Alfred State criminal justice major Evelissa Zayas gained important real-world experience during her internship with the Village of Alfred Police Department.
Zayas performed hands-on tasks during her internship that gave her details and exposure of what working in a Police Department. She patrolled with officers, observed how they responded to calls and interacted with the public, and learned how to create basic incident diagrams.
“One of the biggest lessons I learned was how important communication is,” commented Zayas. “Especially learning how to stay calm and clear when dealing with different types of people. I also learned the police alphabet which came in handy in class when we were asked about it.”
Seeing lessons learned in class come to life was a highlight for Zayas. “The experience helped reinforce and deepen my knowledge by putting it into practice. I learned about penal law and how laws are applied in real-life situations, not just in theory.”
Zayas worked with the Alfred State Internship & Study Away Coordinator Amanda Maynes to set up the opportunity. “I would strongly suggest others do internships because they provide real world experience that you can’t get from textbooks alone, help build confidence, improve communication skills, and give students a better idea of what to expect in their future careers.”
The people she got to work with added to the experience. “The people in the workplace were amazing and very welcoming. They made it an extremely comfortable place to learn and to ask questions.”
Through her work at the Alfred Police Department and her studies Zayas has passed her civil service test to become a Police Officer with future dreams of being a detective. She has already earned her associate degree in Criminal Justice and will graduate with her bachelor’s degree next year.