WT to Host Criminal Justice Career Fair Oct. 4

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — Students and community members interested in pursuing careers in criminal justice are invited to attend a new career expo at West Texas A&M University.

The Criminal Justice Career Fair will run from 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 4 in Legacy Hall in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center on WT’s Canyon campus.

Sponsored by the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice in WT’s Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences, the fair is meant to appeal not only to WT students but to the broader public, said Jeanette Arpero, instructor of criminal justice.

“We’re hoping to appeal not only to our own Buffs and incoming freshmen, but also to students who may be considering a transfer to WT, whether after graduating from a community college or transferring from another four-year school,” Arpero said. “And this also is open to anyone in the community who is considering a career change or looking for new educational opportunities.”

Participating agencies are scheduled to include the Amarillo Police Department; the Liberal, Kansas, Police Department; Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Police; Texas Department of Public Safety; Texas Department of Criminal Justice; Pantex; Potter County Sheriff’s Office, Randall County Sheriff’s Office; Randall County Juvenile Probation / Youth Center of the High Plains; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and community supervision and corrections departments from Potter, Randall and Armstrong counties.

The career fair should appeal to those not considering jobs in active law enforcement, as well, Arpero said.

“These agencies often need support staff who aren’t officers,” Arpero said. “They need communications specialists, nurses, social workers and more, so there are ample opportunities for a wide variety of students and community members.”

WT’s criminal justice program has earned several recent national accolades.

Its graduate program ranked No. 6 in Texas and No. 30 overall in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 rankings.

It ranked in the Top 10 programs based on quality and affordability by Securitydegreehub.com in 2021.

The online criminal justice administration degree was ranked No. 1 by Best College Reviews in 2021 and one of the Best Online Programs and Best Online Programs for Veterans by the U.S. News and World Report in 2021.

Meeting regional needs, such as in criminal justice fields, is a key component of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $150 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

Photo: Jeanette Arpero, instructor of criminal justice, discusses career options with Adrianna Nuñez, a freshman criminal justice major from Abernathy. WT's criminal justice program will host a career fair Oct. 4 for students and community members.

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