Aliyah Cole
The master’s in Law, Justice & Culture has 19 students, both online and on campus, who are learning about law and society studies.
Aliyah Cole is an Ohio University alumna from the Class of 2017. She earned a B.A., double majoring in Psychology and Sociology-Criminology, from the College of Arts & Sciences.
Cole found herself interested in criminal justice and public policy as an undergraduate in Athens. She became particularly interested in figuring out how systems within society work from multiple different angles and points of view.
Cole’s interest in all of these sectors of public life and and criminal justice led her to her decision to continue her education, and found herself attracted to the master’s in Law, Justice & Culture due to its combination of everything that she had previously been considering.
“I take pride in being a part of innovative and cutting-edge things. So knowing that there are only a few master’s programs offered across the country for law and society studies, and this being the first year of it being offered at OHIO, I knew this was something I had to be a part of,” she said.
When asked what she found to be the most valuable part of the master’s program, Cole stated it is learning that there are a multitude of different ways to examine a situation and many things to consider, especially in situations dealing with law, justice, and culture.
“It’s important to explore all angles and its untimely up to you as an individual to decide what perspective you prefer,” Cole says. “Knowing that there is not one right answer leaves room for more ideas and interpretations to be introduced. By allowing space for more ideas ensures that my ideas are important, and that I have the opportunity to contribute something important to this field.”
Aside from the nature of the program, more specifically, Cole is looking forward to courses that will help her explore her interests in prison reform and restructuring the United States’ criminal justice system. She’s most excited about the Sociology of Prison Reentry and Race, Violence, and Human Security.
When asked about what she hopes to do with her degree in Law, Justice & Culture, Cole talked about a career encompassing all that she is passionate about and that she’s learned.
“I hope to create and improve community-based reentry programming for transitional aged youth,” she said. “I want to help with prison reform efforts, advocate for prisoner rights, and push for alternatives to imprisonment. I see myself doing this work at a nonprofit and working closely with grassroots organizations mobilizing for change.”
One Comment