All it took was an internship with the Raleigh Police Department that included several ride-alongs for Sierra Silvey to confirm she picked the right field.
Silvey had wanted to get into intelligence analysis since her junior year of high school.
Her four years at William Peace University confirmed that she picked the right career path and the education she received has prepared her for what’s next.
After graduation, Silvey will enroll in graduate school at Georgetown University, studying applied intelligence.
“My first introduction to criminal justice in a class at Peace solidified it for me,” Silvey said. “I’m probably going to go the Homeland Security route, just because that’s what I want to do in the long run.”
Silvey, a native of Danville, Va., recently completed an internship with the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) and credits that, along with her criminal justice courses and the opportunity to actively apply her knowledge into practice, as building blocks for what’s next at Georgetown.
“I think it has set me up well with the critical thinking aspects that I need for intelligence analysis,” Silvey said. “Especially critical thinking, problem-solving, and being able to look at things and analyze them differently.”
Silvey credits her Criminal Investigations II class with Professor Irma Alverez as a Peace experience that shaped her career trajectory. A push from Associate Professor of Political Science Elizabeth Kusko also helped.
“Sierra has impressive critical, analytical, and investigative thinking,” Kusko said. “She possesses true intellectual curiosity and the temperament, including patience and level-headedness, required in the field.”
Silvey’s immersive learning experience included doing ride-alongs over the summer with the Raleigh Police Department, where she saw much of what was discussed in class translated to reality. She also sat with intelligence and crime analysts with the RPD and observed them reviewing a case, giving her insight into the process.
“Student professional success is not just contingent upon the knowledge gained in the classroom, it’s also created by the internship requirement and experience gained in their professional fields,” Kusko added. “Experiencing real-world investigations and cases with RPD is invaluable to graduate school acceptance and eventual professional success.”
Journey at Peace
Silvey’s high school graduating class had fewer than 200 students, so the Peace community and its 12:1 faculty-student ratio were perfect for her.
As she prepares for the next step toward her professional goals, Silvey gives her full endorsement to any prospective Peace student based on her experiences here.
“The small classes, specifically, allow you to create a relationship with your professors,” Silvey said. “They are willing to help in any way possible.”
Silvey’s opportunities in and out of the classroom played a key role in her success at Peace.
“The immersive learning activities we do have helped me understand the material,” she said. “I think that my internship translated into real-world lessons you need.”
Silvey added that being heavily involved in extracurricular activities also shaped her time at Peace. When she first arrived, she was focused on sports (volleyball and lacrosse). In her second year, Silvey became involved in the Student Government and was an entertainment coordinator for the programming association.
On the surface, event planning and criminal justice majors aren’t typically related. Still, Silvey said the two worlds colliding helped with her time management and organizational skills.
She also plans Senior Week activities and serves as president of the Psychology Club. The support from her advisors at Peace has helped her balance it all.
“They’ve helped push me along this journey,” Silvey said. “ So many people here truly care about you and your success.”
Once she leaves campus, Kusko is certain Silvey will serve as the perfect ambassador for Peace.
“She embodies what we hope for in terms of growth in knowledge, but also, perhaps more importantly, growth in confidence and personhood,” Kusko said. “The growth in confidence is what every professor dreams of for all of their students – and once Sierra graduates and goes off to all the amazing accomplishments awaiting her, I hope she can see how far she’s come from her freshman year.”
Learn more about the Criminal Justice program at William Peace.
