The brainchild of two visionary men, George J. Beto, former Director of the Texas Department of Corrections, and Arleigh B. Templeton, former President of Sam Houston State College, was to establish a program of excellence in criminal justice education. Forty years later, the College of Criminal Justice has produced 259 doctoral graduates, including prominent leaders in academia and in practice across the Unites States and world.
"Over the years, the College of Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University has produced quality Ph.D.s that have worked across the State of Texas, the nation, and internationally," said Dr. Michael Vaughn, Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies at SHSU's College of Criminal Justice and Director of the Ph.D. Program. "Sam Houston graduates serve on the boards and are office holders of key academic professional organizations in the discipline, including the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences and the American Society of Criminology. Moreover, the teaching, research and scholarship conducted by Sam Houston students, alumni and faculty have made the world a better place.
The 40th Anniversary of our Ph.D. program is a time to honor the College as well as celebrate our Ph.D. grads who have contributed so much to the academic discipline of criminal justice and criminology."
In 1970, the then-Coordinating Board of Texas Colleges and University System approved the doctoral program at Sam Houston State University, one of the first criminal justice Ph.D. programs in the nation. It was an extension of the Master's degree programs in criminal justice and behavioral sciences in the Institute of Contemporary Corrections and Behavioral Sciences, the name before we became the College of Criminal Justice.
Dr. Jerry Dowling (left) and then Dean Dr. George Killinger in 1977.
"We are gratified to have the approval of the degree in criminal justice since it constitutes the final step in the process of the institution in its development of a strong educational curriculum in criminal justice from the basic masters to the doctoral level," George Killinger, then director of the Institute, said in a 1970 Huntsville Item article. "We are especially grateful to be the first university in the nation to offer the professional doctorate in criminal justice."
During the first year of the program, only five students were admitted. In 1973, Randall P. McCauley and Ronald J. Waldren became the first to earn the prestigious degree.
"The conferring of these degrees to these outstanding candidates is the crowning glory of the program in criminal justice at Sam Houston," Killinger said at the time of the 1973 commencement ceremony.
Since that time, many more have passed through the doors of the College of Criminal Justice and contributed what they learned in Huntsville, Texas to the field far and wide.
The College's influences can be seen on college campuses, in prominent publications, in organizational leadership, in local, state and federal agencies and in the military.
"In virtually every issue of every major journal in criminal justice, you will almost always find the College's graduates," said Dr. David L. Carter, a SHSU Ph.D. alumni and professor at Michigan State University's School of Criminal Justice. "They are prolific in public research. They have had a tremendous influence in ACJS and ASC and had a number of presidents and officers, probably more than any other college or university.
"There is a phenomenal network of graduates with a common and magnificent bond. You have people coming into Huntsville from all over the world."
Carter came to Sam Houston in the summer of 1977, earning his Ph.D. in 1980. During that time, Sam Houston State University was one of the only colleges offering a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and had a good reputation. Living in McAllen, Texas, it also offered affordable in-state tuition, Carter recalls.
"The faculty were all involved on a national level with research and publication," Carter said. "But it wasn't just enough to be well-rounded in academics. You can't be isolated in theory. It focused on real world problems and was very much involved in policy."
Carter said the College provided him with lifelong friends.
"Life is richer when with the things you do professionally, you know you have friends you can rely on," said Carter. "What I learned at Sam has influenced me throughout my career."
Dr. Timothy N. Oettmeier, an Executive Assistant Chief at the Houston Police Department, said the College helped him bridge the gap between the academic and and practitioner's world, making him a better thinker and decision maker.
"It has helped extraordinarily in my job," said Oettmeier, who earned his Ph.D. in 1982. "It creates a process where you listen and make sure you have a complete picture of all the facts, critically analyze the issue, ask questions, weigh the information and go forward with a recommendation. The best thing about graduate work is that professor teaches you how to think differently. You see issues on a broader scale."
Oettmeier especially likes the College's partnerships with law enforcement and corrections through the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas and the Correctional Management Institute of Texas. The Houston Police Department and the College also are working together on several projects with community surveys and intensive patrols.
