Criminal justice fair to be held Thursday

The University's department of criminal justice, the Criminal Justice Student Association and Alpha Phi Sigma, the criminal justice department's student honor society, are working to host their annual criminal justice career fair Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the third floor of the Ferguson Center.

The fair will be in several rooms on the third floor of the Ferguson Center, and will feature about 30 different representatives from local and federal law enforcement agencies and private criminal justice organizations.

Tom Allen, a graduate student in criminal justice and president of Alpha Phi Sigma, said the event is held every year in the spring semester.

"All kinds of different groups are going to be represented at the fair," Allen said. "Everyone from the military police departments to State Farm's insurance fraud division will be here to answer students' questions."

The fair is not limited to criminal justice majors or students at the University, Allen said.

"Many of the agencies that are represented are looking for students from other departments," he said. "The FBI, for example, needs accounting majors for fraud investigations and science majors for crime scene investigations."

Allen said the field of criminal justice is one of the most diverse fields, with a large number of opportunities for anyone interested.

"You don't have to be a criminal justice major to find work in the field," Allen said. "There are so many opportunities from so many different groups that anyone could find something that appeals to them."

The career fair will serve a dual purpose this year, Allen said.

"A few years ago, in December 2006, a former FBI agent and criminal justice teacher, Randall Farmer, died," Allen said. "After his death, a fund was set up to honor his memory by providing scholarships to criminal justice students."

Allen said the fund has been raising money for about a year.

"The fund is still short of becoming endowed, so we can't give any scholarships until we meet that mark," Allen said. "We will be accepting donations at this year's criminal justice career fair to help the fund reach $10,000. Visitors may donate by cash, check or Bama Cash."

Allen said he hopes this year's event will be bigger and better than last year's.

"We had about 200 guests last year," Allen said. "We're hoping that everyone interested will come and get more information on careers in criminal justice this year."