White collar criminals beware. Sara Brabender is graduating this summer and will be looking for you! Brabender has been involved in the UGA Honors Program and numerous other student groups on campus related to business, information technology and criminal justice. She has participated in study abroad opportunities in England and Italy, and in the UGA Recreational Sports program. Last summer, she completed an internship with a large accounting firm in the forensic technology unit. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in computer forensics and white-collar crime investigation.
Hometown:
Kennesaw, Ga.
High School:
Kennesaw Mountain High School
Degree objective:
B.B.A. in management information systems and B.A. in criminal justice
Expected graduation:
Fall 2009
University highlights, achievements, awards and scholarships:
During my time at UGA, I have become involved in many organizations around campus. I serve on the executive boards for both the Society for Management Information Systems and Women in Business. I am also a part of the Criminal Justice Society on campus. At the same time, I am the head of online publications for the Journal of Undergraduate Research here at UGA. In addition I have designed, and continue to manage, the Web sites for Women In Business and the ONE organization. I enjoying participating in various community service organizations and have taken advantage of study abroad programs in both England and Italy. While here, I have participated in recreational sports available through Ramsey. I have played on a basketball, soccer and dodgeball teams during the past three years and have a black belt in taekwondo. In addition, I have been honored with multiple awards and scholarships including the Janice K. Mendenhall Excellence in IT Award and the Terry College of Business MIS Advisory Board award. Most recently, I was invited to join the UGA Chapter of the prestigious Blue Key Honors Society.
Current Employment:
I work as a teaching assistant in the MIS department of the Terry College of Business. In the past I have had varied experience: working as an assistant in a veterinary clinic, as a historical document archivist, and as a docent in a museum. Last summer, I completed a summer internship with one of the ‘big four’ accounting firms within their forensic technology department. It was an incredible learning experience, and I greatly enjoyed my time there. In addition, this summer I am excited to be interning with the Strike Force, an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force.
I chose to attend UGA because…
…of the amazing opportunities. I was looking for an institution that would challenge me and provide with many chances to get involved. UGA’s Honors program had a good reputation and has since provided me with a great deal of resources and individualized attention that I did not think was possible in a large university. In addition to the Honors program, I liked that UGA offered a variety of academic studies, organizations and study aboard programs that fit my interests well. After visiting the beautiful campus and the Ramsey Center, I knew it was where I wanted to go.
My favorite things to do on campus are…
…to read the Red and Black under a tree on the north campus lawn or to watch the Dawgs play in Sanford Stadium. I love both of these places because they are great ways to escape from stress but still be part of the university outside of the classroom.
When I have free time, I like…
…to spend time with friends, to work out at Ramsey and to see movies. When I have a lot of free time, I love to travel. I tremendously enjoyed my study abroad experiences. They have instilled in me a greater appreciation for other cultures, a love for photography and the itch to continue traveling. I have a long list of destinations I would love to visit in the future including Greece, Switzerland, Germany and Australia.
The craziest thing I’ve done is…
…decided to go skydiving on a moment’s notice with some friends. I always wanted to try it, but never had the guts to do it on my own. After some encouragement from my friends, I went for it. It was a scary, yet very exhilarating, experience that I am glad I did and will never forget.
My favorite place to study is…
…in my room on my bed with my laptop. It is a quiet, comfortable place that makes it easy for me to keep my focus.
My favorite professor is…
…Todd Krohn. I have had many memorable teachers throughout my time at the University by one of my favorites is Todd Krohn from the Sociology department. I have taken his courses in the areas of criminal punishment and juvenile delinquency. I enjoy Krohn’s teaching style, sense of humor, and ability to develop interesting discussions within the classroom. These learning experiences have been incredibly valuable to me and I always recommend his courses to my peers.
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with…
…my late grandfather, who died when I was very young. I hear a lot about him from my relatives and know his face from photographs. He was the youngest of seventeen children, and I would have liked to get to know him personally as well as gain insight into my family’s history and German ancestry. He was in U.S. Navy during World War II and to talk about his experiences and viewpoints during that time in history would be a truly fascinating discussion.
If I knew I could not fail, I would…
…write fiction novels. I have a lot of ideas for stories that I would love to write. When I read for fun, I usually turn to suspenseful thrillers and true-crime stories. Writing would be ideal because I could do it anywhere, which would allow me to travel wherever I wanted. Hopefully, this is a dream I will accomplish later in my life.
After graduation, I plan to…
…pursue a career in computer forensics and white-collar crime investigation. It is a great way for me to incorporate my academic background and interests in law, technology and business in the same career. No matter what I chose to do, I want to continue to learn, grow and spend my time in a field I truly enjoy.
The one UGA experience I will always remember will be…
…hopping a midnight train to Venice while studying abroad in Italy. My friends and I arrived at five in the morning and were able to watch the sunrise over the water. We got the chance to walk around and explore the city before most people were awake, so we had an incredible view and plenty of photo opportunities. Between Piazza San Marco, gondola rides and the Rialto Bridge, this was an experience I won’t soon forget. I definitely miss the train system in Italy. It allowed me to see so many different places during my summer there.
