| Picturing women In response to the “Picture Washington Women” letters, I would like readers to know that there are females making great strides for our country. I have been a Uniformed Division Officer with the United States Secret Service since January 2002. I earned my master’s in justice, law and society at American University while working at the White House on the Presidential Protection Division. I dedicated myself to finishing my degree while working 60+ hours a week. After I graduated from AU, I pursued a position with the Secret Service as a Special Agent and was hired in June of 2005. As a woman in the law enforcement world there will always be prejudices that, unfortunately, can only be overcome by working harder. I was one of only two women in a class of 24; I finished number one in the class, winning both the top physical fitness award and the top academic award. I hurt a lot of egos, but I also showed that gender was an issue for everyone but me. In response [to the question] “Where are the strong women in Washington with AU connections?”—we are out here representing AU everyday, to inspire future generations. It is our job to get the word out that AU graduates are achieving and making contributions. I agree that AU needs to represent more of the alumnae and pool the resources they have.
— Sarah E Oryszak SPA/MA ’05 Keeping AU Activism Alive It was with great pleasure that I read about The Princeton Review’s recent ranking of American University as the most politically active school in the country. As a graduate of AU and an employee of the world’s largest animal rights organization, PETA, I believe this recognition is well deserved. I hope that this news inspires individuals and organizations on campuses across the country to stand up and address important issues facing our world. One of the important lessons I learned in the justice, law and society program was to think critically about how my education can be applied to real-world issues. I am using the knowledge I acquired at AU to raise awareness about the plight of society’s most voiceless victims. I encourage anyone who is interested in learning about animal rights to visit peta2.com for more information.
— Lara Sanders, SPA ’04
LaraS@peta2.com
Norfolk, Va. |
