Kirsty Passfield - Criminology
Kirsty Passfield studied her degree in Criminology and in 2010 won The Mick Miller Memorial Award for Outstanding Criminology Student of the year.
The course for me
I felt that studying for the criminology degree was the best option for me as I knew I wanted to eventually work within the criminal justice sector. The degree course combined text study with practical study, which I found to be most helpful. This is because it allowed me to apply my knowledge to a variety of different situations and provided me with a realistic view of the criminal justice sector.
Gaining experience within the Criminal Justice Sector
To further my practical experience within the criminal justice sector I became a volunteer for Safe and Sound Derby and continue to participate in their outreach and drop-in sessions. I absolutely love volunteering and my understanding of the criminal justice sector with regards to young people grew.
In 2010 my efforts were recognised by the University of Derby who awarded me with their Volunteer of the Year Award. The practical experience gained through volunteering has been useful when applying for jobs. In July of this year I found a permanent position within the administration department of 'the SOLICITORS group', the UK's largest collection of law firms. My previous role as a Student Ambassador has been most helpful within this role as I aided the running of many events including Open Days, UCAS Fairs and smaller workshops
Support and encouragement from my lecturers
Throughout the three years of study at the University of Derby I found the lecturers were incredibly helpful and always motivated me to explore other texts.
Both Dave Walsh and Helen Clarke were constantly there as a source of support for students and always made time to discuss our anxieties. In my third year Angela Neville was a fantastic Independent Study mentor and aimed for perfection so that I could achieve the best grade possible. I believe if it was not for the support from departmental staff I would not have attained a First Class Honours degree and would not be the confident person I am today.
Winning the award
I feel so proud of myself to have won this award as it further recognises the hard work and effort I put in over the three years of this degree course. I am incredibly grateful to those that felt I deserved it.
