Finding her way
09/20/2024
Nadia Button twice presented at the Ohio Council of Criminal Justice Education conference.
Responding to a call to help others
Nadia Button, a December 2024 graduate from Springfield, Ohio, has completed her fair share of internships during her time at Bluffton. Button, a criminal justice and sociology double major, has completed three internships and is prepared to enter her career field following graduation.
A calling to help others led Button to come to Bluffton as a social work major. After a few courses in social work, Button knew she wanted to try something different. Button’s academic advisor encouraged her to take a criminal justice course, and after one course, Button says, she fell in love with criminal justice and changed her major. Button then chose to add sociology as a double major after taking a different course.
“The classes at Bluffton point you in the direction of where you want to go,” said Button. “Our professors will bring in guest speakers in different career fields, which helps us gain interest and connections in certain areas within criminal justice.”
Not only has Button gained knowledge in the classroom, she has also gained hands on experience through three internships. Button completed internships at Clark County Juvenile Detention Center, Crime Victim Services in Lima, Ohio, and Bonds Lady Bonds in her hometown. Button says all three of these experiences were very different, but they all helped her gain knowledge and grow.
“These internships allowed me to take on a leadership role and step out of my comfort zone,” said Button. “I also learned adaptability and discipline, which are two very important things when working in the criminal justice field.”
Completing these internships has allowed Button to narrow down what she would like to do following graduation. After graduating in December, Button plans to either go to law school, work in a prison or be a probation officer.
At Bluffton, Button has been able to be a presenter at the Ohio Council of Criminal Justice Education (OCCJE) conference for the past two years. OCCJE brings criminal justice students from around the area together to share knowledge about the criminal justice field. Button has also been a member of Multicultural Student Organization (MSO) and captain of the cheer team.
“My experience at Bluffton has been really good,” said Button. “The faculty and staff here always give me the encouragement and motivation I need to keep going.”