Alumni Career Panel on Careers in Law, Crime and Justice


A Sociology Alumni Career Panel Celebrating the Legacy of
Professor Sawyer Sylvester

On Friday, May 22, the Department of Sociology, with additional support from the Purposeful Work Initiative, sponsored an alumni career panel on career in law, crime and justice. Many Bates alums who have gone on to a variety of careers related to law, crime and justice, that also intersect with other fields like public policy, social services, youth advocacy, human resources/career services, and more will be speaking.  This panel is part of the celebration of the legacy of Professor Sawyer Sylvester.

Sociology Alumni Career Panelist:

Karen Bilodeau, J.D., Class of 2000; Attorney and Partner at McTeague, Higbee, & Case in Topsham, Maine

Laura Gross Van der Lugt, Ph.D., Class of 2005; Director of Evaluation & Learning at Roca, Inc. in Boston (an organization focused on “breaking the cycle of incarceration and poverty” and “transforming the lives of the most high-risk young people ages 17-24”)

Amanda Petteruti, M.A., Class of 2000; ‎Senior Research Associate at Justice Policy Institute in Washington DC (an organization “dedicated to reducing use of incarceration and the justice system by promoting fair and effective policies”)

Erin Russ Scherzer, J.D., Class of 2003; Associate Director of Career Services at Seton Hall Law School

Christie Schnurr, J.D., Class of 2011; Formerly paralegal in Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, just finishing up as a law student at NYU Law (graduating the day before the career panel!)