Darnell Kevin Thomas, Jr. (CLA ’21), is interested in exploring areas of the criminal mind that few would want to dwell on, all in the name of making the world safer and more equitable.

A transfer student from the Community College of Philadelphia, Thomas, 26, who completed his degree in liberal studies with a focus on criminal justice, made the transition to Temple University to fully realize his career goals of becoming a prosecutor. He credits a dedicated group of advisors with helping him navigate the transition.

“At Temple, it’s been a simple process to meet with my academic advisor to get everything situated with what classes I should be taking and in what semester. I’ve been able to complete my Liberal Studies degree on time while focusing on where I want to go in my career,” he said. “My advisor has been wonderful — we talk all the time and she'll check in on me throughout the semester just to make sure things are going well. When I needed to take some time off between semesters, I was able to pick right back up when the time was right.”

If anything reflects on how positive his experience at Temple has been, “it’s that I want to continue to further my education here,” said Thomas, who for part of his time at Temple also worked full-time while completing his degree. “It’s why I’ve started my graduate application and hope to start graduate classes in spring 2022.”

For students just starting out with their college career, Thomas’ advice is simple — “Do your research.”  

“Take the time you need to figure out what you are truly passionate about. You’re talking about potentially planning out your life’s work — you should devote whatever time you need to determine that,” he said. “I’d also definitely recommend networking and making connections with your professors and academic advisor. They can help you a lot, especially down the road with advice or letters of recommendation, or just how to keep moving forward to achieve your goals.”