "Later, when I began to do undercover work, I was really thankful for those drama courses I took. My computer-aided drawing (CAD) class helped me to look at problems from many different angles, dissect every side, and ask 'what is the best strategy here?' And I write many reports in my job, so I'm very glad I was able to get good training and practical experience in my English courses. You should make the most of every course you're in and keep track of the skills you're gaining in those areas," she said.

Jocelyn Dawson, a senior majoring in criminal justice and history, said she found the talk very informative. "The general information she gave was helpful about the kind of training to get and the different areas where one can find employment. I didn't know all that much about computer-facilitated crime, so it was very informational. I was really excited to hear about the internship opportunities with the Wisconsin DOJ. Criminal investigation absolutely fascinates me, and if I could get a jump on that through an internship, it would be fantastic," she said.

Joe Lomax, chair of the UWP Department of Criminal Justice, said speakers like Schigur allow students to interact first-hand with CJ practitioners and gain insight by hearing from people with valuable experience and expertise in a wide variety of criminal justice fields. It also, he said, promotes ongoing relationships with many local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Increasingly, students are choosing UW-Platteville's criminal justice program, in part, because of the quality and quantity of internship opportunities the department has developed. Anyone interested in learning more about the UWP Criminal Justice Association or the programs of the UW-Platteville Department of Criminal Justice may contact Lomax, at (608) 342-1621.

Contact: Joe Lomax, chair, Department of Criminal Justice, (608) 342-1621,lomaxj@uwplatt.edu

Prepared By: Evelyn Martens, UWP Public Relations, (608) 342-1194,martense@uwplatt.edu