BGSU alumni bring real-world insight and training to criminal justice education

Capt. Jake Morris ’17 and Sgt. Kyle Gelenius ’22 of the Lorain Police Department organize memorable visits for BGSU students

Two Bowling Green State University alumni working in law enforcement are giving back by helping criminal justice students put their studies into action.

Capt. Jake Morris ’17 and Sgt. Kyle Gelenius ’22 of the Lorain (Ohio) Police Department near Cleveland returned to BGSU to be instructors, which has led to unique opportunities for undergraduate students enrolled in the criminal justice learning community.

Morris and Gelenius, both of whom commute to Bowling Green to teach in-person classes once per week, arrange three different on-site visits to Lorain for students to experience real-world policing that informs the topics they discuss in class.

On the visits to Lorain, criminal justice students have the chance to learn about topics like SWAT and decision-making with weapons, go through an active shooter scenario and participate in driver training in which they operate a real police cruiser, giving them an idea of how police departments train for situations they might encounter.

“It’s important for students to get out of their comfort zones because that’s usually where real growth takes place,” Gelenius said. “On the driving range, for example, one of the first things they had to do was back up at high speeds and end up with the cruiser in a box without using your mirrors or the backup camera. It’s about giving them training and applying it, which not only makes them a better everyday driver, but shows them how law enforcement trains for a high-stress situation.”

By taking their classes into real-world scenarios, Morris and Gelenius said they hope to inform students about law enforcement, even for those who may pick a different criminal justice-related career.

The experience of going through a police training not only informs class topics, but is designed to give students a better idea of how a police department functions.

“No. 1, it gives them a challenge, and No. 2, it allows them to see what we do as law enforcement officers to improve during our career,” Morris said. “You want to keep getting better at new challenges every year. We tell them we don’t expect them to be pros right away, but we want to show them something they will have the chance to work at in this career.”

Morris and Gelenius both came to BGSU well after their law enforcement careers began to complete the nationally ranked BGSU Online Criminal Justice Master’s program, which is designed with professionals in mind.

Through BGSU Online, the University also offers a fully-online bachelor’s of criminal justice in which students can complete the program in as little as two years and count prior work or military experience as college credit.

Even for students who may not have taken asynchronous classes previously, the flexible course delivery is designed to accommodate those with busy lives.

“A lot of the apprehension about starting an asynchronous program fades pretty quickly,” said Dr. Adam Watkins, a criminal justice professor at BGSU. “We have students who are 10-plus years removed from doing their bachelor’s who did very little online, but the students get to know each other and can really lean on each other.”

No matter the professional responsibilities, Gelenius said a student can make the online program work for them.

“Professionals who are considering the online master’s shouldn’t be deterred because the professors really work with you,” Gelenius said. “I remember standing at a crime scene at 4 a.m. when I was a night-shift supervisor, and I’m thinking, ‘Oh no, I have a paper that’s due at 11:59!’ But the professors are more than understanding and work within your professional life, too.”

Both Morris and Gelenius worked full-time as they completed their degrees, which not only helped with everyday tasks like writing police reports, but gave them a broader understanding of the criminal justice field.

“Coming out here to BGSU and pursuing the master’s degree exposed me to perspectives outside the police world,” Morris said. “In so many cases, it’s very easy for law enforcement officers to become good at their job because they know their own ecosystem, but taking a step outside of the police world gave me a new perspective and critical thinking skills that you can apply to your career.”

In turn, Morris and Gelenius have given back to the program by adding a new element to undergraduate courses at BGSU.

Catherine Pape, an associate teaching professor of criminal justice at BGSU, said experiences with real-world practitioners invariably became many students’ favorite classes at the University and teach them about a relevant field at the same time.

“That’s exactly why we hire alums like Jake and Kyle – they have the knowledge and ability to give students a real-world experience you can’t get in a classroom,” Pape said. “Having them be so dedicated to our students to provide these experiences is just awesome, and the students learn so much.”