Xu Daniel Rusong (third from bottom) was among four Chinese students to earn dual degrees from SHSU and Zhejiang Police College.
About 435 students graduated from the College of Criminal Justice in the spring and summer of 2013, including seven Ph.D.s, seven from the Master of Forensic Science program, 12 commissioned officers in the U.S. Army, and the first graduates from a dual degree program with Zhejiang Police College in China.
Among the Ph.D. graduates in the spring were Drs. Milton C. Hill, Yingyos Leechaianan, Matthew C. Matusiak, David A. Rembert, Pierre M. Rivolta, Shawn P. Ryals-Keller, and Andrea J. Weiss.
The latest cohort to graduate from the Master of Science in Forensic Science Program.Also graduating in the spring was the latest cohort from the Master of Forensic Science Program, including Sarah Bahlmann, Cassandra Campelli, Brittany Disiere, Tiffany McCann, Sarah Sims, and Jesus Zavala. The two-year program, the first of its kind in Texas, trains students in the fields of criminalistics, toxicology, anthropology, crime scene investigation, and DNA analysis.
The criminal justice majors commissioned as Second Lieutenants from the SHSU ROTC program in the spring were Ross Allen, Jennifer Anderson, Soniel Barbosa, Daniel Bless, Malcolm Clayton, Chance Collard, Ricardo Flores, Colby Morgan, Meghan Purcell, Travis Roland, and Milthon Servin. Jeremy Santos earned his stripes in the summer. A total of 20 SHSU students were commissioned as part of the ROTC program during the spring and summer sessions.
ROTC students were commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the spring.Finally, four students were among the first to graduate from a dual degree program with Zhejiang Police College (ZPC) in Hangzhou, China. These students completed the full coursework from ZPC and SHSU and were awarded degrees from both institutions. These students were members of 16-student cohort that spend a full academic year at College Criminal Justice and spent an additional two summer sessions at SHSU. The students included Zhang “Sally” Chiyun; Sun “Elsa” Ziaoyun; Xu “Daniel” Rusong; and Jiang “Bonapart” Zhixiang.
Doctoral graduates explored a variety of criminal justice topics in their research, and many will go on to teach at universities across the world.
Ph.D. graduates in the spring include (l to r) Drs. David Rempert, Shawn Ryals-Keller, Matthew Matusiak, Yingyos Leechaianan, and Pierre Rivolta. Dr. Hill’s dissertation was titled “Examining the influence of religious attendance and religiosity on adolescent and adult substance use: A longitudinal study utilizing a national sample.” His committee was chaired by Dr. Scott W. Menard and included Drs. Dennis R. Longmire and Kelly E. Knight. He is an Assistant Professor at Stephen F. Austin State University in the Department of Government.
Dr. Leechaianan’s dissertation was “Public confidence in legal authorities: An analysis of individual-level and country-level variables in an international perspective. His committee included Chair, Dr. Longmire, and members Drs. Larry T. Hoover and Mitchel P. Roth. A former Police Captain with the Bangkok Metropolitan Police Bureau, Leechaianan will return to Thailand as an instructor at the Royal Police Cadet Academy in Nakorn Pathom.
Spring 2013 CommencementDr. Matusiak’s dissertation was titled “The dimensionality and effect of institutional environment upon police leaders.” His committee was chaired Dr. William R. King and included Drs. Hoover, William Wells and Charles M. Katz. He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.
Dr. Rembert’s dissertation was titled “The utility of the positive achievement change tool in predicting assault among state committed youths.” His committee was also chaired by Dr. Longmire and included Drs. Steven J. Cuvelier and Howard M. Henderson.
Dr. Rivolta’s dissertation was titled “Pretrial diversion for first-time DWI offenders? An Evaluation of the ‘Divert’ Program.” Dr. Janet L. Mulling was his committee chair, with members Dr. Jeffrey A. Bouffard and Victoria B. Titterington. Dr. Rivolta is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice at Connecticut State University in New Britain.
Summer 2013 CommencementDr. Ryals-Keller’s dissertation was titled the “Epistatic effects of serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) on antisocial behavior.” The chair of his committee was Dr. Todd A. Armstrong with members Drs. Travis W. Franklin, Leana A. Bouffard and Brian B. Boutwell. Dr. Ryals-Keller is an Assistant Professor with the Division of Justice Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers.
Dr. Weiss’ dissertation was “An examination of the effects of military service over the life course on offending behavior and life outcomes.” Her committee was chaired Dr. Menard and included Drs. Hoover and Leana Bouffard.