CRAIG ANDERSON VIDEO INTERVIEW

(The Then & Now feature aims to highlight one alum and one current student from the same team and major who have shined athletically and academically as a student-athlete at Endicott)

BEVERLY, Mass. – Current Endicott student-athletes know how challenging balancing school work, internships, practices, and games can truly be. Planning for your career and life after Endicott can add to these challenges, but there are some who have known from an early age what their future and career will entail. 

Endicott football junior captain Craig Anderson (Franklin, Mass.) and former captain Mike Lane '12 (Medfield, Mass.) have always had an idea of how the Endicott experience and internship program would help shape their career goals. Lane and Anderson have committed to their passion for helping others and serving their community through a career in law enforcement. ECGulls.com caught up with both of them to talk more about their careers, why they chose to attend Endicott, and also ask them how the Endicott experience has helped shape them personally and professionally. 

"The campus, the football program and the academic model were huge factors in my decision to attend Endicott," stated Lane. "I knew that the internships I did while at Endicott would help me decide the career path I wanted to take." 

Anderson backed up Lane's claims, especially in regards to the internship program and the opportunities as a student-athlete at Endicott.

"The internship program played a huge role in my decision," said Anderson. "My career goal is to become a police officer in some capacity (federal, state, or local) and this program allows me to gain experience while also building my resume."

Lane, who played in 48 career games for the Gulls from 2008-2011 and compiled 4,337 rushing yards while scoring 32 touchdowns, has paved the way for someone like Anderson as a criminal justice major within the football program. Lane currently works as a Maine State Trooper with Troop A in York County, Maine.

Lane attributed all his current success to the experiential learning model at Endicott, along with playing on the highly competitive football team.

"After completing my internships I knew that I wanted to be a law enforcement officer," said Lane. "I completed my internships at the Medfield Police Department, Needham Police Department, and Salem Juvenile Probation and working in these three very different environments allowed me to gain valuable experience while also building relationships within the field that I wanted to work in."

Much like Lane, Anderson has been following the same formula over his last three-plus years at Endicott and as of now Anderson looks destined to land a job right out of college thanks to the support system and structure set in place by both programs.

"I have completed internships at the Franklin Police Department and in the probation department at Attleboro District Court," said Anderson. "I have learned a lot about the daily routines of local police officers and detectives. Also, I have learned about what people have to do when they are on probation and the heavy workloads that probation officers have to deal with."

Both Lane and Anderson believe that the experience that Endicott student-athletes have contributes greatly to not only their success at Endicott, but also their careers after Endicott.

"Balancing my daily schedule is one of the challenges that we face and it will serve me well long after my days at Endicott," said Anderson. "Generally, I will get up early for breakfast and then go to class with lunch somewhere in between. After class I will go to the trainer before practice, go to practice for two hours, and ice and eat dinner afterwards. After dinner, I then do all of my homework."

Throughout their time at the College, Lane and Anderson have also been able to develop a great understanding and appreciation for what makes Endicott a very special place.

"Have fun and enjoy the moments you spend with your teammates, classmates and friends," said Anderson.

Lane expressed similar feeling saying "Enjoy your time at Endicott because it goes by fast. Try to get as much experience as you can and find a career that you truly enjoy."

CRIMINAL JUSTICE MAJOR AT ENDICOTT

The Criminal Justice program prepares graduates with a comprehensive understanding of crime and justice issues. The programs institutes critical thinking, research, and communication skills to allow students to move on to graduate level education or enter the professional workforce in criminal justice or related areas such as psychology, sociology, public policy, and law. 

Combining an investigation into the social and psychological factors that give rise to criminal behavior with an examination of the systems designed to deter and correct it, the Criminal Justice program provides students with a complex understanding of the administration of justice. Students study the impact of crime on individuals and communities as well as the ways in which different components of the justice system - police, courts, correctional facilities, and community organizations - interact to prevent it. All Criminal Justice majors take courses in law, criminology, the American court system, policing, and correctional approaches. In addition, they can choose among a variety of elective courses in the field including the study of topics such as race and social justice, terrorism, and victimization. 

For more information on the criminal justice major at Endicott click here: Criminal Justice Program. 

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