Sabrina Miller

Major: Law and Society
Minor: Forensic Science

Intern at Naperville Police Department

How did you learn about this internship opportunity?

The NPD website.

What is a piece of advice you would give someone in your major looking for an internship?

A piece of advice I would give someone in my major looking for an internship is to apply to as many opportunities as possible and be open minded about where you gain experience. Even if an internship is not exactly what you want to do in the future, it can still help you build connections, develop important skills, and learn more about which career path is right for you.

What key responsibilities or projects have you taken on during your internship?

During my internship, I participated in hands-on law enforcement training, including tactical scenarios, traffic stops, firearms training, and ride-alongs. I also worked as a role player during active shooter and SRT training, which allowed me to learn more about how officers respond to real life situations.

How has your internship helped build your skills and clarify your career goals? How did being a Liberal Arts student at Purdue apply to your internship?

My internship helped me build important skills while also giving me a clearer understanding of my future career goals. Through hands on experiences like traffic stops, firearms training, tactical scenarios, ride-alongs, and active shooter training, I became more confident and learned how important communication, teamwork, and staying calm under pressure are in law enforcement. Being able to work alongside officers and see what the career is actually like confirmed that I want to continue pursuing law enforcement, with my long-term goal of becoming a federal agent. Being a Liberal Arts student at Purdue also helped prepare me for this experience because my Law and Society courses have taught me about policing, criminal justice, law, and human behavior. My classes have also strengthened my communication, writing, and critical-thinking skills, which are important when interacting with different people and handling difficult situations. Overall, my internship allowed me to take what I have learned at Purdue and apply it to real-world situations while becoming more prepared for my future career.

In what ways has the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University supported your internship journey? How has your participation in our Job-Ready program specifically aided your professional development?

The College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University has supported my internship journey by helping me develop skills that I have been able to apply in a professional law enforcement setting. Through my classes and experiences as a CLA student, I have strengthened my communication, critical thinking, writing, and problem-solving skills, which have helped me become more confident during my internship. Participating in the Job-Ready program has also helped me focus on my professional development by preparing me for the expectations of the workplace and encouraging me to think about how my internship experiences connect to my future career goals. Being a CLA student is significant to me because my education goes beyond learning about law and criminal justice and teaches me how to understand people, different perspectives, and the larger social issues that can influence situations in the real world. Overall, CLA and the Job-Ready program have helped me connect what I learn in the classroom with hands-on experience and have better prepared me for my goal of pursuing a career in federal law enforcement.

Could you highlight a standout aspect of your experience in the Job-Ready program that you find particularly noteworthy?

One standout aspect of my experience in the Job-Ready program has been the opportunity to connect my internship experience directly to my future career goals. The program encouraged me to reflect on the skills I was developing, such as communication, professionalism, teamwork, and problem-solving, rather than simply completing an internship for experience. It helped me recognize how the skills I am gaining as a Liberal Arts student can transfer into a career in law enforcement and eventually federal service. Overall, the Job-Ready program has made me more confident in my professional abilities and more prepared for future internships and career opportunities.