Former Superintendent Colonel Marian McGovern of the Massachusetts State Police has encountered many prestigious criminal justice professionals throughout her career and noticed a pattern among them. They were mostly Westfield State alumni. “I was astounded at the caliber of people I was meeting and the degree of prominence they held in the field,” says McGovern M’88, who holds a master’s degree in criminal justice from the University. “The one common thread was Westfield State University.”
After connecting these professionals with Westfield State, known for its criminal justice program, McGovern partnered with Kathi Bradford, director of Alumni Relations, to form the Westfield State University Criminal Justice Alumni group. “We want people to understand the breadth of the talent of our criminal justice alumni,” McGovern says.
The group is composed of alumni from various local and federal agencies and serves as a networking resource for current students to explore the different career paths a criminal justice degree allows them. “What we want to do is mentor—show people how you can reach certain pinnacles in life and what it takes to get there,” McGovern says. “The most valuable thing you can do is give your time and share knowledge with those you serve.”
The group also allows the alumni, some of whom are retired, to educate themselves with timely trends in the field. The group is in the beginning stages of creating a scholarship for criminal justice students with proceeds from an alumni/student softball tournament to be held on Sept. 26.
McGovern recently lectured at the University as part of the group’s Alumni Speaker Series and was awarded an honorary degree for her 33 years of service, sharing the moment with family, including a nephew who attends the University. “That was one of the most outstanding honors I have ever received,” she says.
As for McGovern’s long-term goal for the Criminal Justice group, it’s simple: “We want to leave a legacy to a school that gave us so much.”
