For immediate release
UTB/TSC students place first at regional criminal justice contest
BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 4, 2009 – Three seniors from The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College’s American Criminal Justice Association Lambda Alpha Epsilon/Iota Kappa Chi Chapter won first place at a crime scene competition at the Region 2 American Criminal Justice Association Conference i
n Metairie, La.
Elvira Alvarado, Sandra Marquez and Daisy Solis are criminal justice – police administration majors from Brownsville. The three are also working toward minors in forensic investigation.
This is the first time a UTB/TSC team has won first place at the regional competition. The previous first place winners have been individuals.
“We were kind of the underdogs,” Alvarado said. “Last year we didn’t place, but we trained well this year and we didn’t expect first place.”
The conference was held Thursday, Oct. 22 to Monday, Oct. 25 and included university criminal justice teams from Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
“It feels good to be recognized,” said Solis. “We’ve been well trained by Professor (Michael) Lytle and in our studies.”
Marquez also placed third in Physical Activity. She prepared for the contest’s series of push-ups, sit-ups, running and a strength test by working out at the campus Recreation, Education and Kinesiology Center.
“I was pretty nervous about it,” she said about the start of the competition. “At the end, I was feeling dizzy.”
Solis won second place in Upper Division Criminal Law and in Upper Division Lambda Alpha Epsilon Knowledge.
Other campus chapter members winning trophies were:
· Second place Upper Division Crime Scene: Celia Ortega, a junior psychology major from Rio Hondo; Jasmine Montoya, a
junior psychology major from Brownsville and Lizzie Zuniga, a junior criminal justice – police administration major from
Brownsville;
· Second place Physical Activity: Fernando Reyna, a senior criminal justice – police administration major from Brownsville;
· Third place Lower Division Lambda Alpha Epsilon Knowledge: Robert Escobedo, junior criminal justice – police administration
major from Brownsville.
Chapter members Raul Contreras, a senior criminal justice – police administration major from Brownsville and Luis Martinez, a junior criminal justice – police administration major from Brownsville, also took part in the competition.
For more information on the University’s ACJA chapter, contact Dr. Susan Ritter, advisor and associate professor of criminal justice, at (956) 882-6569 or susan.ritter@utb.edu.
For more information on the forensic investigation program, contact Michael Lytle, associate master technical instructor, at (956) 882-7168 or michael.lytle@utb.edu.