"Locally, they provide valuable resources for police agencies and correctional agencies," Oettmeier said. "We are so lucky to have programs of that stature and magnitude."
Dr. Charles Friel (center) with Dr. Rolando del Carmen and his wife Josefa in 1986.
During the 1990s, Dr,. Jeffery T. Walker, professor and graduate coordinator at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, remembers the endless discussion and academic argument in "The Dungeon," the basement of the Criminal Justice Center where Ph.D. students' offices are located, or at Mazzio's pizzeria, where Friday lunches were served. He authored his first book with Dr. Rolando del Carmen, Distinguished and Regents Professor, before he even left the College.
"What I remember most was the breadth of people that you could talk to," said Walker. "I felt like when I came out of there, I could teach anything."
Dr. Bitna Kim did her undergraduate and graduate work in South Korea, but came to Sam Houston in 2003 for her Ph.D. studies. She now teaches gender and race issues at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She too remembers many a late night in the Dungeon with her fellow Ph.D. students preparing for the comprehensive exams as well as the mentorship she received from many faculty members.
"The College has more resources than other graduate and doctoral program," said Dr. Kim. "It has excellent faculty. You learn about international issues. Even outside the United States, the College has a good reputation."
As SHSU continues to produce the next generation of criminal justice Ph.D.s, it plans to celebrate its 40th year of doctoral education with a reception in March at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences conference in Toronto, Canada. All Ph.D. graduates are invited to attend.
Following is a list of all Ph.D.s who graduated from the Sam Houston’s College of Criminal Justice.
- Janice Ahmad, August 2001
- Leanne F. Alarid, August 1996
- John R. Altemose, December 1973
- James F. Anderson, May 1995
- Lisa Andrews, August 2004
- Hasan T. Arlsan, December 2008
- David Armstrong, December 1998
- Nicholas. A. Astone, August 1978
- Cary D. Atkinson, May 2005
- Kenneth A. Ayers, August 1984
- Maldine B. Bailey, August 2002
- Damon L. Barbat, May 1982
- Agnes L. Baro, May 1991
- Vidisha Barua, August 2008
- Allen R. Beck, May 1978
- Barbara A. Belbot, May 1995
- Katherine J. Bennett, December 1996
- James C. Benson, December 1977
- Ashley G. Blackburn, December 2006
- Michael B. Blankenship, August 1988
- William P. Bloss, August 1996
- Madhava Bodapati, August 1993
- Gene L. Bonham, August 2004
- Eugene E. Bouley Jr., August 1995
- Susan F. Brinkley, December 1983
- Deon Brock, August 1998
- Dale Brooker, August 2005
- Thomas L. Broussard, May 1980
- Michael F. Brown, December 1982
- Katherine M. Brown, August 2008
- Tori J. Caeti, May 1999
- Salih H. Can, August 2006
- Timothy A. Capron, May 1979
- David L. Carter, August 1980
- Thomas E. Caywood, August 1995
- Kelly A. Cheeseman, May 2006
- Ming-Chwang "Mark" Chen, August 1988
- Sutham Cheurprakobkit, August 1996
- Jiunn-Cherng Chiou, December 2004
- Yeok-il Cho, August 2005
- Gregory A. Clark, August 1988
- Jay Coons, May 2004
- Betty A. Crews, May 1990
- Jeffrey D. Dailey, May 2002
- Audre L. Dallam, August 1987
