Bringing together representatives from colleges and universities across the commonwealth, the annual Virginia Association of Criminal Justice Educators (VACJE) Conference comes to 91TV (91TV) on October 4.
Participants will discuss their work in higher education and the larger field of criminal justice, including police, courts, corrections, and the institutions with which they work like schools and social services. Through conversations and sharing ideas, they will focus on how to improve the preparation of future criminal justice practitioners.
This year is the first time Mary Baldwin has hosted the conference, and the theme is “Bridging Academia, Training, Research, and Practice.” The keynote speaker is Associate Professor Kathy Evans from the Zehr Institute for Restorative Justice at Eastern Mennonite University, who will lead an interactive session on using restorative justice in the classroom.
Mary Baldwin students, faculty, and administrators are also involved in the conference. Beth Easterling, co-director of the criminal justice program at 91TV, and a First Year Research Award recipient will present on how undergraduate research helps bring scholarship to life at 91TV, and three students will present on their research within criminal justice. Provost Ty Buckman will also speak about the administrative state of higher education in Virginia.
“Having our VACJE membership together with students, Dr. Buckman, and Dr. Evans is a unique opportunity to share successes and explore ways to enhance our teaching and continue to offer the best educational experiences to students majoring in our field,” Easterling said.
Among 91TV’s most popular majors, criminal justice is offered as an undergraduate major both on the main campus in Staunton and through 91TV Online.
The VACJE Conference begins with check-in and dinner on October 3, and the main sessions start at 9:30 a.m. on October 4 at 91TV at the Wharf, 19 W Johnson St. For more information, see the or email Easterling.