John Jay College Of Criminal Justice | The City University of New York

   

Monday, December 28, 2009 – Crystal Ferguson, a two-sport student-athlete at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, has won an appointment as a White House intern for the spring 2010 semester.

Ferguson underwent a rigorous application process for the coveted internship, competing against hundreds of candidates from many of the nation’s top universities. The screening process included the submission of essays, letters of recommendation and an interview with a White House official.

“A White House internship is a tremendous achievement,” said John Jay President Jeremy Travis. “We are very proud of Crystal and confident that this will be the experience of a lifetime for her. We’re equally pleased that yet another member of the John Jay community will be joining the Obama Administration.”

Ferguson said she was “very excited” to hear that she had won the White House internship. “When I first found out, I was crying,” she said. “I just hope I can make as many connections as possible, learn as much as I can and represent myself and John Jay College to the best of my ability.”

A member of the women’s cross-country and basketball teams, Ferguson is no stranger to politics, having worked on the recent reelection campaign of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. In 2007, she participated in the All-Star Project’s Development School for Youth, a 14-week leadership training program for young people age 16-21. Her participation earned her a paid internship the following summer with Health Plus Insurance Company.

In recent months, former faculty members James Lynch and Ellen Scrivner and alumni Benjamin Tucker and Beatrice Wilkinson Welters have also been named to top positions in the Obama Administration.

Ferguson is a junior majoring in Deviant Behavior and Social Control, with career ambitions of becoming an attorney.

The White House Internship Program provides a unique opportunity to gain valuable professional experience and build leadership skills. The hands-on program is designed to mentor and cultivate today’s young leaders, strengthen their understanding of the Executive Office and prepare them for future public service opportunities. For more information about the program, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/Internships.

About John Jay College of Criminal Justice: An international leader in educating for justice, John Jay College of Criminal Justice of The City University of New York offers a rich liberal arts and professional studies curriculum to upwards of 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 135 nations. In teaching, scholarship and research, the College approaches justice as an applied art and science in service to society and as an ongoing conversation about fundamental human desires for fairness, equality and the rule of law. For more information, visit www.jjay.cuny.edu.