Rhea interns at Ponca City Police Department

Aerin Rhea, a criminal justice major at NOC from Medford, Oklahoma, recently had the opportunity to take part in an internship with the Ponca City Police Department.

Primarily, the internship consisted of ride-alongs with police officers and observing the dispatch office.

Rhea explained, “The experience that I had with the police department is definitely beneficial with my degree, but at the same time, each experience with the different officers I rode along with was different. It is more than just making traffic stops and writing tickets. Just from watching each different police officer handle each situation shows me how I should handle those types of scenarios.”

Kathleen Swain, Coordinator of Student Academic Success Services at NOC, helps make internship connections between students and employers in the community to ensure the opportunity for NOC students to gain valuable experience in their chosen field of study.

For additional information on providing an internship opportunity, contact Swain at 580-628-6258.

Northern Oklahoma College, the state’s first public community college, is a multi-campus, land-grant institution that provides high quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities and services which create life-changing experiences and develop students as effective learners and leaders within their communities in a connected, ever changing world.

NOC, a public two-year community college, serves nearly 5,000 students on the home campus in Tonkawa, branch in Enid, NOC/OSU Gateway Program in Stillwater, online, and the University Center in Ponca City. Of these students about 60% receive financial aid and/or scholarships.  Over 80% of NOC students complete their degree with zero debt.

NOC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers associate degrees in three general areas: Arts, Science and Applied Science.  The associate degree fulfills lower-division course work which is applicable towards a bachelor’s degree.

Call (580) 628-6200 for more information about Northern Oklahoma College or visit www.noc.edu .

BELOW: Aerin Rhea with members of the Ponca City Police Department.  (photo provided)