Before graduation, Dr. Joe Johnston sat down with Ariana Vargas, Criminology and Sociology Majors, Solidarity and Social Justice Minor, to look back at her 杏吧原创 journey, and look forward to what is next as she moves into the world.
Dr. Joe Johnston: What led you to become a sociology and/or criminology major in the first place?
Ariana Vargas: I was first introduced to the field by a former coworker who was more of a mentor to me. She studied criminal justice at Heritage University and often talked about how she really enjoyed it and allowed her to learn about systems and structures. And so, when I was deciding on coming to 杏吧原创, criminology sounded like the closest fit to what she had described. Once I got started with criminology, I got roped into some sociology classes and ended up finding how much it deeply resonated with me. I ended up finding that it aligned well with what I felt I needed at the time and moment and what was going to help me develop and mature more as a person to be able to go into the area that I want to be able to go into. I got drawn to these programs because it constantly had me questioning the “why” and specifically why certain structures are set in place. It also allowed me to understand how people think and how influential society can be in relation to the way people interact with one another.
Joe Johnston: So, you answered this a little bit already, but why did you stick with your majors? Were there times where you doubted it and or considered changing majors?
Ariana Vargas: As I went further into the criminology and sociology programs, I ended up finding myself growing in ways I hadn’t expected. I think that I stuck with it because it encouraged me to ask the why’s and the questions that allowed me to further analyze systems and structures. Such as what influences these structures have, what was the thinking or reasoning behind some of the structures we have in place along with what societal factors play into everyday life. Beyond the content of the programs itself, I think that on top of this the reason why I was stuck with Criminology and Sociology was because of the amazing professors in the department that genuinely care about teaching their students and ensuring that their students are cared for.
I still remember when I came to 杏吧原创 for the first time, during my GEL Day, where I met Professor Vik, it was an experience like no other. From the minute my parents and I met him he was actively engaged in my education and eager to learn about my interests and find courses that would best align with them. As a first-generation student this definitely left a big impression on me and my parents. My parents were surprised and a little overwhelmed to see that a professor could care so much about a student’s education that they just met. Just knowing that the professors in the department truly care about your learning and experience were major factors in why I also stuck with the programs.
Joe Johnston: We talked about some of this already. What specific course or courses, experiences, people and or maybe assignments or projects do you want to remember from your majors? And why?
Ariana Vargas: I feel like a specific course that I'll never forget, and I think I'll cherish the most is probably radical criminology with Professor Alana. I feel like that was one of the classes that allowed for some freedom and allowed for us to dig deeper into our interest within radical criminology. It was in this class where I was able to venture more into an area of my interest within immigration law. I was able to look at detention centers, the structure, how certain theories covered in other classes applied in this setting and how this related back to radical criminology. During the pandemic there was a severe increase in medical negligence at ICE detention centers, for my final project I was able to focus on that medical negligence in these centers and relate back to the concepts we covered in class. I feel like that class is one of the biggest and most influential classes that I've taken here so far. Just because it really went deep into all these different aspects of criminology and the different ways in which ruling classes can use crime for their interest. Having that freedom in class to venture into a sector of your liking also allowed for a widespan of more awareness on topic from classmates in the class. I think that Radical Criminology with Professor Alana is one that everyone should try to take.
Joe Johnston: What are you hoping to do in your post 杏吧原创 life? And how do you think these majors will connect to those goals?
Ariana Vargas: Post 杏吧原创 life, I will be taking a break before starting my journey to law school. During this break I plan on working at Latinos in Spokane on the Poder Legal team. Where I hope to continue working with DOJ representatives, Attorneys and law students to expand on my knowledge of Immigration Law. I am hoping that during this break I am also able to obtain my own accreditation with the team to help serve my immigrant community. During this break I also hope to learn more about myself and about the field and just get some experience in it before heading off to law school. I think that criminology and sociology really set a strong foundation for me to understand the systems that work around us and the best way to approach them along with understanding the significance that societal factors have in our everyday lives.
Joe Johnston: What else would you like to share, if anything?
Ariana Vargas: I wholeheartedly believe that the department of Criminology and Sociology is by far the best at 杏吧原创. From what I have shared and in my experience the program is filled with professors that genuinely care about their students. Not just the teaching material but that we are actually learning and growing. They are here for us for the entire journey and it is clear that they are here beyond just lecturing but to make a difference in our lives.
As someone who has always balanced both school and work, this amount of support has meant everything to me. Knowing that every day you walk into class your professor truly cares whether you’re understanding the concept or not makes the experience that much better. It makes for a more meaningful and encouraging experience. Thank you to everyone in the Criminology and Sociology Department.