McKenna Bellemare, BA Criminology

Where are you from?

Spencerville, Ontario

What attracted you to Criminology?

Growing up, I was always drawn to news stories about crime and justice. I found myself not just focusing on what happened, but questioning why it happened—what motivated individuals to commit crimes, and what circumstances or factors influenced their behaviour. That curiosity gradually turned into a deeper interest in understanding the social, psychological, and systemic causes of crime, which is what ultimately attracted me to the field of criminology!

Top 3 best things about being a criminology/Carleton student.

1. The support from the professors and faculty
2. The ability to take classes that are all connected to the interdisciplinary nature of criminology, but are so different from each other
3. The opportunity for hands on learning through the placement course

Most challenging part of being a student.

The most challenging part of being a student has been staying disciplined and avoiding procrastination. A few of my classes over my four years were quite self-directed, with flexible deadlines for things like discussion posts or had built-in extensions. While that flexibility is helpful, it also requires strong time management and self-motivation, which can be difficult to maintain consistently especially when the deadlines pile up during midterms and the end of the semester.

What was your favourite course?

LAWS4306 (Wrongful Convictions) with Kelly Lauzon!

What did you do outside of class?

In my fourth year, a lot of my time outside of class was spent focusing on engaging with students through my role as Editor-in-Chief with Crime and Ethos and as President of the Carleton Neuroscience Society. I got to meet so many students who were from such different programs, but all shared the same interests. Apart from academic extracurriculars, you could find me hanging out with my dog Quinn or exploring farmers/craft markets.

Any favourite hangout spots?

Roosters!

What is your favourite memory?

Meeting my current partner during our first year.

What advice would you give your first-year self?

That procrastination isn’t laziness, it’s avoidance. Figure out what exactly it is that you’re avoiding and address that directly (whether it is uncertainty or fear of doing it badly), instead of blaming yourself.

What’s next for you?

I’ll be attending Algonquin College’s victimology graduate certificate this fall and I recently begun a student position as a Data and Research Student with Civilian Review and Complaints Commission with the RCMP!