Cpl. Nicole Ludwig, left, and Slippery Rock University professor David Champion have worked to establish a career path partnership between state police and SRU. This would include allowing second semester seniors to enter the state police academy and count training as credits. Submitted photo

Pennsylvania’s state police is looking toward colleges like Slippery Rock University to recruit future troopers.

The university and state police are teaming up to create a new career pathway for criminology and criminal justice majors at SRU. Students can apply their Pennsylvania State Police Academy training as 15 credits toward their bachelor’s degree.

“Students gain early access to recruiters and mentorship from troopers who help them navigate the application process and prepare for the academy, while we provide the academic guidance to ensure they are ready upon graduation. It gives students a clear, supported route from the classroom to a law enforcement career,” David Champion, SRU professor of criminology and criminal justice, said.

For the partnership, students must be accepted into the state police academy for the second semester of their senior year. Second semester academy training will count 15 credits toward degree requirements for criminal justice majors.

“We recognize the need for educated law enforcement officers in the commonwealth, as do state police,” Champion said. “This was a partnership that came about when talking to corporals at a career fair on campus. They were looking for universities to partner with to get a feeder going into state police.”

To become a Pennsylvania state trooper, applicants must meet age, citizenship, residency and licensing requirements, and successfully complete a rigorous selection and training process.

In recent years, efforts have been made to prompt Pennsylvanians to apply to the state police. In 2023, Gov. Josh Shapiro removed college credit requirements to encourage cadet applications.

“We’ve already received interest from students,” Champion said. “We’ve had good relations with state police. We’ve gotten feedback from students always looking for career opportunities, and we’ve seen they tend to be well oriented to the hands-on side of the field. I think this will be a nice pathway for students interested.”

Several schools in eastern Pennsylvania have similar partnerships with the state police. However, SRU is the first in the western part of the state to establish one.

“Our partnership with SRU is especially significant, as it is the only state university in Western Pennsylvania participating in this program,” said Nicole Ludwig, a state police corporal and its bridge partnership liaison to SRU.

“At a time when law enforcement agencies across the nation are facing recruitment challenges, partnerships like this help create pathways for talented students to pursue careers in public service while completing their education,” Ludwig said.