Internship Chronicles, Chapter 41: Darian Dick

One fall day, a Student Prince decided to go on a little adventure. “It won’t be long before I have a career,” the Prince said, “so I’d better start preparing now.” So with some ’Berg education under their hat, and some connections in their back pocket, the Student Prince began forging their way through an internship.

We continue our web series, Internship Chronicles.

Chapter 41: Behind the Badge

Darian Dick is a senior psychology and criminology double-major from Alexandria, Ohio. She is planning to pursue a career in criminal justice, with hopes to work her way up to the federal level, and work for the United States government. She’s starting her journey by interning with the Seneca County Sheriff’s department here in Tiffin, Ohio.

How did you find your internship, or how did the internship find you?

I found my internship through Dr. Sarah Lazzari. Prior to finding an internship, she has provided me with countless opportunities to help me succeed in this field. After reaching out, she helped me find possible internships and how to reach out to them.

What did you expect from your internship initially?

Initially, I expected to help with paperwork and do the tasks they don't have time for. I wasn't expecting to shadow and get insight within every role of the department.

What really happens in your day-to-day work?

Darian (Left) offering resources at the Seneca County Sheriff's Office's booth at a community event

Everyday looks different for me. Chief Deputy Boyer will let me shadow him when he isn't doing paperwork or he will pair me with a different role in the department. I have been able to do ride-alongs with sheriff's, sit in on dispatch, attend court sentencing for cases the department worked on, shadow correctional officers in the jail, review old cases as I enter them in the data system, attend community involvement events, and shadow detectives. The Chief wants his interns to experience all different areas of a department. If there's something that is a good learning opportunity, he usually assigns me to shadow the people involved.

What connections have you made?

I have made a great connection with Chief Deputy Boyer. He has given me so many amazing opportunities and so much insight about criminal justice that I can carry with me into the future. Through him, I've also been able to make connections with people of all different roles in the department.

What is the most valuable thing you’ll bring back to the classroom after this experience?

The most valuable thing I'll bring back to the classroom is the knowledge I gained from my experiences at the Sheriff's Department. Reading and learning about these things in class is helpful, but getting to apply those things while I'm actually experiencing ties everything together. Having this knowledge will also help me to be successful in my future careers.