Club of the Week: John Jay Society
Over the last few years, Roger Williams University has made an effort to provide a more hands-on learning experience. The University recognizes that students will be better prepared for the real world if they engage in activities related to their career while still in school. The John Jay Society also values the idea of experiential learning.
The John Jay Society (JJS) is an on campus criminal justice club that encourages members to participate in fundraisers, training seminars, professional programs, and trips relating to their majors. JJS is a completely student run club. Their constitution states, “John Jay Society is a club that is geared towards criminal justice, cybersecurity, and legal studies; however, all students are welcome to join. The club provides an opportunity for students to come together for discussion, networking, field work/experience outside of the classroom and the University, and travel opportunities.”
The club has 45 active members and four eboard members. They have bi-weekly meetings on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. The meetings usually cover upcoming fundraisers and events and are also used as a venue to announce any internships or job opportunities in the field. The goal is to inspire club members to think about what they want to achieve with their diplomas and how to actually acquire the jobs they want. The members also use this time to collaborate and share tips about things going on in the criminal justice bubble, including current events.
“We all might be competing against each other for future jobs, but at the end of the day we all have to work together in order to help the public,” said Brianna Messa, a sophomore and criminal justice major.
This semester, JJS had a chocolate-covered strawberry fundraiser in order to raise money for the club’s upcoming trip to NYC. The trip will be offered to JJS members that are in good standing with the club, and it will be on a first come, first serve basis. When they arrive in NYC, the plan is to visit Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, the 9/11 memorial, and the New York City Fire Museum. In addition to fundraising, the club has selected a new executive board for the fall semester; the new eboard is in transition.
JJS is currently focusing on expansion and retention, which includes reaching out to the RWU students involved in criminal justice and other fields of study. This will diversify their members and bring new perspectives to their conversations. If you major in criminal justice, legal studies, cybersecurity, or simply want to see what the club is about, check out the next meeting of the John Jay Society.
