Marissa Back was sure she wanted to major in political science when she arrived at TLU back in 2014. She still fondly remembers her early days on campus—the excitement of moving into Baldus, the sense of possibility . . . She was a first-generation student, so the decision to pursue a college education was both a personal milestone and a significant moment for her entire family. “The prospect of leaving the comfort of home and embarking on a journey of self-discovery at TLU was both exciting and intimidating,” she says. “The sense of independence and responsibility that came with being away from home for the first time was a pivotal moment in my life.”
More than a decade has passed since those initial days at TLU, when Back set out to earn her degree in political science. As it happened, she was caught off guard by another class that first semester. Through a twist of fate, she ended up registering for Dr. Boehm’s Intro to Sociology class. “I recall several conversations I had with my mom a few weeks into the Intro class, where I expressed my interest in the subject and desire to learn more about it.”
Back enjoyed the coursework so much, in fact, that by the fall of 2015, she’d decided a double major was the right fit—allowing her to study both political science and sociology. She says she was “inspired by Dr. Boehm’s infectious passion for the subject and his ability to engage even the most skeptical students. His enthusiasm fueled my desire to dive deeper into the dynamics of society from a sociological perspective.”
Back’s concentrations were in pre-law and criminal justice. “I found that the courses for each complemented the other. This didn’t make double majoring easy, by any means. The readings were often dense and demanding, while drafting briefs in Constitutional Law proved to be particularly demanding.” She learned to balance her studies with the rest of her life and leaned on her professors for extra support. “Throughout my time at TLU, I had the fortune of being mentored by exceptional professors such as Dr. Boehm, Dr. Walsh, and Professor Dillingham, among many others,” she explains. “I delved into courses on social inequality, political theory, research methods, and more, all of which equipped me with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complex landscape of our society.”
Before long, it was 2017. Back was preparing to graduate and looking toward her future, contemplating her choices beyond TLU. “After graduation, I knew that I wanted to use my education to make a tangible impact on the world around me,” she says. Logically, law school seemed like the next step, so she applied to law schools and set about waiting to hear back from them. “During this period of uncertainty, I did what every bored and broke young adult did and started looking on Google for jobs where I could use my degree,” she remembers. “I thought, while I wait for law school maybe I can get some work experience, other than internships, under my belt.”
And that was when she stumbled upon the alarming and all too prevalent issue of elder abuse. “I discovered that only one out of every twenty-four cases of elder abuse is reported and for financial abuse it’s only one out of every forty-four,” she says. “Seeing the stories of vulnerable seniors suffering in silence really hit my heart, and I knew that I had to take action to help.”
It wasn’t long before Back heard from law school, by the way. She got in. But by that time, she’d launched her career with Family and Protective Services, where she is now an Evidence Driven Investigations Subject Matter Expert. “Fighting elder abuse just seemed more like my cup of tea—plus, the elderly have way better stories than textbooks,” she says.
“I am humbled by the realization that the lessons learned at TLU have not only shaped my academic pursuits but have also guided me toward a purpose-driven career path,” she says, tracing the journey she’s been on since graduation. “Though the journey has been challenging, filled with heartache and frustration, it has also been filled with moments of triumph and hope. I am privileged to stand as an advocate for those voiceless individuals, utilizing the knowledge and skills acquired at TLU to drive impactful change.”