- Samuel L. Dameron, May 1987
- Dilip K. Das, August 1983
- Mario Davila, August 2005
- Daniel K. Dearth, August 1984
- Irfan Demir, May 2008
- Michael J. DeValve, December 2004
- Elizabeth DeValve, August 2004
- Michael J. Devine, December 1988
- Deanna L. Diamond, December 2004
- Adam L. Dulin, December 2006
- Richard T. Dull, August 1981
- Steven A. Egger, December 1985
- George Eichenberg, December 2000
- Helen M. Eigenberg, December 1989
- Ahmet Ekici, Augut 2008
- Jack E. Enter, August 1984
- Tarik Eser, December 2007
- Phillip A. Ethridge, August 1990
- Carl L. Farnsworth, August 1980
- Jon R. Farrar, May 1986
- Harlee I. Field, August 1989
- Charles B. Fields, August 1984
- Alan B. Fliegel, August 1975
- Robert S. Fong, August 1987
- Shannon Fowler, December 2007
- Durant Frantzen, December 2006
- Robert L. Frazier, August 1973
- Jennifer Frisbie, August 1999
- Eric J. Fritsch, December 1995
- Larry K. Gaines, August 1975
- Tammy S. Garland, August 2004
- Bruce W. Gay, May 1993
- James W. Golden, August 1994
- Georgen Guerrero, December 2007
- David B. Gulick, May 1984
- Bahram Haghighi, May 1985
- William C. Hale, August 2005
- Dayton Hall, May 1999
- Robert Hanser, December 2002
- Harkristuti Harkrisnowo, May 1991
- Hilary Q. Harper, December 1974
- Barbara L. Hart, August 1978
- Deborah J. Hartley, December 2008
- Robert Hawkins, August 1998
- Dawn M. Hayes, August 2006
- Michael H. Hazlett, December 1984
- William P. Heck, May 1990
- Bruce L. Heininger, August 1979
- Craig Hemmons, May 1998
- Howard Henderson, August 2006
- Thomas J. Hickey, December 1985
- Lance F. Hignite, May 2007
- Sean D. Hill, December 2002
- Richard N. Holden, August 1980
- David M. Horton, August 1983
- Frank Huang, August 1993
- Shihlung Huang, May 1996
- Robert G. Huckabee, August 1982
- Wendelin M. Hume, December 1999
- Robert J. Hunter, May 1993
- Jerome E. Jackson, May 1992
- Jay D. Jamieson, December 1981
- Hyunseok Jang, August 2008
- Charles R. Jeffords, August 1981
- Robert A. Jerin, December 1987
- Paul H. Johnson, December 1975
- Charles L. Johnson, May 1977
- Matthew C. Johnson, August 2008
- Amanda Johnson, August 2010
- Gerald M. Jones, August 1994
- Victor E. Kappeler, August 1988
- Michael Kaune, August 1993
- Lester W. Keaton, December 1987
- John Kennedy, December 2003
- Yong Jin Kim, December 1989
- Bitna Kim, August 2008
- Patricia King, December 2003
- Monica Koenigsberg, December 2008
- Peter B. Kraska, May 1989
- Pornchai Kuntee, May 1995
- Shih-Ya Kuo, August 2008
- Richard A. Lawrence, August 1978
- Lou Jou Lee, December 1994
- Chang Bae Lee, August 2008
- Won-Jae Lee, December 2004
- Unisa Lerdtomornsakul, May 2006
- Eve L. Lieber, August 1981
- Hyeyoung Lim, August 2008
- Bill Tsangchang Lin, August 1990
- Chien-Yang "Albert" Lin, December 1990
- Lydia Long, August 1997
- Pedro Lopez, May 1983
- Horace B. Lyons, December 2006
- Daniel J. Mabrey, December 2006
- Vesna Markovic, May 2009
- Robert L. Marsh, May 1975
- Harry L. Marsh, August 1988
- Mark Marsolais, August 1997
- Regina S. Martin, May 1991
- Pablo E. Martinez, December 1987
- Randall P. McCauley, May 1973
- Elizabeth McConnell, December 1989
- Tana M. McCoy, August 2002
- Marilyn F. McShane, May 1985
- Randolph T. McVey, December 1992
- Martin S. Meagher, August 1983
- Dorothy E. Merianos, May 2001
- Scott M. Mire, August 2005
