Alumni Profile: Warren L. Waters '05, B.A. Justice

From the beginning, Warren Waters found UAA more helpful and accommodating than his prior university experiences. He was pursuing a degree in psychology at Arizona State University (ASU) before his wife, Emily, received orders to be stationed in Alaska. "UAA made my transition convenient, and I enjoyed the small campus and classes," said Warren. "ASU was much larger."

Though he started chasing after a degree in psychology, Warren changed his focus when he got to UAA because his good friend, a probation officer in Arizona, encouraged him to consider a future career in justice. "He used to tell me about what he did and how he was able to impact his community," Warren said.

An elective course in justice sparked Warren's interest, and the rest, they say, is history. He thought that justice would be more rewarding and a better fit for him. Luckily, his previous psychology credits transferred and counted toward a minor in psychology.

One of Warren's fondest memories of UAA was taking a Criminal Investigations course. "The final was a staged crime scene where we had to take notes, make observations, talk to witness and finally form a deduction and submit our findings to the professor," he said. Warren, also a member of the Justice Club, found it very helpful that his justice professors had real-world knowledge of the subjects they taught.

Warren now works as a Probation Officer II in Anchorage, where he oversees the transition of inmates from an institution to a halfway house. "I help them to prepare for their release and the reintegrating process back into the community," he said. "I encourage them in their rehabilitative efforts. That support and encouragement can really make a difference."

Warren is a tireless advocate for education and the role it has in shaping peoples' lives. "Education is one of the most important things an individual can obtain for themselves in life," he said. "It is something one can never lose or have taken away."