Grateful for inspiring classes and GWU’s caring community

“All of the criminal justice classes that I took were absolutely inspiring, and I learned so much about the criminal justice field.”

A year before graduating from �۶�ֱ�� University with a bachelor of science in criminal justice administration and minor in psychology, Alexis Williams was hired by the city of Gastonia (N.C.) Police Department. After her internship there, the 2019 alumna was offered a job and worked full time as a police officer while completing her degree.

“All of the criminal justice classes that I took were absolutely inspiring, and I learned so much about the criminal justice field,” Williams observed. “We had many guest speakers, and everything that I learned was important information I needed to know going into Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET). In taking BLET for my employment, I knew many things already that were covered in my criminal justice classes.”

As she continues her work with the police department, her goal is to move into a specialized area. “The City of Gastonia has many different fields of focus for work beyond patrol, such as street crimes, a traffic division, different detective areas, SWAT and many more,” she shared.

Williams, a native of Gastonia, chose to come to �۶�ֱ�� because it was close to home and she liked its size. “I felt like the smaller community of GWU would best fit me, and I would be able to find exactly what I needed for my college experience and career at this University,” she related.

At first, she was going to minor in criminal justice, but when she found out �۶�ֱ�� had a new major in the field, she changed her mind. “There have been so many opportunities in this major, helping me specialize in exactly what I wanted,” Williams assessed. “Dr. Bobbie Cox (associate professor and coordinator of criminal justice) was an inspiration to my college experience. She was helpful in every way that she could be to me, as my advisor and professor.”

Cox was just one of the many professors at �۶�ֱ�� who helped her and went out of their way to answer all of her questions. Another favorite was Dr. James Morgan, professor of psychology and counseling. “Dr. Morgan was an inspiration to me, because he was such an amazing professor and individual to talk to,” Williams affirmed.

During a difficult time in her life, she experienced the support of �۶�ֱ��’s Christian community. She was also a part of FOCUS (Fellowship of Christians United in Service), a campus ministry involving teams of GWU students who visit local churches to provide programs for youth groups. “I met many amazing people and got close with them,” she related. “I was surrounded by so many caring people. It meant a lot to me, and I will always hold the memories close to my heart.”

Williams concluded that coming to �۶�ֱ�� was one of the best decisions she has made as a young adult. “It is such a warm and welcoming campus where students and staff truly care about one another,” she described. “I found lifelong friends, and supportive people entered my life that I could never replace. I am so thankful for my time at GWU, and everything I took from my four years spent there.”

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�۶�ֱ�� student pursues passion for Justice

“The environment here is phenomenal. The faculty and staff are involved in my life. They care about me and hold me accountable. Here, I matter and I can make a difference. That’s the kind of school I want to be a part of.”

It started with a passion for justice. �۶�ֱ�� University alumna Lauren Mahoney ’18 from Rosman, N.C., always knew that she wanted to help people. “If someone has been victimized, I want to be able to do something about it,” she shared. Before graduating from GWU, Mahoney had the opportunity to pursue her interests through an internship with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) at its Western District Office. As an intern, Mahoney performed investigative work in various cases, from embezzlement and abuse to arson and homicide.

The SBI is an assisting agency. While they have original jurisdiction over a few matters, they are usually called on by other agencies to help investigate specific cases. Each day, Mahoney accompanied various agents and actively helped with the investigation process. She observed polygraph tests and autopsies, collected evidence at crime scenes, and aided in interviews. “They let me be right there in the middle of it,” Mahoney added. “I got to drive around with them all day like we were really on the job. It was very hands-on. I didn’t just stand there and watch.”

Mahoney found out about the SBI through her dad, David Mahoney, the current Sherriff of Transylvania county. As the daughter of a law enforcement officer, she was inspired to pursue a career in criminal justice but did not know which job she wanted specifically. She talked with a local SBI agent and a former intern to find out more about the program and grew confident that this would be a good fit for her. Mahoney was accepted after a competitive application process and knew that this was something she could see herself doing in the future. “I finally got that reassurance that this is what I want to do,” she asserted. “Having this internship was awesome because I got to see every aspect of it, from paperwork to interviewing suspects and everything in between.”

