BIG RAPIDS – High school juniors and seniors from across the state engaged in a week-long
criminal justice camp headed for the third year by Ferris’ School of Criminal Justice
June 15 through 20.
Campers occupied themselves with a variety of demanding activities, including starting the week out with climbing the ropes course, learning defensive tactics, investigating crime scenes, touring a courtroom and jail, operating a fire truck and experiencing emergency medical response training. This adrenaline-fueled excursion “gives students a good overview of the Criminal Justice program,” says Frank Crowe, director and professor in the School of Criminal Justice.
When campers are not rushing to their next emergency, they can be found listening attentively to lectures given by Crowe and his fellow colleagues or enjoying their time in the dorms.
Attributing the small size of the camp as a way to interact more personally with faculty, Crowe plans on keeping this a focus for future camps. “This way, campers are names instead of numbers” said Crowe, adding that campers “get a chance to introduce themselves not only to the criminal justice field, but to college life at Ferris, as well.”
Exit interviews after the camp revealed that 18 out of the 26 campers who attended the camp now plan on coming to Ferris for college. “It is definitely a great recruitment tool,” Crowe said.