SCCJ to Graduate Six Doctoral Students

Omaha – The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice is pleased to announce that six doctoral candidates graduating this spring or summer have accepted faculty positions with leading universities throughout the United States.

Calli Cain has accepted an assistant professorship at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. Her research interests include juvenile delinquency and corrections. Her dissertation examines gendered effects of prior victimization on delinquency type among a sample of justice-involved youth. She hopes her findings will enhance the understanding of the developmental implications of victimization among juvenile delinquents and shape programming needs among youth detention centers. She is most appreciative for the mentoring by UNO faculty members Amy Anderson, Robert Meier, Gaylene Armstrong, and Lisa Sample.

Starr Solomon has accepted an assistant professorship at Kent State University (Ohio). She is mainly interested in policing, experimental design, and juvenile delinquency. Her dissertation utilizes experimental survey designs to explore how the components of procedural justice and race influence public perceptions of police. She says, “I feel lucky to be a graduate student in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at UNO. The support of faculty, especially my dissertation committee [Samantha Clinkinbeard, Justin Nix, and Joseph Schwartz] and my peers have helped ensure my success.”

Timothy Barnum has accepted an assistant professorship at Texas A&M University-San Antonio. His research tests micro-level explanations of crime and deviance. His dissertation examines the effect of the sensation-seeking trait on the decision to engage in deviant and risk-taking behaviors and whether these processes work differently between college athletes and other college students. While he jokes that he should have just gone to law school, he acknowledges that the five years he spent in his doctoral program at UNO have help mold him into “a better person and a confident researcher.”

Danielle Slakoff has accepted an assistant professorship at Loyola University in New Orleans. Her research interests include feminist criminology, race/ethnicity, and media and crime. Her dissertation explores the differential media representation of White, Black, and Latina female victims in front-page Callnewspaper stories. Graduating is bittersweet for Slakoff. She lost her father during the third year of her doctoral program and he, in particular, was very excited to see her reach this milestone. “My dad could not wait for me to be Dr. Slakoff, and I am so excited the time is almost here. I could not have done this without the support of my family and husband,” she said.

Rita Augustyn has accepted an assistant professorship at the University of Alaska. Her dissertation evaluates the prison-based residential substance use treatment programs used in Nebraska. “When I began my academic career, I never thought I would end up where I am today. I not only became an adult while attending UNO, but also a scholar. I am extremely grateful to the professors who saw the potential in me and who guided me down this path,” she said.

Joselyne Chenane has accepted an assistant professorship at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. Her dissertation examines the effect of police contact and neighborhood context (police satisfaction and legal cynicism) on youth delinquency. Her research interests include police-citizen relationships, effects of neighborhood context, race-ethnicity and justice, as well as international/comparative criminal justice. She very much appreciates the emotional support provided to her from her fellow students, staff, and faculty members while pursuing her doctorate, in addition to the financial assistance she received. “Because of the financial assistance, I will be the first woman in my family and small town in western Kenya to receive a Ph.D.,” she said.

We wish this group of bright scholars the very best in their next steps. We know they will make the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice proud!