Mahoney was also active on the GWU campus with leadership roles in the Student Government Association, College Republicans, and Women’s Ministry. She was a double major in sociology and criminal justice administration, which was added as a traditional undergraduate major in 2017. Mahoney had planned to minor in criminal justice and never imagined that it would be offered as a major during her time at GWU. One of her favorite things about GWU is the friendly and caring atmosphere. “The environment here is phenomenal,” she stated. “The faculty and staff are involved in my life. They care about me and hold me accountable. Here, I matter and I can make a difference. That’s the kind of school I want to be a part of.”

After graduation, Mahoney plans on getting basic law enforcement training and then applying for a job with the SBI. Specifically, she hopes to investigate local human trafficking, an interest she discovered through GWU’s student club, Release the Captives. Mahoney is very grateful for the internship and recommends similar programs to other students who are unsure if they are on the right career path. “This opportunity made a world of difference,” she affirmed. “Because I went through this program, I know exactly what I’m walking into. I feel so confident that I’m making the right decision about my career.”

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“As I moved up the highway patrol organization, the skills I learned at GWU allowed me to be prepared for the administrative aspects and to be a forward and futuristic thinker.”

Brian Regan, a 2008 alumnus of �۶�ֱ�� University, has served nearly three decades with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP). In 2017, he was appointed as Major/Director of Professional Standards. Regan’s respect for the vocation began when he was 10 years old, and a state trooper came to his house. The trooper had the difficult job of telling them that Regan’s father had died in a motor vehicle crash.

“The state trooper—in the midst of this tragic event which changed my family’s lives forever—was extremely professional and compassionate toward my mother and my siblings and me,” Regan recalled. “His uniform was very sharp and his professionalism left an impression on a young boy.”

When Regan graduated from high school, he worked to help his mother with expenses, but his goals still included going to college and being a state trooper. He attended a local community college when he could afford to take a class. He became a certified Emergency Medical Technician in 1989. In 1991, he went to work for the Person County (N.C.) Sheriff’s Office. The next year, in May 1992, he graduated from the 89th Basic Patrol School and joined NCSHP.

With educational assistance provided by NCSHP, Regan obtained his Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice Technology from Guilford Technical Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from �۶�ֱ��, and a Master of Justice Administration from Methodist University. He also graduated from the 37th Session of North Carolina State University’s Administrative Officers Management Program, and the 244th Session of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Academy and FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association.

Regan chose �۶�ֱ�� because the University’s Degree Completion Program offered seated classes near his home in Asheboro, N.C., and the Christian environment was important to him. “I valued most the level of instruction I received and the fact that the professors and students could share their faith without worrying about being persecuted or punished for being a Christian,” Regan shared. “Also, most of the classes were small and the professor got to spend quality time with the students. It was obvious they truly cared about their students. It wasn’t just a job to them.”

Additionally, he learned to be open to new ideas, think critically through issues and stay abreast of best practices. “As I moved up through the highway patrol organization, the skills I learned at GWU allowed me to be prepared for the administrative aspects and to be a forward and futuristic thinker,” Regan affirmed.

He has spent most of his 26 years with NCSHP in field operations. A certified general instructor since 1997, he is also a specialized instructor in Physical Fitness, Defensive Tactics and First Responder. Regan was promoted to line sergeant in November 2000, first sergeant in February 2004, lieutenant in September 2008 and captain in April 2012. He served as a troop commander in Troop B Fayetteville (April 2012 – May 2013) and Troop D Greensboro (May 2013 – March 2017).

In his position as NCSHP director of Professional Standards, Regan supervises the following units: Accreditation, Internal Affairs, Inspection and Compliance, and Policy Development. “Within my section, we ensure our organization is operating in a professional manner by guarding our integrity, establishing operational readiness and upholding high ethical standards,” Regan noted. “We research and author all of our policies for liability avoidance and to provide accountability and professional public services.”

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