Kearns sharpens career focus, thanks to internship

by Jason Schulte, Pierce County Herald

One of the main goals of an internship is to see whether or not that is the career the intern wants to do.

For Nicole Kearns, her internship with the Pierce County Sheriff's Department this summer confirmed her interest in criminal justice. "It sealed the deal," the 2006 Ellsworth High School graduate said. "Being able to live and experience it, I know this is what I want to be."

Kearns spent about eight weeks from early May - late June observing several areas of law enforcement. She went on ride alongs with members from the K-9 Department, Water Patrol and regular Patrol (one of those ride alongs was even to the Stanley Correctional Facility to help transport a prisoner on May 22---her 20th birthday).

Kearns also spent time in probation and parole, watched court cases, sentencing hearings and jury trials, and observed the dispatch/jail area. She also viewed Taser training and went to the county's shooting range. "It's a real fun environment to work for," she said. "The staff is really supportive." And that was one of the things that surprised her. "I was impressed with how welcoming they were," she said. "They're not going through the motions. They showed you what they did and why they did it." She added she was impressed by the way sheriff's deputies handled themselves in stressful situations.

Kearns is starting her final year at Saint Mary's University in Winona, Minn., majoring in criminal justice with the intention of being a lawyer. "It's something I wanted to do," she said, who explained that, growing up, her nose was always in a book.

Kearns said she is on target to graduate a year early and is doing everything possible to accomplish that. During her last two weeks of the internship, she took morning classes at UW - River Falls, then would work her eight-hour shift with the sheriff's department and then take two - to - three hours of online classes. Kearns praised the sheriff's department for their flexibility in helping her obtain that schedule. "They were great, which was a big help," she said.

Looking into a crystal ball, Kearns said that, once she becomes a lawyer, she would like to work on the prosecution side so she can help victims and practice law in a small, rural setting. Kearns is the daughter of Kim and Larry Kearns, and has an older brother, Joshua.