New Criminal Minds Club aims to inform, fun activities included
Maryville College is welcoming a new club to campus this semester. The Maryville College Criminal Minds Club (MCCM) is open to everyone, not just criminal justice majors and minors, and especially those who just enjoy watching Criminal Minds, among other crime shows, and may be interested in the criminal justice field.
The club aims to provide ample opportunities and resources about jobs, internships, and information in all things criminal justice, such as interest in law enforcement, the court system, and forensics. The club is also here to provide students with information about more specific topics for group discussions like high profile cases, cold cases, and even a lunch series featuring the Ted Bundy chronicles.
For those in and out of criminal justice courses, this club is also for students who wish to have more time engaging and learning a broader understanding of crime and criminal justice. Many events and discussions have already been planned throughout the fall semester 2019 including speakers and meetings about going to law school and the specifics that go into applying there and what to expect.
Speakers will talk about careers and opportunities in law enforcement and courts, special topics, and graduate schools. The criminal minds club kick-started their meetings with a presentation about international human trafficking with the global non-profit organization Hope for Justice.
This organization promotes awareness and prevention of human trafficking and modern-day slavery. Besides an informing presentation, the club provided students during this meeting with pizza as well.
The club even has tentative trips to crime-centric locations such as the Brushy Mountain Prison, the once appalling prison turned tourist attraction that once housed James Earl Ray, the convicted assassin of Martin Luther King Jr, The Body Farm, a research facility where decomposition can be studied, the Alcatraz Museum, a crime museum that showcases the world of crime to interested tourists, and hopefully more interesting locations. Suggestions and participation during MCCM meetings and activities are warmly welcome.
“I think that it’s great to have a club such as this one because it’s more hands-on and the trips they have planned are very interesting. It is also a more effective way for students to learn about criminals and the psychology behind criminals,” said sophomore Bonnie Morris.
“I think it’s a really great application of what students learn in the classroom that allows them to gain experience about the subject that they can use later in their lives,” said sophomore Katie Kirkland.
“This sounds really cool! I’m not majoring in criminal justice, but a club like that could definitely be helpful, as well as fun,” said freshman Hailey Carmichael.
The criminal minds club is looking forward to starting with a bang and continuing that way for a long time. Students should look forward to new meetings and topics in the future and any interested students may contact Robert Irwin at [email protected].