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The Key / May 11, 2018
School News
UMES’ Criminal Justice Week a robust success
UMES’ Chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma and the Criminal Justice Department organized a well-attended Law Enforcement Day April 12. Representatives from law enforcement agencies and criminal justice majors are pictured with Dr. Lorenzo Boyd (center) chair of the department.
Alumnus (1974) Sherman Lambert, Esq., guest speaker for Criminal Justice Week 2018, answers questions from UMES students Morgan Winkler and Benyam Desta following his presentation “Know Your Rights: Surviving the Criminal Justice System.”
UMES’ Criminal Justice Week 2018, a series of events and activities held the second week of April highlighting the discipline as a career choice, was organized and co-sponsored by the Department of Criminal Justice and Alpha Phi Sigma, the National Criminal Justice Honor Society. “We are trying to encourage other students to consider the major and a career in criminal justice and related fields,” department chairman Lorenzo Boyd said. Some of the week’s highlights included: Wednesday: Alpha Phi Sigma created a crime scene in the Henson Center in which a simulated drug-deal-gone-bad was staged. Students were given various clues and told to figure out the crime scene. “This helped students work with real information about crime scenes to see the inner workings of forensics technicians,” Boyd said. Thursday: Law Enforcement Day at UMES attracted representatives from 22 local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies, who were guest speakers in classes and participated in a recruitment fair in the Hazel
Hall lobby. UMES interim chief Mark Tyler said the turnout “was the best response by different law enforcement agencies that I have seen in years,” and praised Boyd and his staff for “a fantastic job.” Many students, Boyd said, talked with recruiters about exploring careers in law enforcement. Thursday evening: An estimated 200 students, faculty and staff turned out at the Student Services Center theatre to hear UMES alumnus Sherman L. Lambert Sr., speak on “Knowing your rights: Surviving the Criminal Justice System.” Much of his presentation focused on dealing with traffic stops or ways to effectively deal with police officers. (Lambert is an attorney with a practice in West Virginia specializing in criminal defense and justice.) Friday: Students visited Eastern Correctional Institution in nearby Westover to view the operation of a medium-security prison. The main objective, Boyd said, was to give relevant information about what it is like to work in a prison and to show corrections as a career option.
Student-sponsored 5K raises funds for epilepsy
Staff and students of UMES’ School of Pharmacy and Health Professions gather with 5K Strides for Epilepsy participants.
UMES’ Pharmacy Student Government Association held its 5th annual 5K Strides for Epilepsy March 24 at the Salisbury City Park. “This year, we had about 50 registered runners, which included Mayor Jake Day of the City of Salisbury,” said Gerald W. Tchatchoa, president of the Pharmacy Student Government Association. “The mayor read a proclamation declaring it Epilepsy Awareness Day in Salisbury and also finished second in the race.” Proceeds totaling $1,437 were presented to Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy and United Needs and Abilities, a local non-profit based in Salisbury. UNA is dedicated to serving those with developmental disabilities, including epilepsy, while CURE is a leading non-profit dedicated to finding a cure for epilepsy by identifying and funding epilepsy research. Epilepsy is a serious, chronic brain disorder that produces seizures. It affects some 65 million people worldwide, 3 million in the U.S. and well over 60,000 people in Maryland. “We thank the participants and sponsors for their generous donations and the staff and students of UMES’ School of Pharmacy and Health Professions for coming out strongly in support of the event,” Tchatchoa said. “Also to CURE and UNA for the work they do in these communities and their assistance with the race.”