UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — At the College of the Liberal Arts commencement ceremony on May 5, Candice Crutchfield will represent criminology as its student marshal. Crutchfield is a Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Honors Scholar. She is graduating with bachelor of arts degrees in criminology and communication arts and sciences. She will be escorted by faculty marshal Lecinda Yevchak, assistant teaching professor of criminology.
During her time at Penn State, Crutchfield has been involved with a variety of organizations including the Presidential Leadership Academy, the Black Student Union, Social Justice Advocates, The Underground, and the Schreyer Honors College Diversity Task Force.
Crutchfield’s time with the Presidential Leadership Academy has enabled her to have “unique experiences, a diverse group of friends, interactions with thoughtful leaders, and once in a lifetime opportunities.” During Crutchfield's sophomore year, Presidential Leadership Academy students spent a week traveling to Selma, Alabama, the famous 16th Street Baptist Church, Martin Luther King Jr.’s childhood home, and Greensboro, North Carolina, on a Freedom Tour. Crutchfield credits this experience in helping to mold her into “an advocate with growing passions in civil and human rights.”
Of all of her accomplishments while at Penn State, Crutchfield is most proud of co-founding The Underground with her friend, Adriana Lacy. The Underground is “a multicultural, student-run media site devoted to telling the untold stories within the Penn State community.” When asked about her greatest accomplishment during her undergraduate education Crutchfield said, “The success of The Underground has reaffirmed my dedication to ensuring underrepresented communities have a platform to voice their concerns.”
Crutchfield has had remarkable achievements and opportunities outside the classroom, but she also gained valuable experience from her coursework and participation in undergraduate research. Crutchfield’s favorite courses while at Penn State were CRIM 430 Corrections, with Lecinda Yevchak; and CRIM 423 Sexual and Domestic Violence, with Caren Bloom-Steidle.
Because of the professors and staff at Penn State, Crutchfield said she knows her criminology education has laid the proper foundation for a long-term career in justice, social responsibility and activism. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school to study human rights.
“As I reflect upon my academic and extracurricular career, it is my interactions with others that have motivated me to pursue social justice through research, continued education and advocacy," she said. "The College of the Liberal Arts has equipped me with the proper tool-kit and resources to enact policy, advocate for change, and continue a career of service within the public sector.”
Crutchfield leaves incoming first-year students with the following advice: “While interning with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a high-level executive gave me a great piece of advice that I will continue to cherish and share with others, especially first-year students. ‘Bloom where you’re planted!’ I wholeheartedly encourage all students with interests in being a part of something bigger than themselves to actively pursue the endless opportunities made available by the College of the Liberal Arts. Take on the challenge of becoming a Paterno Fellow, don’t be afraid to enroll in courses that may seem outside of your comfort zone, attend guest lectures, and always ask questions.”
This is the third in a series on the 22 student marshals representing the College of the Liberal Arts at the spring 2018 commencement ceremony.