The Criminal Justice (CJ) Society at West Liberty University (WLU) is currently looking for new members as many of the current members are graduating.

According to the current advisor of the society and instructor of criminal justice, Professor Hannah Kern, the CJ society has been around since 2011 and takes pride in doing a lot for WLU’s campus and the community. The club meets based on availability of the members through flexible evening Zoom chats.

“The CJ society is a way for students to volunteer and make connections with local agencies. We have helped the YWCA, John Marshall clothing closet, local police agencies and the Ohio valley crime biters through various fundraisers. It’s important for students to not only learn in the classroom about the field but to experience it as well,” explained Kern. She went on to say, “We help host events every semester to educate campus and the community on topics like domestic violence and childhood sexual abuse.”

CJ Society President, Katie Carnot, who is a senior criminal justice major at West Liberty University, says the society is open to students of all majors on campus, “because it is a great way to learn and help the community.”

The society has done fun activities prior to COVID-19 like prison tours and fundraisers but are working on some events this spring. So far, the society has a toy drive for children who spend their Christmas’ in hospitals. “It is sad to think, but some children in the hospital around Christmas time are there because they may receive toys. By collecting toys now for specific families our advisor is in contact with, we can put a smile on their faces during this hard time,” Carnot explained. Additionally, the society’s annual Suicide Awareness Walk is planned for this spring.

Carnot thinks that criminal justice majors seek positive changes in the community and the CJ Society helps to bring the changes to life within the community. “The Criminal Justice Society is a team effort. One of two people cannot just run a whole club based on community service and expect changes. It takes hard work to give something back to the community and make a difference and that is the core of what the Criminal Justice Society tries to offer,” said Carnot.

Vice President of the CJ Society, senior criminal justice major Austin Gray, explains the CJ Society is an organization that strives to help bring positive change to the community in any way possible. He recalled the society’s efforts in making hygiene kits last fall for the YWCA’s domestic violence shelter residents. “Every year, we as an organization come together to put together hygiene kits for those who are living in the shelter,” said Gray. Gray continued saying that the society does resource providing events like the hygiene kits because CJ society members hope to help those in need and “inspire big change in the community.”

Gray invites anyone interested in joining the club to join as he says the society is “one of the many clubs on campus that help bring change and help make an impact of some kind. So, if anyone is genuinely interested, please come join us because for every member we have in the club, the more helping hands we have to make an even bigger impact.”

For more information about the CJ Society, email Kern at [email protected] or Carnot at [email protected]. Contact Annalise Murphy at [email protected] for questions regarding the contents of this article.