- Junseob Moon, August 2009
- James B. Moore, August 1979
- Cindy Moors, May 2003
- Nathan R. Moran, August 2002
- Laura J. Moriarty, August 1988
- Robert G. Morris, May 2007
- Saliba D. Mukoro, December 1984
- Janet Mullings, August 1997
- Karon Murff, August 2007
- Michael W. Neustrom, August 1977
- Ronald J. Niksich, December 1983
- Timothy N. Oettmeier, May 1982
- James L. O'Keefe, December 1989
- Aziz Ozmen, August 2008
- Mary L. Parker, May 1986
- Derek J. Paulsen, August 2000
- Leonard Peck, December 2004
- Mary E. Pelz, May 1988
- Dante R. Pena, December 1986
- Roger Pennel, August 1986
- James R. Phelps, December 2008
- Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, August 1997
- O. Elmer Polk, May 1993
- Pairat Pongchareon, May 1984
- Scott A. Pray, May 2006
- Joseph K. Price, August 1983
- Michael P. Pugh, August 1980
- Chester L. Quarles, December 1973
- Paige H. Ralph, August 1992
- Gerard F. Ramker, August 1983
- Frances P. Reddington, May 1992
- William E. Reed, August 1982
- Susan Ritter, December 1997
- Ronald W. Robinson, May 1977
- Sunghoon Roh, August 2005
- James M. Ruiz, December 2000
- Prapon Sahapattana, August 2007
- Patti R. Salinas, December 2005
- Louis R. San Marco, August 1979
- Claudia SanMiquel, December 2005
- Allen D. Sapp, August 1980
- Robert A. Sarver, August 2007
- Mary B. Sarver, May 2008
- Kathryn E. Scarborough, August 1995
- Edward J. Schauer, May 1990
- Harald O. Schweizer, May 1990
- Robert F. Scott Jr., August 1993
- Murat Sever, August 2008
- Douglas Shannon, August 1986
- Thaksin Shinawatra, May 1979
- Barbara A. Sims, May 1997
- Richard D. Sluder, August 1991
- Barry D. Smith, May 1981
- Clete J. Snell, August 1999
- Nadhapit Snidvongs, August 1984
- Jonathan R. Sorensen, May 1990
- Floyd L. Stewart, August 1978
- Daniel M. Stewart, August 2009
- Kendall R. Stockholm, August 1984
- William E. Stone, December 1975
- Christine Strosnider, August 1978
- Thomas E. Sullenberger, December 1977
- R. Alan Thompson, May 2001
- Stacey M. Thompson, May 2002
- Chloe Ann Tischler, August 1995
- Eve W. Trook, May 1991
- Chad. R. Trulson, August 2002
- Ting-Jung Tsai, August 1997
- Ben Y. Tseng, August 1986
- Roger W. Turnquist, August 1980
- Jagdish C. Uppal, December 1973
- Michael Van Aelstyn, December 2007
- Donna M. Vandiver, May 2002
- Joseph B. Vaughn, December 1988
- Michael S. Vaughn, August 1993
- Carol A. Veneziano, May 1982
- Scott Vollum, December 2005
- Sandra Wachholz, December 1994
- Ronald J. Waldron, May 1973
- Jeffery T. Walker, August 1992
- Kevin D. Walsh, May 2009
- Hsiao-Ming Wang, August 1998
- Glenn C. Ware, May 1983
- Dierdre M. Warren, August 2009
- David W. Webb, May 2007
- Kristen L. Welch, December 2009
- Terry Wells, May 1997
- Robert M. Werling, August 2006
- Stephanie A. Whitus, December 2006
- William V. Wilkinson, August 1985
- Harold E. Williamson, May 1980
- Che' D. Williamson, May 2002
- Franklin T. Wilson, August 2006
- Bruce Wilson, December 1998
- Brian Withrow, August 1999
- Betsy Witt, August 2004
- Thomas S. Woodard, May 1976
- David A. Woods, August 1991
- Robert M. Worley, May 2006
- Tzu-Rung Yao Wu, May 2010
- Russell Young, August 2004
- Minwoo Yun, December 2006
- Ilhong Yun, August 2007
- Frank A. Zeigler, August 2001
- Hongwei Zhang, August 2004
- Ling Zhou, December 2005