Criminal Justice Expo Builds Connections with Regional Agencies

The newly sanctioned UNCW chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma, the national criminal justice honor society, is off to a running start with the first-ever Criminal Justice Expo under its belt.

Held at the Eagle’s Dare in downtown Wilmington, the expo brought together food trucks and live music with regional criminal justice agencies for a relaxed event that introduces students to the scope of criminal justice work.

Sean Bigger ’25, founder and president of UNCW’s chapter, realized while organizing the event that it would be a good chance for underclassmen to network with local agencies and get a better idea of what they do.

While the Department of Sociology and Criminology hosts a career fair in the spring, he said the expo gives declared students another chance to network — informally and off-campus — while others can test the waters and see what interests them.

“It’s more than just policing and courts, so we did our best to include that element,” he said. “There are so many different paths to take with a criminology degree.”

Emily daSilva, another member of the chapter looking to graduate in the spring, said the expo is also a chance for students like her to find clarity on what steps they might want to take after getting their degree.

Bigger said he’s glad to have set the foundation for the chapter, Sigma Epsilon Sigma, before he graduates. daSilva, who will serve as vice president in the spring, said they’ll work on growing membership and could include students with majors adjacent to criminology.