For junior criminal justice major Madeline Sentman, completing the 15-week-long Pennsylvania State Police Law and Leadership Program tested more than just her physical endurance. The program proved her ability to meet the demands of working in law enforcement and ultimately achieve her goal of becoming a Pennsylvania State Trooper.
“What motivated me to participate in the program was the opportunity to gain firsthand experience and a better understanding of what it truly takes to become a Pennsylvania State Trooper,” Sentman shared.
Throughout the course, Sentman participated in rigorous workouts and lessons designed to challenge students in multiple ways.
“Since the program was 15-weeks-long, it challenged me mentally, physically and emotionally,” she said. “There were days during the workouts when I genuinely didn’t know if I could do one more rep or take one more step, but I kept pushing myself to continue.”
While the physical demands were difficult, Sentman said the hardest part of the experience was the moments where she doubted her ability to persevere through the program. Rather than allowing herself to quit, she pushed herself to keep going, and as time went on, she became more confident in herself and felt reaffirmed in her decision to pursue law enforcement.
Furthermore, the program connected Sentman’s coursework at Ship to law enforcement scenarios in the real-world.
“Overall, the program confirmed my goal of one day becoming a Pennsylvania State Trooper, she said. “It was really rewarding to see concepts I had learned in the classroom be applied to real-life law enforcement settings.”
As a woman pursuing a career in law enforcement, Sentman encourages other women to pursue their goals and to do so with confidence. She emphasized the importance of not allowing stereotypes and/or self-doubt to discourage women from entering the field.
“Law enforcement may not be the most common career path for women, but that should never discourage them from pursuing the field,” she said. “Believe in yourself, challenge yourself and never let self-doubt be the reason you don’t go after something you truly want.”
Sentman credited the program’s staff, including Troopers Kelly Smith, Joe Dunsmore, Angela Laviena, Hannah McCurdy and Curwin Walrond, along with Corporal Ismail El-Guerma, for their support and encouragement.
She also thanked her classmates, family and friends, particularly her parents, for helping her stay motivated throughout the challenging 15 weeks.
“Having such a strong support system behind me throughout the course helped me continue pushing forward, even on the days when I questioned myself,” said Sentman.
Her overall piece of advice to all prospective officers has been to seek opportunities where they can gain experience in the field, connect with professionals and to not be afraid to adapt to change.
Now that Sentman has completed the Pennsylvania State Police Law and Leadership Program, she looks forward to continuing her criminal justice studies at Ship, and pursuing a future career in law enforcement as a State Trooper.
