Student Voices

Marie Sarantakis, '11

Hometown: Lake Geneva, WI
Major: Philosophy and Political Science
Minor: Criminal Justice and Sociology

Marie Sarantakis has always been fascinated by the study of law and its relevance to criminal justice. So, after taking classes through the Carthage Youth Options program during high school, she decided to pursue a degree in Criminal Justice through Carthage.

"In my experiences, the faculty of the Criminal Justice program here at Carthage are amazing. They are genuinely kind individuals who care that you've gained something through their classes," Marie said. "They have introduced me to some very influential people, whom I have been fortunate enough to work with off-campus. In the past two years, I have interned with the Kenosha County Public Defender's Office, the Kenosha County District Attorney's Office, and Chief Judge Mary Wagner."

In addition to her off-campus internships, Marie also volunteers as a docent at the Dinosaur Discovery Museum and is excited to study Shakespeare in Italy over this upcoming J-Term with Professors Ali and McShane.

Favorite professor: "Prof. Rick Matthews is a mentor to me. He was extremely helpful and supportive when I wanted to begin a nationwide criminal justice organization here on campus." (Read more about the American Criminal Justice Association at Carthage.) "Classes with Prof. Matthews are always lively, since he mixes real life experiences with the material, making the information so much more accessible."

Favorite class: "I particularly enjoyed Cultural Anthropology since all the students in the class were allowed to go in depth and do an ethnographic study in a topic of their liking. I chose to delve into the sociological aspects of cafe culture, while others in the class looked into areas of sports, online dating and various genres of the music industry."

Toughest class: "Constitutional Law was my most challenging class. This was probably due to the fact that I decided to take Constitutional Law I and II, both in the same semester. I had to memorize a great deal of case law in just a few months."

Favorite moments at Carthage: "I really love being in front of an audience, so anytime I am hosting a meeting for one of the organizations I am involved in, I am happy as can be."

Favorite spot on campus: "If I'm not in class, you're almost guaranteed to track me down at Starbucks sipping on a mocha."

Career goal: "I plan on becoming a criminal defense attorney."

Student Voices

Marie Sarantakis, '11

"Classes with Prof. Matthews are always lively, since he mixes real life experiences with the material, making the information so much more accessible." Read more ...

Amanda Muscarello, '10

"Favorite spot on campus? Anywhere on campus that you can see (or hear) the waves hitting the shore. It's peaceful, especially during finals week!" Read more ...