This UC student’s love of criminal justice led her to study in Scotland
Gaby Ramos never really wondered what she’d be when she grew up. As a lifelong fan of crime TV and influenced by a father with a keen interest in current events and the criminal justice field, the path for this New Jersey native always seemed pretty clear.
“I’m not exactly sure what I would do if I didn’t pursue criminal justice,” says Ramos. “That’s just always been something I’ve known I wanted to do.”
The third-year Criminal Justice major in the University of Cincinnati’s College of Education, Criminal Justice, Human Services, and Information Technology is right on track to fulfill her longtime aspirations, which, as of now, lead toward a legal career.
“When I graduate, I plan on going to law school, hopefully to be a criminal law attorney,” she explains. “I have a minor in Law and Paralegal Studies and a certificate in Social Sciences Research.” She adds that attending an R1 institution has given her a deep interest in research as well, and she’s staying open to opportunities in fields such as law enforcement. But criminal law is an obvious fit for both her inclinations and interests.
“I’ve always had a passion for advocating for other people,” she says. “Just speaking up on what I believe in.”
And though the pathway from New Jersey to Cincinnati could appear to invite speculation — is Ramos a Skyline Chili superfan or something? — fact is, she found her way to the Queen City easily. For criminal justice students, UC is a common destination.
“Ohio is a little bit of a ways away from me,” she laughs. “My school back home really pushed going to top universities around the country, and for me that was just a quick Google search: ‘best criminal justice schools in the nation.’ UC was one of the first ones that came up because of our amazing co-op program.” The self-described “city girl” (Ramos grew up adjacent to the City That Never Sleeps, after all) immediately connected with the urban environment of Clifton’s uptown campus.
“This, to me, is the perfect fit.”
Criminal Justice students stand outside a Scotland jail for a field trip/ photo provided
Cincinnati quickly became her home away from home, but a recent university-offered opportunity to leave the city — and the country, for that matter — ended up being a transformative experience for Ramos. In April 2024 she took advantage of a study abroad experience offered through the School of Criminal Justice, a 10-day trip to Scotland that allowed students to explore their area of study via an international experience, preceded by a corresponding course designed to prepare travelers for the trip.
“I love traveling, and I’ve always been interested in doing study abroad,” she says but, like many students, had initially thought of study abroad as an expensive and lengthy time investment, requiring a full semester to complete. At the urging of one of her professors, Sarah Manchak, Ramos looked into some of the shorter experiences offered by CECH. She applied for the criminal justice study abroad program and was accepted; she also received funds to help with the trip from the CECH study abroad scholarship.
Dean Village in Edinburgh/photo provided
“It was an absolutely incredible experience,” she says, referencing the relationships her group developed as they shared experiences such as tasting Scottish cuisine (“Not great — but the experience of trying it was awesome”), navigating European public transportation and enjoying the local nightlife in Glasgow and Edenborough. And field trips in the faculty-led experience, which included visiting a Scottish courthouse and touring a prison, provided students with a global understanding of their area of study. “We were able to see similarities and differences between the systems here and the systems over there, which is pretty cool,” she says. “It really tied into the whole criminal justice aspect of it.”
Gaby Ramos enjoys a night out with friends/photo provided
Ramos describes the trip as life-changing for her and her travel mates, one of whom even decided to attend graduate school at a Scottish university the group had toured. For any student considering taking a study abroad course through the University of Cincinnati, Ramos says to just go ahead and apply. “Honestly, it’s a great opportunity,” she says. “You get to meet new friends, and it’s faculty led, so for the most part you’re supervised. Most of your activities are already planned, and most of the stuff is already included.
“You never know unless you try it out.”
Featured image at top: Gaby Ramos poses in the third-floor hallway of the Teachers-Dyer Complex. Photo by CECH Marketing
Try It Out!
CECH offers a couple of study abroad experiences in addition to the United Kingdom: Criminal Justice in Scotland trip, including South Africa: Educational Systems in Southern Africa and Botswana: Directed Study. Learn more at the UC CECH study abroad page.
About the School of Criminal Justice
The University of Cincinnati School of Criminal Justice, part of the College of Education, Criminal Justice, Human Services, and Information Technology, is one of the top-ranked schools for criminal justice in the country. With a range of bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees; highly experienced faculty; impactful centers; and study abroad opportunities, the School of Criminal Justice continues to make a positive impact on the world around us.
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