Without intending to, Sarah Calgreen ’12 has been preparing for this all her life. Recently, Calgreen was selected as one of only 30 applicants nationwide to train under the Centralized Student Career Experience Program, a cooperative education program that prepares undergraduate students for deputy U.S. marshal positions. From her early years growing up in Stratford, Connecticut, Calgreen admitted that she had a strong sense of morality and wasn’t afraid to speak up for what was right. “I always hated when people would do the wrong thing—even in school I would stay in line and never cut in front of people. If people were parked on the street in the wrong direction, I would write them notes. I would pretend I was a police officer,” Calgreen recalled. Without family in law enforcement, Calgreen said that she isn’t sure where her strong sense of “right and wrong” came from. When she arrived at American International College as a criminal justice major, Calgreen admitted she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her degree after graduation. Nonetheless, she seized the opportunity to become an integral part of the AIC community, serving as a peer mentor, orientation leader, resident assistant, and as Student-Athlete Advisory President in her senior year. “I liked being an influential factor on incoming students and being a role model. I liked showing underclassmen what they can accomplish and showing what AIC has to offer,” Calgreen said of her extracurricular activities.
ity of becoming a U.S. marshal, Calgreen began to weigh her future options. She admitted that, though she always wanted to work in law enforcement, she had never thought seriously about applying for U.S. marshal training. However, the opportunity quickly came into focus, and after just one day of researching the responsibilities of a marshal, Calgreen said she was hooked. “I thought this is perfect for me, this is exactly what I want,” Calgreen said. It took a full year for her to be admitted into the rigorous 16-week work-study program, but Calgreen said it was worth all the hard work. College students who successfully complete the program have the potential to transition into a deputy position. But with great opportunity also comes great responsibility. “This last semester has probably been the biggest challenge. Balancing everything going on—continuing to play softball, working, and school with having friends—is really difficult,” Calgreen admitted. “It’s all about time management with everything I’ve taken on.” Calgreen began her athletic career at AIC after being recruited to play softball. Without any prior knowledge of the school or any connections to Springfield, Massachusetts, Calgreen recalls visiting the campus and quickly falling in love. Noting that the small campus size, the proximity of the dorms to the academic buildings, and the camaraderie between students and faculty appealed to her most, she said that she also embraced the city of Springfield. “The neighborhood didn’t scare me. Instantly, I just felt like I fit, like I knew this was where I was supposed to go,” she said.
"Balancing everything going on—continuing to play softball, working, and school with having friends—is really difficult.”
Calgreen said she utilized many of the resources the school has to offer, including AIC’s tutoring services to help keep her grades up. When Professor Jill McCarthy Payne approached her about the possibil10 | Lucent
Calgreen particularly treasured the ability to walk from one building to another on campus while seeing familiar faces, which created a “homey environment.” Calgreen explained that professors at AIC care about students as people, rather than just as nameless faces in their lectures. She added that the school’s welcoming environment starts with President Vince Maniaci, continues to other administrators and staff, and is quickly adopted by incoming students as they arrive on campus.