Two Arkansas Tech University criminal justice and criminology students have completed internships with the Pope County prosecuting attorney’s office.
Andrea Barrera and Grace Guthrie learned how to support victims in domestic violence cases through the internship, which was overseen by ATU alumni and Pope County victim witness coordinators Fatima Gomez-Solis and Shelia Navarrete-Olivio.
“Orders of protection help survivors feel safe and seen,” said Barrera. “It’s not about punishment. It’s about giving people the legal support they need to move forward.”
The internship is part of the ATU Department of Behavioral Sciences Law in Action course. Dr. Jason Ulsperger, ATU professor of sociology, teaches the class. He said the internships place students in real-world legal environments across the region.
“We want our students to see that the law isn’t just about rules, it’s about people,” said Ulsperger. “These partnerships give students the chance to witness what justice work really looks like.”
Other ATU students recently completed internships with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of the Fifth Judicial District, the sheriff’s office in Boone County, the prosecuting attorney’s office in Crawford County and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Send e-mail to julsperger@atu.edu for more information about criminal justice field experiences.
