Nicole Sumberac, a criminal justice studies minor, learned the ins and outs of the criminal justice system while working at a New York defense attorney's office.
Many criminal justice studies students opt to pursue internships that provide exposure to professions in the field, including careers in law enforcement, the legal system, crime data analysis, clinical settings and more. This feature highlights the internships of criminal justice studies minors.
Criminal Justice Studies minor Nicole Sumberac ’20 worked at Talkin, Muccigrosso, & Roberts, LLP, a criminal defense attorney’s office in New York City. Her internship was advised by Rena Zito, assistant professor in sociology and coordinator of the CJS program.
About her experience, Sumberac says:
“My criminal justice courses sparked my interest in learning about the criminal justice system. During my summer internship at Talkin, Muccigrosso, & Roberts, LLP in New York City, I observed the work of a criminal defense attorney firsthand. I aided in case preparation, observed interviews, and obtained relevant documents. Being exposed to a multitude of court agencies, I was able to learn the true nature of many jobs within the court system.
“The most valuable aspect of my internship was my attendance at various court proceedings, in almost every court in the New York metropolitan area at both the state and federal level, and meetings in jail. Listening to the viewpoints of the parties involved in various cases, from the lawyers, to the defendants, the victims, and the judges, made me appreciate the complexity of the system. The system moves slowly as everyone is trying to ensure that it is a fair process for the people involved.
“This internship gave me an understanding of New York’s court systems that I would never have acquired by merely reading about them. This internship provided me with the experiences necessary to assess the various paths I have the option of pursuing post-graduation.”
Are you a criminal justice studies minor hoping to pursue an internship in a related field? Contact Robin Karmarek, director of internships at rkazmarek@elon.edu or (336) 278-6541.
Are you a criminal justice studies minor who would like to have your recent or ongoing criminal justice studies-related internship highlighted in this feature? Contact Rena Zito, coordinator of the Criminal Justice Studies program, at rzito@elon.edu.