Hobart and William Smith Colleges

9 July 2026 Brunt ’26 Pursues M.S. in Criminology at Northeastern

Victim advocacy and criminal justice reform inspires Leia Brunt ’26 to pursue graduate studies.

This fall, Leia Brunt ’26 will pursue a Master of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Northeastern University, building on research and advocacy work that she began at HWS.

A double major in sociology and writing and rhetoric with a minor in child advocacy, Brunt discovered her interest in criminal justice through courses taught by Professor of Sociology Jim Sutton.

First, she studied the American prison system through a sociological lens. She followed it up with a class exploring youth in the criminal justice system, before taking Sutton's upper-level “Criminology” seminar.

"I was able to juxtapose how the American criminal justice system operates for adults and youth," Brunt says. "That's where my interest in criminology really emerged."

That curiosity soon evolved into original research.

During the summer of 2025, Brunt worked with Sutton on an eight-week feasibility study exploring the creation of a writing archive for victims and survivors of crime. Through the project, she created an accessible resource centered on victims' experiences outside the traditional criminal justice system.

She later presented the research, “Launching a Victim and Survivor Writing Archive,” at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences annual conference in Philadelphia, where undergraduate students, graduate students, scholars and practitioners from across the country gathered to share new research.

"This conference opened my eyes to the different methodologies being used to address some of the most pressing topics regarding criminal justice. I never could have imagined presenting alongside highly respected individuals within the field. This experience would not have been possible without the preparation and knowledge I gained from the professors in the HWS Sociology Department," she says.

Brunt continued the work through an independent study on victim advocacy, examining how institutions can better recognize and support victims and survivors of crime.

"It is my hope that as we continue to evolve as a community and more broadly as a society, we begin to recognize the lived experiences of victims and survivors of crime," she says.

At Northeastern, whose graduate criminology program is nationally recognized, Brunt looks forward to studying with faculty whose research aligns with the issues she explored at HWS, including victimization, mass incarceration, juvenile delinquency and gang violence.

Looking ahead, Brunt hopes her graduate education will prepare her to create meaningful change through a career in criminal justice.

"I hope to accomplish the changes, both big and small, that must be implemented in a divided society," she says.

For Sutton, Brunt's path reflects the kind of growth that comes from pairing classroom learning with research and faculty mentorship.

"I think I speak for all of us when I say that the Sociology faculty work hard to meet students where they are and then elevate them," Sutton says. "Leia's work demonstrates what students can accomplish when they pursue questions that matter to them and engage deeply with the research process."