Written by: Naisha Suthaharan, fourth-year Justice Studies student
The University of Guelph-Humber (U of GH) and its Justice Studies program offered me and some of my classmates a great opportunity: to travel from Canada to the U.S. to visit Denver, Colo., for the International Alpha Phi Sigma Conference from March 10 to 16, 2025.
Alpha Phi Sigma (APS), the Criminal Justice Honor Society, is one of the most prestigious societies across North America. I am proud to be serving as the VP of Activities for the Phi Epsilon Chapter at the University of Guelph-Humber, which is one of the two APS chapters in Canada.
My experience attending the conference in Denver was amazing as I not only got the chance to explore and discover the city’s sites, like the Denver Pavilions mall and eat some delicious South American food, but I also received the opportunity to represent Toronto and present my research on Gender-Based Violence in our Community at the Denver Poster Presentation for the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.
Created in 2024, Hope Moxam (another fourth-year Justice Studies student), U of GH instructor Dr. Laura MacDiarmid (who is also the Chapter Advisor for our Alpha Phi Sigma group), and I partnered with Brampton-based rape crisis centre REVIVE (formerly known as Hope 24/7) and were able to interview over 50 women who faced traumatic experiences. Presenting this research in front of dozens of people was truly amazing.
Regarding the conference itself, it truly was incredible as we were able to make new friends, learn more from our peers, and learn a lot about the American justice system. The conference theme this year was “Juvenile Justice Intervention.” I heard stories during seminars and speeches about helping youth deal with their feelings through theatre, the arts, and body language, which is different from the typical justice system. I learned dealing with youth in our Criminal Justice System did not only need to be verbal but can be shown through actions as well to build a connection.
I thought a lot about the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA), which is the main act the Canadian criminal justice system follows for youth, and this further helped me bridge and make connections between the American and Canadian systems.
Furthermore, I also received the opportunity to go to the crime scene laboratory in downtown Denver, where they provided a history and gave us a background on the timeline of how DNA evidence emerged and how it has been used significantly, not only limited to trace evidence but technological evidence across the world.
Lastly, we also received the opportunity to sit in on scholarship announcements in which Caitlin Broadie, our chapter’s President, received $1,000 for the Nay-Latocki Military Veteran Scholarship, and Brianna Bettridge, our chapter's VP of Social Media, received $1,000 for the second year in a row, for her amazing social media posts and promotions with the Social Media Proficiency Award.
I made connections, discovered new insights outside of my community, and built even stronger relationships with the current execs in our chapter and connections with my colleagues. I am grateful to our program’s Associate Head Jessy Singh, Chair Gary Galbraith, Dr. MacDiarmid, and Program Support Coordinator Pearl Rossouw for their generous support, and the energy they put towards ensuring students get the best possible education. This truly was the cherry on top, not only as my last memory as an APS exec, but also as a Guelph-Humber student.
Written by: Naisha Suthaharan, fourth-year Justice Studies student