Dean's Letter, Volume 1 Issue 2

Dean Tom Blomberg with Ashley Russell, graduate student, at the 2011 Alumni Welcome.

Fall has arrived in Tallahassee and the College of Criminology & Criminal Justice has begun our 59th year at Florida State University. At FSU we witness a new generation every four years, but as I addressed our graduate class this August, I could not help but notice how the student population has changed.

With its Florida State College for Women history, FSU has always had a high percentage of female students, but Criminology has long been the exception to the rule.  In the 1950s and ‘60s, Criminology stood out at FSU with only a 15% female population. From 1970 through 2000 we saw that percentage double then grow steadily to about 37%, and by 2010, our female population had increased to 47% and showed no signs of slowing down.

Today, female Criminology students make up more than 52% of the College’s total population and better than 74% of our graduate program.  These dedicated young women are challenging the conventions of a traditionally male dominated field and learning from the best faculty in the nation. Now with your help, they will also have the opportunity to learn from the best alumni in the nation.

Warden at Moore Haven Correctional Facility and Chairman of the Alumni & Friends of Criminology Advisory Board, Dr. Laura Bedard, Partner at Dalferes Enterprises, Kim Joyce Dalferes (1985), and Criminology graduate student Danielle Drazin (2011) have issued the Women for FSU - Criminology Mentorship Challenge to our more than 5,600 female alumni working in the criminal justice system.  From wardens to entrepreneurs, sheriffs to senators, judges to professors, the Alumni & Friends of Criminology have a wealth of knowledge to share with our unprecedented number of young women entering the field. If you would like to know how to get involved or become a mentor, contact the AFC office at crim-alumni@fsu.edu.

Warm regards,

Tom Blomberg