Story: Lisa Sollie
Growing up in Pleasant Grove, Alabama, Treajure Caffee was the quiet student who preferred to observe rather than engage. When the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly cut short her senior year of high school and pushed all learning online, she found that the transition suited her. The quiet, independent nature of virtual classes was a good fit, and she continued with online learning at a community college before enrolling at the University of West Alabama (UWA) to pursue a degree through online study.
Recently, Caffee was selected by the National Institute of Justice Research (NIJ) to attend its 2024 conference held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania —an opportunity that many online students rarely receive. “I never imagined I’d get to participate in something like this,” she says. “When I found out I was one of only 25 students chosen nationwide from 385 applicants, I felt incredibly special. My family was so proud of me.”
The conference brought together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to discuss the latest research evidence and how it can be implemented to promote safety, equity, and justice for everyone. For Caffee, it was an eye-opening experience that deepened her understanding of the critical connection between research and policy. “I learned that research isn’t just about gaining knowledge. It’s the foundation for creating policies and decisions that affect real lives.”
Meeting professionals from fields such as cybersecurity, crisis response, human trafficking, and firearm research was particularly enlightening to Caffee, especially in the context of victimization and the Violence Against Women Act. “Many of the terms and issues they referenced at the conference we discuss in the Victims of Crime course at UWA,” she explains, noting how directly her studies relate to the conferences’ themes.
When Dr. Russ Davis, an assistant professor of sociology at UWA, first told Caffee about the conference, she wasn’t sure it applied to her. As a clinical psychology major with a minor in sociology, she initially thought the event might focus on topics outside her areas of interest. “I was wrong,” she says with a smile. “The conference opened my eyes to all the possibilities available to me once I graduate this December.”
Davis, like many UWA professors, is always looking for opportunities to help his students grow, whether in person or online. When he learned about the annual NIJ conference, he encouraged a few of his students, including Caffee, to apply. “Treajure is a top-notch student who beat out over 300 others to attend this national event,” he says. “She even got to meet the NIJ director and pose for a photo with her. I believe the essay she wrote to apply for the conference will set her apart and help her stand out as she pursues graduate school and future career opportunities.”
As her final semester at UWA draws to a close, Caffee is filled with gratitude for the support she’s received, especially from Dr. Davis. “The NIJ conference was so inspiring, and thanks to their travel scholarship, it didn’t cost me a cent to attend,” she reflects. “It also helped me realize that I’m capable of much more than I thought.”