B.A., Psychology and Criminal Justice Studies

Jessica Salyers graduated from the University of Dayton in 2006 with a double major in Psychology and Criminal Justice Studies (CJS) and a minor in Sociology. Being at UD for three years, Jessica was able to take summer courses and took about 18 to 21 credits a semester to graduate within the three years.

Jessica followed up with an M.S. in Industrial Organizational Psychology while working for the U.S. Air Force in the area of Organizational Development for the Air Force Research Laboratory.

Later, Jessica pursued her Doctorate in Psychology in Business and Consulting Psychology, graduating in 2013.

Jessica is currently working as the Chief Talent Management Officer for the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. Much of her work focuses on the intersection of "psychology" and "work" - taking psychological principles and applying them to large organizations to help solve morale, cultural, leadership, learning and other challenges, usually relying on theory or a data-based, learner-practitioner model.

Jessica is a big Flyers fan. She has worked with UDRI and various departments from UD that touch the local Entrepreneur Center, the Arcade and more.

Jessica and her family have recently returned to the UD Campus and Brown Street, and had the pleasure of revisiting her old dorms: Stuart, AvK and Art Street.

Jessica originally wanted to work in Forensic Psychology with a focus on Criminal Justice Studies, but ended up focusing more on the business side, though the intersection between Law and Psychology. 

Her favorite classes were Case Law and Forensic Psychology, and she recalls enjoying working with and for Dr. Arthur Jipson, Associate Professor as the department's Research Assistant and serving as President for CJSs societies Omega Phi Delta (OPD) and Alpha Phi Sigma (APS).

B.A., Criminal Justice Studies

Nicholas Pavilga is a Supervisory Intelligence Analyst with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate located at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Prior to joining the FBI, Nicholas was employed as a Physical Security Specialist for Battelle, a global research and development organization supporting the United States Department of Navy’s Antiterrorism efforts to enhance base security. 

Prior to his promotion to FBI Headquarters, Nicholas worked out of the FBI’s Washington Field Office where he conducted all source intelligence analysis in full collaboration with his FBI operational squads and United States Intelligence Community (USIC) counterparts. Nicholas assessed and communicated real-time analytic judgments regarding spspecific threats to investigators, acting as a key link to FBI operations for intelligence and investigative priorities. Throughout his tenure at the Washington Field Office, Nicholas provided instructional and debriefing support for the FBI, USIC and Departmentt of Justice operational activities in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Cologne, Germany, and Landstuhl, Germany to enhance priority and complex national security investigations.

While attending The University of Dayton, Nicholas was selected as a White House Intern, where he served within the Department of Intergovernmental Affairs, the White House’s liaison office to all state and local elected officials. In this role, Nicholas researched and addressed correspondence received from local elected leaders on a wide range of topics. He also interned at the Dayton Police Department's Crime Scene Investigations Unit. In this experience, Nicholas processed a variety of crime scenes which afforded him unique insight on local law enforcement activities.

He has over 11 years of intelligence analysis experience spanning a wide variety of national security threats. He graduated from The University of Dayton in 2006 with a dual degree in criminal justice studies and sociology. Nicholas credits the invaluable internship experienceces afforded to him by the Criminal Justice Studies Department for his success today.

B.A., Criminal Justice Studies and Sociology (Dayton Civic Scholar)

Monica DiGiandomenico-Crews is a senior program specialist with the National PREA Resource Center (PRC) working primarily with the Field Training Program and Training and Technical Assistance Program.

Prior to joining the PRC, Monica was the PREA Coordinator for the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice, responsible for leading the department’s efforts toward PREA implementation and compliance.

Previously Monica was a contracted investigator/outreach specialist for the Department of Justice’s civil rights division, special litigation section, where she investigated and protected the civil rights of people in state or local institutions, including jails, prisons, juvenile facilities and health care facilities for persons with disabilities, as well as the rights of people to practice their religion while confined to state and local institutions. Her work led to supporting strategic plans to collaboratively work with communities, judges, court administrators, law enforcement, corrections, legal professionals, inmates and residents to develop best practices, legal training and tools to further facilitate local and national partnerships for criminal justice reform.

Monica has had the opportunity to work for both sides of the judicial system, as a law enforcement officer and criminal defense investigator. She has over 10 years of law enforcement and investigative experience. She graduated cum laude from The University of Dayton in 2009 with a dual degree in criminal justice studies and sociology. She obtained her master’s in forensic science with a concentration in crime scene investigations from George Washington University in 2012. She earned her Department of Justice PREA Auditor certification for adult and juvenile facilities in May 2018.

B.A., Criminal Justice Studies and Sociology

Majoring in Criminal Justice Studies and Sociology with a minor in Political Science, Megan Passon graduated from the University of Dayton majoring in 2021.

A native of Monroe, Mich., Megan participated in a number of campus initiatives, including serving as a student leader with UD’s Campus Ministry. As a member of Campus Ministry, she lead retreats, served as a ‘Callings Leader’ for first-year students and represented the university at the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering in Washington, D.C. Megan also worked as a resident assistant/neighborhood fellow with UD's Office of Housing and Residence Life for three years. She completed internships with Catholic Social Services in working with the Miami Valley’s Refugee Resettlement Division and the Monroe (Mich.) County Prosecutor’s Office.

During her matriculation, As a sophomore, Megan was selected and awarded an annual scholarship as part of the Chaminade Scholar Program at the University of Dayton.

The honors student was heavily involved in the Criminal Justice and Security Studies Department during her time at the university, serving as an executive board member of the Omega Phi Delta and Alpha Phi Sigma Criminal Justice Fraternity for two years, representing the program at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Conference in Baltimore, Md., and working in the department as a research assistant.

Looking at the correlation between hate crimes and political rhetoric, the honors student completed research through the Dean’s Summer Research Fellowship with Dr. Martha Hurley, the Chair of the Criminal Justice and Security Studies Department. 

Megan is a member of the Alpha Kappa Delta Sociology National Honor Society and the Alpha Phi Sigma Criminal Justice National Honor Society.

In 2020, she was awarded the Criminal Justice Studies Service Award for dedication to the CJSS Department and the Dr. Edward A. Huth Award of Excellence to the Outstanding Student in Sociology. In 2021, she was awarded the Reverend Andrew L. Seebold Award of Excellence to the Outstanding Senior in Sociology.

Upon graduating in May 2021, Megan will be attending the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy to earn her Master of Public Policy. After obtaining her MPP, she plans to work at a nonprofit that specializes in criminal justice policy and reform.