Sevda Kalican, who is set to graduate this May, has long had a dream to work for the State of Connecticut. As a criminal justice major her internship through the Judicial Branch Experiential Learning Program has affirmed that goal. With a placement in juvenile probation at the State of Connecticut Superior Court for Juvenile Matters, she can focus on two of her interests: criminal justice and working with youth.

“I thought juvenile probation would be a good fit for me career-wise,” Kalican said. “I already work in an elementary school and like to work with kids, so I wanted to fuse my two passions together. It’s been awesome. I do many different things.”

There is a misperception about career opportunities in criminal justice, she said.

“So many people say to me, ‘So you wanna be a cop?’ when they hear that I am a criminal justice major. There is so much more to it. You can have a position in the court or a position in the Department of Corrections. There are so many opportunities for growth, and the major doesn’t pigeon-hole you.”

Kalican logs 10 hours per week in her internship; she has had opportunities to sit and observe court, read and summarize police reports for probation officer files, observe assessments being done on clients, and read documentation from Child Protection. She also goes on school visits to meet with guidance counselors.

“Some of the biggest issues among clients deals with school,” she said. “Either they are going to school but not going to class, going to class and being disruptive, or not going at all. That is a big challenge.”

Kalican said that Victimology and Crisis Intervention are the criminal justice classes she draws on the most to inform her understanding of the work she is doing in her internship.

“In a lot of instances they were victims of crime resulting in charges and arrests being made, so it helps to understand this dynamic. Also, we see some clients who might not have a lot of family support. When they get into trouble it is a crisis period if they don’t have support in place.”

Kalican also said that communication and social interaction are skills that she uses regularly.

“There is a lot of communication going on between probation officers, prosecutors, families, treatment providers, and schools,” she said.

Her favorite part of her internship has been the people she works with, including three Mitchell College graduates who are probation officers: Kalican’s supervisor Kim Siefert-Charles ’12; William “Barry” Carlos, Jr.  ’07; and Te’Quan Alers ’20.

“They are all passionate and want the best for their clients. They want them to succeed and have the support they deserve. They are all amazing and all great.”

One challenge that Kalican has had in her internship was “putting myself out there and letting my supervisor know that I want to work here after I graduate.”

“At 28 I am an older student and have some life experience. I try to use that wisdom to better myself.”

As she waits for a job with the State to become available, Kalican will look for a full-time position in the field to gain more experience. She also plans to investigate master’s programs, with her long-held goal of earning an advanced degree.

“As the first person in my family to graduate with a bachelor’s degree, I am so excited for graduation day. I have been keeping a countdown in my planner. I will cry, and my mom will cry!”