The Criminal Justice Association
The Criminal Justice Association (CJA) is a student organization at Marshall University. The benefits of membership include:
- Opportunities to network with other CJ students and faculty
- Eligibility for CJ specific scholarships
- Social and professional networking
- Resume building
- Leadership and community service opportunities
- If you are a CJA member and in the future are invited to join APS (see below), your membership in CJA will automatically be included with no additional membership dues
The objective of the Criminal Justice Association is to develop leaders who will promote positive change in the criminal justice system and in their communities.
Membership in the CJA is open to any Criminal Justice major or minor with at least a 2.0 GPA (Officers must have at least a 2.25 GPA).
Members are expected to attend meetings, participate in events, and assist with community service projects. Members also have opportunities to attend local or regional conferences, where they can compete for knowledge and skill-based awards and network with criminal justice professionals.
For more information about joining the Criminal Justice Association, please email one of the co-advisors, Dr. Wendy Perkins (perkinsw@marshall.edu) or Dr. Kim DeTardo-Bora (detardobora@marshall.edu). Membership applications are located outside the Criminal Justice Graduate Assistant office (Smith Hall 423).
Alpha Phi Sigma (Omega Gamma Chapter)
Alpha Phi Sigma (APS) was founded in 1942 and is the National Criminal Justice Honor Society. The objectives of the national honor society are as follows:
- Honor and promote academic excellence, service, leadership, and unity.
- Promote analytical thinking, rigorous scholarships and lifelong learning.
- Elevate the ethical standards of the criminal justice profession.
- Sustain in the public mind the benefit and necessity of education and professional training.
- Assist in the development of professional and personal leadership among students and practitioners.
- Provide opportunities of service to the community and the profession.
- Promote high standards of ethical conduct, professional training, and higher education within the criminal justice field.
The Omega Gamma Chapter of APS is a recognized student organization at Marshall University and is housed in Criminal Justice and Criminology. The goal of the Omega Gamma Chapter is to honor and promote academic excellence, service, leadership, and unity.
Since Alpha Phi Sigma is an honor society, students who qualify are invited to join the group. Requirements for undergraduate membership include: a minimum 3.2 undergraduate GPA overall and in the major, are ranked in the top 35% of their class, completion of at least four criminal justice courses, and completion of at least three semesters of coursework. Graduate students qualify who have a completed four courses in the discipline, have a minimum 3.4 GPA, and rank in the upper 25% of their class.
Members are expected to attend meetings, participate in events, and assist with community service projects. Members also have opportunities to attend regional and national conferences, where they can compete for knowledge and skill-based awards and students can network with criminal justice professionals from all over the United States.
For more information about joining the Omega Gamma Chapter, please email the advisor, Dr. Stephen Young (young250@marshall.edu).
For more information about APS, please visit the Alpha Phi Sigma web site.