LEJA is Still Going Strong!

As many of you are probably aware, WIU’s Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA) program is the largest academic major on campus. LEJA majors make up about 1/5 of the student body; it also has graduated more than 10,000 students within the 43 years the major has been available on campus.

To find out more about LEJA, I sat down with Terry Mors, the director of the School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration, and Ken Durkin, an LEJA professor and the internship coordinator for the school. They gave me an extensive look at the history and success of the school as well as future plans for it. The School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration, once an academic department, was first founded at WIU in 1969. Over the years, many disciplines were developed and offered through LEJA including Homeland Security in 2005.

I think that the success of this school is incredible. I asked both Terry and Ken what they think draws students to LEJA at Western.  “There are three things that make up our great reputation: experience, curriculum, and faculty”, said Terry. Ken agreed and mentioned that students are never disappointed with their career path after graduation.  “We are able to better a student’s career profile, or give them resources to start a new one,” said Ken. And the numbers speak for themselves. “At each (fall and spring) College of Education and Human Services commencement ceremony, almost ¾ of the gym is filled with graduates of LEJA majors,” Terry included.

So, what’s new for LEJA…a fire services major! In 1984, WIU was chosen, along with six other universities, to partner with The National Fire Academy to develop a curriculum for an education in fire services. LEJA faculty members at WIU have now developed their own curriculum and the major will have two options for students: fire administration or fire science. This is huge for the department because it is another accomplishment that shows how strong LEJA is at WIU.

“We’re solid,” said Ken, “we are old, but we aren’t. If you give us the resources, we will always be growing.” Terry said the department is hoping to offer a Ph.D. program eventually.  “We always want to take our time and do it right.”

After my interview with faculty members, I realized how vital the School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration is to WIU, along with all the other academic departments on campus. The faculty is incredible, the success of students is apparent, and the alumni are able to succeed after graduation.  Were you an LEJA major while at Western? I’d be interested in hearing your stories about your LEJA studies here. There are sure to be a ton of them.