The latest addition to our series of Alumni Council Q&As features Council member Steve Snow ('14).
Q: When did you graduate from Waynesburg University, and what was your major?
A: I graduated from Waynesburg University in 2014 with a B.A. in Criminal Justice and a minor in Accounting.
Q: Where has life taken you since graduating from Waynesburg University?
A: Following the summer after graduation, I worked at Promise Camp through Family Guidance, mentoring teenage youth in underserved neighborhoods while working as a Book Officer at the Washington County Courthouse. In the fall of 2014, I began my career working with JusticeWorks YouthCare in Washington County as a Family Resource Specialist, providing in-home services to youth and families referred by Washington County Children and Youth Services. I held this position for about 1.5 years before being promoted to supervisor and then returning to my hometown of Butler County to start a JusticeWorks YouthCare branch there.
Q: What is your current job/title, and what is your current location?
A: I am currently the Program Director of JusticeWorks YouthCare services in both Butler and Venango Counties.
Q: Can you describe your typical day?
A: A typical day at JusticeWorks YouthCare is dynamic and fluid. In my direct role, I work with our county Human Services departments, specifically Children & Youth and Juvenile Probation to ensure referrals are being assigned to our team and ensure the efficacy of service contracting; I oversee skill building and competency development our team does with youth and families; and I have an active role in supervising and supporting staff, conducting recruiting, and completing all monthly billing invoicing. At JusticeWorks we work to eliminate barriers for families to be effective in reaching their goals, and we ensure the stability and permanency of the family unit.
Q: Can you describe your time as a student at Waynesburg and how it shaped you as a person?
A: As a recipient of the Bonner Scholarship, I understood the value of servant leadership and how being passionate about people could impact the communities in which I served. I learned how to be intentional through my conversations, care for the most vulnerable people in our communities, and develop supportive programs that empower and promote future growth.
Q: What is your favorite memory as a Waynesburg student?
A: The ability to live in community with my peers and build life-long relationships. During my time as a student, I resided in both Thayer Hall and an on-campus house just below the gym. A group of us, made up of mostly Criminal Justice and Biblical and Ministries Studies majors, lived together, and to this day, they are my closest of friends and some colleagues in the field. It wasn’t about a single memory but the journey we were on together that helped shape our worldview. As men we learned what it meant to hold each other accountable, to serve others, and be intentional with our time, experiences, and backgrounds.
Q: Who was your favorite professor at Waynesburg, and why?
A: There were two professors at Waynesburg that were incredible mentors and challenged my learning: John McIlwain and Dr. Dana Baer. Both professors brought the reality of the criminal justice system into the classroom and helped prepare me for real world interactions. Most notably, Professor McIlwain was known for his Criminal Investigation class. This hands-on, role-play exercise allowed students to experience various roles in conducting investigative tactics to legally and lawfully apprehend suspects. Similarly, Dr. Baer instructed us on how the law applies through courses like Criminal Law and prepared us for a semester-long mock trial. Waynesburg’s Criminal Justice Department is recognized nationally for affording students the opportunity to receive crucial feedback from professionals in the field.
Q: Why is staying connected with your alma mater important to you?
A: Waynesburg will forever hold a special place with me as it shaped who I am today. Waynesburg’s mission of faith, learning, and serving is on display throughout every academic/athletic department, scholarship program, club/organization, and more. That’s the Waynesburg way. As a professional for almost 10 years in a field that is constantly evolving, it is imperative to give back to the institution that shaped and resourced me. Today’s classroom needs professionals to equip our graduating students for success. It is an honor to support the future growth of incoming students.
Q: What does your role as an Alumni Council member entail, and what motivates you to give back to the University in this way?
A: I support the institution’s initiatives and program development, which allows Waynesburg graduating students to be the most effective and prepared entering the workforce. JusticeWorks YouthCare employs almost 650 employees and serves over 4,000 families a day. As the youngest Program Director company-wide, I attribute the fast-growing success and preparedness to Waynesburg’s faculty, staff, mentors, and community members. Their ongoing investment in me to help accelerate growth motivates me. Through the institution’s investment and commitment to my career development, I am motivated to support the next generation with my time and finances.
Q: What advice do you have for current students? For recent graduates?
A: How do you want to be remembered? Be someone who is willing to do the things others aren’t willing to do. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable and ask questions others haven’t or aren’t asking. Create margin of opportunity to have a seat at the table where others may not get the opportunity. All it takes is one conversation to change the trajectory of your career.