Diana L.T. Miller-Causey
Hometown: Indian Harbour Beach, Florida
High School: Satellite Beach High School, Class of 1979
Degrees Earned: Associate of Arts in Business Administration (AABA); Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (BSCJ)
Graduation: January 2008
Diana L.T. Miller-Causey has spent most of her life helping others, because that is what she does best. Diana's career aspiration is to obtain a position that gives her the ability to help people in a professional capacity. In order to do that, she realized that she first needed to help herself by continuing her education.
I decided to continue my education because...
"I let my conscience be my guide when it comes to pursuing my dreams. Helping others improve their lives has always given me a sense of personal satisfaction, but before I can be most effective at helping others I knew I needed to help myself. I feel that earning a Bachelor's degree is an important step in helping me turn my passion into a profession."
I chose AIU Online because...
"I was looking for an accredited university that offers a top-notch curriculum in criminal justice, as well as the flexibility that I need to continue working full time. After speaking with the admissions advisors at AIU Online, I was convinced that AIU Online would be the right choice for me. They helped me look at my skills and ambitions and helped me choose the best degree program for me."
In my career I am currently...
"...a Notary Public in the state of Florida. As a notary, I have learned many important concepts that pertain to the legal profession, such as the importance of protecting consumer privacy and complying with interagency guidelines. I would like to combine my experience with new knowledge in order to earn credentials that I can apply to a career in criminal justice."
I chose to earn a Bachelor's degree in criminal justice because...
"I think that pursuing a career in law enforcement would be great way for me to combine my professional experience with my passion for helping people. I would like to work in probation and parole, or perhaps obtain a position as a deputy sheriff in which I work closely with people. There are many opportunities in the criminal justice profession that I can pursue after I earn my Bachelor's degree."
My learning experience with AIU Online was...
"Great! I like working with people and I learned a lot from interacting with students and faculty, which was easy for me to do on the virtual campus. Many of the instructors and classmates that I worked with have hands-on experience in criminal justice. The project-based approach to learning enabled me to work closely with professionals and students from many different locations. We learned a lot from each other by sharing research and discussing our work. I have learned to ascertain the credibility of sources and I think that is important in criminal justice. I have learned more about judicial processes, case precedents, evidentiary rules and victim advocacy. By comparing and contrasting criminal justice systems, I have learned that laws may vary between states, but basic legal concepts apply everywhere."
Career Services assisted me by...
"...helping me prepare and tailor my résumé for positions in criminal justice and even gave me helpful tips that I can use to improve my interviewing skills. That is a great part of the whole learning experience with AIU Online because it helps me feel more prepared for the application processes in the criminal justice profession."
I was inspired and motivated by...
"...my desire to help others and the conviction of knowing that earning a degree will improve my ability to do that. I will never lose sight of helping others, and I feel that achieving my educational and career goals will put me in a great position to do that."
After earning my degree, my life has changed because...
"I feel more confident and have a greater sense of personal achievement. I am better at recognizing my successes and failures, replicating my successes and correcting the things that have caused me to fail in the past. I have learned how to be more patient with those who do not understand my points of view. Many of my family and friends are wondering whether or not I can actually obtain a position in the criminal justice profession and why I would want to do that. I am surer than ever of what I want and that I can accomplish my goals. After earning my degree, I believe anything is possible if I want it badly enough."
My most memorable experience while attending AIU Online is...
"I will always remember two compliments that I got from classmates. One was a SWAT team member and the other a police officer, both in different states. They are younger than I am, but they have many years of experience in law enforcement and working with them helped me push myself harder. When both said that they truly liked my work and enjoyed working with me, it was very inspiring and gave me a huge confidence boost. While I may not always have agreed with my classmates, we respected our differences of opinions, worked well together and learned from one another."
My favorite instructors at AIU Online were...
"...the ones that brought their experience to their courses and went out their way to reach out to me. There are so many of them, but the ones that I would like to mention are Dr. Dale Mancini, Dr. Dianne A. Williams and Dr. Brion Sever. These three stand out in my memory because they used their experiences to make their course material more interesting and understandable, and because they went out of their way to help me succeed in their courses."
In my free time, I like to...
"...travel, do carpentry, landscaping and Christmas decorations (besides drinking orange juice and eating pickles with salt). I build my own landscaping timbers, using a meter saw and a Bosch drill. It is a good feeling to have neighbors stop by and compliment me on my work while I am covered with dirt and sawdust, with a power tool in my hand. I have had a few literally drop what they were doing to stop and watch me work. It must be an unusual sight for some to see a woman doing a man's job for fun! I use my knowledge of landscaping and lighting in order to maximize the visual effects of decorations. I must be doing something right, because I received an honorary mention on behalf of the city of Indian Harbour Beach from our mayor in 'recognition of excellence in holiday decorating' for the job I did on my parents' home in December 2007. I was thrilled!"
The most exciting thing I have done is...
"...impress my brother in-law, which is not easy to do. He and my sister had put their house on the market and had not even had a nibble in six months. While they were out of town for two weeks, my sister requisitioned me to work on the landscaping in their front yard. I completely redid the plants, lighting, etc. in both the front and back yards, and I completed the job before they returned. At about three in the morning the next day my doorbell rang. It was my sister and brother in-law and he was gushing with praise for me! He said I am a genius and could barely believe that I did everything myself in less than two weeks. A few weeks later they sold their house at asking price!"
If I could spend an afternoon with anyone, past or present, it would be...
"...an English teacher I had in high school named Mr. Schapp. At first I found him very intimidating and even a little frightening. He had one leg missing and a huge scar on his throat. He was a former photojournalist in New York City and a crime scene photographer. He had many very frightening stories about his experiences and kept saying that we never know when it is our time to go. Once I got past my apprehension, he became my favorite teacher. I came to admire his experiences and his views on life. He passed away six months after I graduated. I would like to have one more conversation with him and let him know how much of a positive influence he had on me."
If I could do anything I want to, I would...
"Get my passport and travel abroad for about six months. I would like to meet people of various cultures and look at scenery, architecture and landscapes throughout the globe."
My words of advice for current and potential AIU Online students are...
"You are in charge of your future and your life. If you want to improve yourself and your career, you can do it by continuing your education. The flexibility of online learning gives you more control of your education because it is easier to fit into your schedule. All you need to succeed at AIU Online is good time management skills, an open mind and the desire to learn. If you think that describes you, do not hesitate. Life is short, so make the best of it and be the best you can be."
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