Student Profile

April

April Komasinski, a sophomore criminal justice major, attended the 71st annual American Criminal Justice Association Conference in Kansas City on April 6-11, 2008.

In addition to the Criminal Justice Program, April also participates in the Leadership Scholars Program and is studying to obtain a minor in Leadership.

April's experience was funded by Evangel's Center for Leadership and Life Calling — LifeWorks. LifeWorks partners with all of Evangel's academic departments to provide a multi-dimensional program with opportunities designed to help students develop their strengths and explore God's calling for their lives.

In April's case, LifeWorks partnered with the Criminal Justice Program to provide funding so she could further explore her calling as it relates to career opportunities in criminal justice. April reflects on what she has gained through this experience.

First of all, how did you win the impressive trophy?

I received the second-place trophy for academic testing in Corrections.

What appeals to you about the criminal justice field?

I want to be a criminal justice major for many reasons that most police officers can cite. The usual reasons include a desire to serve, wanting to make a difference, helping people, etc. But I have to say the real reason why I am in the criminal justice field is because there will always be victims...those who often cannot help themselves.

So what does it mean to you to pursue God's calling?

In every denomination, in every culture, within every person there is a question: “Who am I and what am I born to do?” We constantly strive to make a difference, be ourselves, to live to our fullest. Everyone has different strengths that, if used, help fulfill our purpose.

What are your strengths and how do you use them?

My top strength is "Belief," which grounds me in what I know to be true. I have a couple of strengths that allow me to work effectively with people; these strengths are "Relator" and "WOO." Another strength I have is "Positivity," which gives me a silver lining to every dark cloud when I use it. The top strength that helps me in my career goal is a combination of all of these with the added "Activator" strength. As an activator, I get things started and moving for both myself and for others.

Evangel has been a Strengths-Based Campus since 2003 and uses the Gallup Organization's StrengthsQuest assessment to help students identify their themes of talent. Learn more about strengths-based education.

You attended a police dog demonstration at the conference. What was that like?

For the longest time I have been contemplating what to do as a career. I have been trying to decide between going to graduate school and working for the FBI and working with a search-and-rescue dog or training a police dog. Before I went to this demonstration, I thought that I had decided on working for the FBI, but now I am not sure why I made that decision.

God has put a call on my life and a desire in my heart to help people. The farther into the criminal justice system I get the more I wish I could be on the side of the victim rather than working with the offender. I believe that working with a search-and-rescue animal would do just that. What I would be doing would have a direct impact on innocent victims that I could save. I still need to mull over my options and pray hard for guidance and direction, but I am very glad that I was able to go to the police dog demonstration, because it truly helped open my eyes to a door I had closed.

Did this experience help to affirm your calling?

This convention has been an excellent reiteration of what I perceive to be God's call on my life. When I first started at Evangel, I was not 100% sure of my major choice. After spending two years as a criminal justice major and the week at the conference, I believe that this is the place where God wants me.