FBI Collegiate Academy Preps UAlbany Students for Careers in Law Enforcement
ALBANY, N.Y. (April 30, 2024) — For as long as she can remember, Larina Miranda has had her eye set on working as an agent for the FBI. Her career aspirations were instilled in the minds of family and friends alike.
Miranda's acceptance into the FBI Collegiate Academy brought her one step closer to living that reality.
Miranda was among a group of students within UAlbany’s Educational Opportunities Program (EOP) and the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity, selected for the FBI Academy this semester to learn about the agency’s missions, methods and protocol.
Once enrolled in the academy, students are required to attend a series of four two-hour programming sessions that center around human trafficking, gang violence, domestic and international terrorism, and cybercrime.
The sessions culminate with a visit to the FBI’s Albany field office, where students completed a myriad of hands-on crime scene
“The mission is to expose UAlbany students to law enforcement and to get them to realize that they can do that, especially with an institution as unique and prestigious as the FBI,” said Senior Academic Advisor of UAlbany’s EOP Program Fred Blanchard, who coordinates the academy.
The program did exactly that for Miranda, a senior majoring in psychology and one of this year’s 25 graduates. Although not an EOP student, Miranda was informed of the opportunity by Hadley Santos-Del Villar, EOP scholar and president of the Association of Latino Professionals for America, who helped her apply.
“I’ve always wanted to join the FBI, but I didn’t really know what it would entail”, said Miranda. “The FBI academy gave me a new perspective and showed me that you can do a lot of other things.”
To graduate from the academy, students are required to attend all sessions and wear professional attire. They receive an FBI Collegiate Academy certificate upon competition.
Kaitlyn Mabe, a sophomore majoring in criminal justice, has now completed the program twice.
“I did the program last year when I was a freshman”, said Mabe, who is minoring in sociology and emergency preparedness, homeland security and cybersecurity. “It was such a great experience that I decided to enroll again this year, so I could learn more and start networking.”
For more information about the program, students are encouraged to contact Blanchard at [email protected].