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Francine Bacon, a criminal justice major from Burlington, N.J., with minors in both psychology and sociology, has racked up a number of enhanced experiences, and she’s not done yet! With acceptance to a respected leadership institute, prominent internships, and an on-campus research project already reinforcing her resume, Bacon is set to graduate in 2025 and already thinking of her next move.
Bacon was initially recruited to play basketball at Lycoming, and although she no longer plays for the varsity team, she’s stayed on campus for so many other reasons. “I had never heard of Lycoming, but after the warm welcome I received at Accepted Students Day, seeing the beautiful campus and mountains, and observing the small-school atmosphere, I knew I wanted to attend. I like being able to have personal relationships with my professors. The one-on-one mentorship I’ve received has been invaluable,” she said.
"I like being able to have personal relationships with my professors. The one-on-one mentorship I’ve received has been invaluable.”
Originally undecided on her course of study, Bacon took an introductory criminal justice class her second semester and fell in love with everything about it. During her sophomore year, Kerry Richmond, Ph.D., associate professor of criminal justice and criminology, nominated Bacon for the National Education for Women’s Leadership Pennsylvania, a six-day intensive leadership and public policy institute held in Pittsburgh and designed to educate and empower young women. Unsurprisingly, Bacon was accepted.
“The leadership institute affected me deeply. It’s a wonderful program that exposed me to many strong female leaders, and really propelled me as a student and aspiring professional,” said Bacon.
Bacon then travelled back home to complete an internship with the Philadelphia Justice Project for Women and Girls. She had connected with the program’s founder and director, Jill McCorkel, Ph.D., during a lecture on the Lycoming campus. “Dr. McCorkel was really interested in me and my passions and thought I would be a good fit for the internship. I was put in charge of combing through files for an incarcerated woman to see what the lawyers had missed, and whether there was a case to get her pardoned,” said Bacon, who is now leaning more toward a career on the legal and policy-making side of criminal justice.
During the spring ’24 semester, Bacon worked as a research assistant for Richmond on a reentry study, compiling the experiences of individuals across the state who have been released from prison. Bacon worked with the Pennsylvania Reentry Council, interviewing reentrants, uncovering details about their reentry process and whether reentry was successful.
In her spare time, Bacon is an active member of the Black Student Union and currently serves as vice president of group. She also volunteers with The Community Alliance for Progressive Positive Action (CAPPA), mentoring local youths every Saturday. “Cappa is such an impactful program and it’s fun so it doesn’t even feel like volunteer work.” Additionally, she tutors for “Sociology of Race & Ethnicity” and active in Student Involvement.
This summer, Bacon landed an internship with a local public defender’s office through the College’s Williamsport Internship Summer Experience (WISE) program, and spent her summer interviewing clients, attending trials, and assisting with jury selection.
“While her experiences are impressive, Francine also stands out in the classroom. She is engaged, thoughtful, motivated, and cares deeply about social issues,” said Richmond.
After Lycoming, Francine plans to further her education at grad school. “Lycoming isn’t the last stop for me,” she said.