India Bradley, a Merrillville native, graduates this May with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

Like millions of other kids, Bradley spent hours watching CSI-type television dramas. “I watched a lot of ‘Law and Order.’ I knew it was just a television show but seeing how they would analyze and solve crimes got me interested,” she said. The interest never waned. In fact, it grew to include broader areas like corrections, law enforcement, and the courts.

At Merrillville High School, Bradley took dual credit and AP courses, which not only transferred to Indiana University Northwest, but enabled her to graduate early—in December 2019.

Although Bradley considered attending IU in Bloomington or Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), she felt IU Northwest better suited her needs. “I wanted to be at a smaller school,” she said, “but I also wanted to keep the jobs I had and save up for a car.”

Money earned from her jobs, including a work-study position in IU Northwest’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and from scholarships, allowed Bradley the special pleasure of graduating with no student loans. “I received the Chancellor’s Medallion Scholarship two years in a row, which helped me to cut back on my work hours,” she explained. Other scholarships also contributed—and so did mom.

IU Northwest has a club for every interest, and Bradley joined the Criminal Justice Club. “We did a Toys for Tots drive every year,” she said, “and took a field trip to the FBI building in Chicago.” The club also attended a private session at a Merrillville shooting range, hosted by a retired police officer.

An internship in the fall of 2019 in Hammond’s Federal Courts Probation Department influenced Bradley so much that she began to think about a career in probation. “It was an amazing experience,” she said. “I helped with client/parolee reports, attended meetings, went to court hearings with the attorneys.” She even got sworn in and received a badge. “That’s the field of work I’m looking into now.”

Asked for words of wisdom for other undergraduates, Bradley stated, “It’s definitely not easy, every student has obstacles, but keep your eyes on the end goal and push through the hard assignments. Keep in mind the advantages of having a college degree."