On a warm afternoon, faculty, students and supporters gathered along Trent Lane to celebrate the official opening of the CJPP wing in Blackwood Hall. Now home to approximately 1,400 undergraduate students and a thriving master’s cohort, the program has grown into one of U of G’s largest and most visible areas of study.
“For CJPP, this space offers visibility on campus and brings a stronger sense of identity and a place where conversations, relationships and everyday moments of student life can unfold beyond the classroom,” said program director Dr. Carolyn Yule during her opening remarks.
For years, CJPP physically operated across departments, supported by its academic homes in Political Science and Sociology & Anthropology. That collaboration helped build strong intellectual and social roots, but having a dedicated space of its own carries new meaning.
“CJPP has grown into one of the university’s largest programs, and for a long time, we have wanted a place to truly ‘hang our shingle’ a space that reflects the strength, identity and community of our program,” reflected Yule. “Our vision has now become reality.”
For Lauren van Veen, CJPP’s Academic Advisor and Manager, the opening is personal. “As a graduate of the CJPP program, this space is especially meaningful to me,” she said. “It reflects how much the program has grown and creates opportunities for future students to learn, collaborate and build lasting connections.”
Creating Space, Identity and Belonging
Turning that vision into a functional and welcoming space required a collective effort. Early support from Dr. Byron Sheldrick, U of G’s current Interim Provost and Vice-President (Academic) and former dean of the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences (CSAHS), helped secure dedicated space for the program. CJPP’s inaugural director, Dr. Dennis Baker, also championed the need for a permanent home from the program’s earliest days. Along with contributions from other advocates, including current CSAHS dean Dr. Uwa Idemudia, their commitment helped bring the project to life.
“The renovated wing offers more than a visible presence on campus. It provides a hub for connection, collaboration and belonging, giving students and faculty a shared environment to engage with one another outside formal classroom settings.” said CSAHS Dean Uwa Idemudia.
Students also emphasized what the space will mean in their daily lives. “Spaces like this matter,” said CJPP graduate student Jacob Gibson. “They are where pre-class conversations turn into lasting ideas, where familiar routines take shape, and where an academic program begins to feel less like a timetable and more like a community. Having a place that’s consistent, that you can return to every day, makes a real difference.”
Incoming CJPP Society President Isabella Petrocelli echoed that sense of belonging. “The CJPP program is unlike any other,” she said. “The faculty and students carry a level of passion, support and genuine care that is incredibly special. I am endlessly grateful to be part of this community and for the guidance, encouragement and opportunities given to us as students.”
Nearly 30 years in the making…
Nearly three decades in the making, U of G’s CJPP program has grown steadily into one of the institution’s most sought-after areas of study. Since the launch of the undergraduate program in 1999, followed by the introduction of the master’s program in 2007, CJPP has continued to evolve in response to student demand and the changing landscape of justice and policy.
At its core is a distinctly multidisciplinary approach. Drawing on criminology, public policy, public law, and Canadian politics and governance, the program encourages students to explore crime, its broader social impacts and the ways institutions respond. This integrated perspective is often cited as a defining strength, offering a learning experience that reaches beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries.
What began with a cohort of 150 students has expanded nearly tenfold into a dynamic community supported by faculty from Sociology and Anthropology, Political Science, and Psychology. With its new home in Blackwood Hall, CJPP now has a space that reflects that growth and offers a foundation for the conversations, connections and community that will shape its next chapter.