Olivia Gedeon, studying abroad
The Law, Justice & Culture Certificate program has 25 students who are learning about law, justice, and culture through interdisciplinary coursework.
Olivia Gedeon is a second-year student majoring in Political Science–Pre-Law and Sociology-Criminology.
Gedeon began to explore her interests as an undecided student in the Law, Justice, & Culture Learning Community. She got to learn from Dr. Haley Duschinski, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Center for Law, Justice & Culture, in both the community and the Making & Breaking the Law theme seminar course. The community is what encouraged her interests and led her to pursue political science and sociology.
Gedeon’s coursework through the community was already heavily involved with numerous different topics relating to law, justice, and culture, making her more interested in pursuing the certificate program. Additionally, she was drawn to the ability to personalize her own education through the certificate program.
With passions already for issues like racial inequality, gender inequality, and reforming the criminal justice system, Gedeon saw the Center for Law, Justice, and Culture as a natural fit.
“Being involved with the Center for Law, Justice & Culture has truly opened my eyes to the reform that needs to occur in the American criminal justice system, and criminal justice systems across the world and helps me see the steps we can take towards a more just system,” she said.
“With each class I take, I come out more prepared to follow my passions in the future and actually work to make change and fight for everyone’s right toward a better future,” Gedeon says.
One of the classes that she feels most helped her grow as a student in the program was a course in the Political Science Department: the Politics of Law, with Dr. Jennifer Fredette, who is also a faculty member in the Center for Law, Justice & Culture.
“Fredette is so passionate about what she studies and teaches, and it makes me even more excited and inspired to keep studying law. Her passion is truly contagious and learning about the politics that go into our courts and legal systems made me realize that choosing a future in both the realms of political science and criminology was truly the right step for me when moving forward.”
Gedeon says she hopes to use her education in law, justice, and culture to further her passions for the law, and use the program as a stepping stone to law school. Gedeon hopes to return to Cleveland to work towards bettering the everyday lives of marginalized communities in her home city.
“Whether I attend law school or not, I know that the certificate program will prepare me for a future working to better our nation and create a more just, equal America.”
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