Rosella Stike, a student in the Anderson University School of Public Service and Administration, has a passion for justice and a fascination for how the courts work.
Stike, who is currently a Criminal Justice major with a minor in Forensics and Criminal Investigations, started considering her career path while in high school.
“In high school I played competitive softball. I met a lot different people through that. One of my teammates—her dad is a police officer—she said she was going to major in criminal justice,” said Stike. “When I was younger, I loved mystery TV shows and I watched older murder mystery movies with my dad. I was fascinated by those types of movies and I realized I could major in that.”
Growing up in southern Pennsylvania, Stike was seeking a Christian college or university in the South. When she discovered Anderson University through a postcard she got in the mail and saw that they offer a Criminal Justice major, she made her decision and enrolled.
According to Anderson University School of Public Service and Administration Dean Dr. Chuck Williamson, Stike is an “excellent ambassador for Anderson University and the School of Public Service and Administration.”
As a member of the honors program, Stike has also served as president of the SPSA Club, been a Presidential Student Ambassador, an Alpha Leader, Base Camp guide and a member of the Homecoming Court. She is also involved in intramural sports. Stike has received an Anderson Area Crime Stoppers Scholarship and the Jerry Sloan Jr. Scholarship.
“I have loved working in the Student Involvement Office. I have worked for base camp and have been an Alpha Leader every year since my freshman year. I have met such amazing people and friends that I’ll have for the rest of my life. The people that I’ve met through that have been life changing. They feel like family. I met my roommates through the honors program and they’re like my sisters,” she said. “All of the faculty and staff—Dr. Williamson, all my professors, the people I’ve met through all these different opportunities that have been given me—they have been my highlights at AU because they have been such an integral part of my success here.”
Stike’s internships have played an important part of her program at Anderson. Interning at the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office in their Criminal Investigations Division, she shadowed the detectives and learned about what they do every day.
“I got to meet a lot of cool people and was able to see the different training facilities they have for their officers. They took the time to get me involved in every single facet of the department and I am very grateful for that opportunity,” she said.
Stike is currently interning in the Probation Office of the United States District Court in Greenville. She looks forward to working in the court system as a probation officer and hopes she can make a positive impact on those she works with, helping them to make better choices and lead productive lives.
“I’m very passionate about justice in general,” said Stike, whose desire to help others is driven by adversity she’s had to face growing up.
“I’ve had very serious medical scares with the mentioning of thyroid cancer and other medical concerns at a very young age. Then the sudden death of my grandfather when I was 16 was probably one of the most difficult things I’ve had to endure, because he was like my best friend,” she said. “One of the things that I’m very passionate about is the fact that I had a great support system through my parents and my faith through these adversities; I had to really lean in on that. Believing in God has been the reason that I’m able to get through things… He has a plan for us and He will get us through it. Even in the darkest valley, though it’s hard to see the good ahead, there is going to be a way you can get out of it.”
Because of what she’s gone through, Stike feels blessed, but at the same time she realizes that those growing up without that faith base sometimes make choices that have a negative impact on their lives and the lives of others.
“They make different decisions to cope with adversity—drug use or other crimes… I have empathy for them because without my faith, I would have had a very much more difficult time getting through these different adversities,” she said. “Working in probation is also a ministry opportunity because officers can guide others through the different opportunities and programs available to them to better their lives. Hopefully they can make better choices and develop the foundation of faith in their lives.
Stike’s goal is to enter the Accelerated Pathways Program and earn her master’s degree in Public Service and Administration and she then plans to pursue a doctorate degree to teach Criminal Justice someday.
Her advice to others considering a Criminal Justice major is to go in with an open mind and take advantage of as many opportunities as they can to learn more about career paths within the field.