TUDENT LIFE I INTERNATIONAL I SOCIAL CLUBS I ACADEMI I PEOPLE I LEADER HIP I ATHLETICS I ORGANIZATIONS BOUND FOR THE BUREAU After serving in the Marine Corps ROTC in high school, sophomore Nate Thomas secured an FBI internship. Sophomore criminal justice major Nate Thomas grew up influenced by family who served in law enforcement, and they instilled him with a passion for service. In high school, Thomas joined the Marine Corps ROTC, and after his graduation, he searched for colleges that would provide him with the best opportunities as a criminal justice major. "Harding has one of the best criminal justice programs in the South,"Thomas said. "Everywhere I turned, everyone I talked to, they're like, 'Ah yeah, Harding's got the best one. You should go there.' I mean, I didn't want to travel too far, so I came here." After meeting Assistant Professor of Behavioral Sciences and Director of the Criminal Justice Program SamJeffrey, a former CIA agent, Thomas was inspired to pursue a career in law enforcement at the federal level. Thomas decided to apply for a FBI internship, a process that took him several weeks to complete. Thomas was called back for an interview in a pool of around 50 applicants that was then cut down to 20. Senior NickThomas, NateThomas' older brother, spoke about his brother's pursuit of the position. "He keeps himself physically fit," NickThomas said. "He shoots guns quite a bit, but whenever we go out and shoot, he has more ofan objective for training for law enforcement applications." Senior Jared Hanig knew NateThomas for most of his life. He spoke highly about Nate Thomas' character and qualities. "He's practically a brother to me, so it would make me feel proud, and it would be nice knowing that he's serving our country in some capacity, and he's helping people that need helped," Hanig said. "He's got a good sense of humor, but he's also very serious, so I feel like his personality type right there is a perfect fit for what he's going for.' NateThomas had his final interview for the FBI internship in November2018. In December 2018, he received news that he was one of the applicants chosen for the position. Nate Thomas expressed both his excitement and nervousness for what the opportunity would bring. "I just couldn't believe it at first," NateThomas said. 'It was just wild. I am a little bit nervous cause this is a huge deal, you know, and I just hope I don't disappoint them." NateThomas planned to spend summer 2019 at the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., or at an FBI field office around the United States. If given the opportunity to work for the FBI after graduating, NateThomas said he would prefer to stay in the South.He wanted to have the ability to seehis family at their farm in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and help around the house wherever he was needed. story by Zach Bissell On Dec. 4, 2018, sophomore Nate Thomas attends Harding due to the good reputation ofthe criminal justice program. While he waited to hear the results from his interview for a FBI internship, Thomas participated in firearms training to prepare for a career in law enforcement. I photo by Lindsey Webb 146
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