Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 10, 2005

Contact: Eric Smith, Public Relations Assistant

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Stepping into a career:

Schulze interns with Clinton County
Juvenile Probation Department and lands job

Pictured are, from left: Richard Pinelli, Kevin Schulze, and Karri Hull. Schulze, a LHU criminal justice graduate, was a spring 2005 intern with Pinelli and Hull, who are both juvenile probation officers for Clinton County.

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - Graduating senior Kevin Schulze is stepping out of college and right into a job, thanks to some invaluable experience.

Schulze, who hails from Seccasunna, N.J, just received a bachelor's in criminal justice and a minor in sociology from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania (LHU), and he credits an internship in guiding him toward his career in corrections and landing a job at the Bellefonte Youth Detention Center.

"I strongly recommend any student take an internship," he said. "That's how you propel yourself into a career."

Schulze said he wasn't sure of what he wanted to do until he was given the opportunity to intern with the Clinton County Juvenile Probation Department, an experience that lasted nearly four months. Through that experience, he received exposure to a variety of aspects of law enforcement and corrections, with corrections being the direction he is choosing for career opportunities.

"With the correctional aspect, you try to find people the help that they need," Schulze said. "We are not their counselors. We just are here to guide them and help with the process and give them the available options."

Working for Karri Hull and Richard Pinelli, juvenile probation officers for Clinton County, Schulze said he received invaluable, practical experience.

"I learned more in my internship than I would just by taking classes," Schulze said.

At first, he was a bit nervous to work with the juvenile offenders.

"I'm a lot more confident now," Schulze said. "You just have to remember to be fast on your feet. You also have to understand things like client confidentiality."

Schulze said he not only learned a lot from the probation officers, but in turn, they valued his opinions.

"Karri always said what was on her mind," he said. "I was able to get a good grasp at what she was doing and how she was thinking. It was good for her, as well, that I was there. She always accepted my ideas."

"We try to ask the students what they would do in the same situations we are facing," Hull said. "We've had Kevin sit in during meetings with parents, and when a child tells a story, we've asked Kevin what he remembered about the conversation. The more people who witness something, the better. It helps us get the details correct."

Giving students hands-on experience is more valuable than having them do paperwork, Hull said, noting that paperwork is different for each agency and each municipality. Instead, Hull prefers that the interns mirror the probation officers as they interact with other agencies.

"We give a brief overview of the juvenile system," Hull said. "I like to show them what is out there. We've had Kevin help transfer kids to the Bellefonte center. It was good experience for him and he gets to see the kids in another setting."

Schulze also benefited from witnessing different probation officers in similar situations.

"Kevin was able to witness a couple of different styles," Pinelli said.

Both Hull and Pinelli agreed that Hull tends to be stern and Pinelli is a bit more laid-back.

"Kevin also has gained experience in the courtroom," Pinelli said. "He was able to witness the different styles of different judges."

"He also gets to see the difference between the adult and juvenile systems," Hull added.

Hull said she is generally pleased with the caliber of the interns coming from LHU.

"They are well-prepared when it comes to education," Hull said.

But the hands-on experience students receive while interning at the juvenile probation office is invaluable, she added.

"You can't learn a lot of what we do by reading a textbook," Hull said. "You have to get out in the field."

Dr. Tamson Six, assistant professor for LHU's criminal justice program who placed Schulze in his internship, recognizes this.

"In our program, we designed the degree to give students the opportunity to do internships," Six said. "There are up to 15 credits a student can earn through participating in one."

Students have a variety of internship areas to choose from, she said, and LHU has partnered with the likes of the both the Clinton County adult and juvenlie probation offices, the Williamsport Police Department, the Centre County Sheriff's Department and even with the Ocean City, N.J. Police Department to provide experience opportunities for criminal justice majors.

"We have a number of students who will serve as fully sworn-in officers in Ocean City this summer," Six said.

Benefits from internships include potential job placements for students, a chance to try out different career aspects related to criminal justice and experience that can be put on a resume, she said. Six said she is very pleased with Schulze's experience with Hull and Pinelli.

"Kevin did a good job and his participation is a wonderful example of how the program works," she said.

Schulze said he feels he is prepared for his career. The internship experience has opened his eyes to critical issues, he said.

"Most of the public doesn't understand how many issues there are in public schools today," Schulze said. "There is drinking and drugs. This was a great way for me to learn and increase my awareness."

Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), the largest provider of higher education in the commonwealth. Its 14 universities offer more than 250 degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Nearly 375,000 system alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.

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