The passing of a beloved community leader
It is with great sorrow that we announce that Wayne Strong, Criminal Justice Certificate instructor at the Center for Law, Society and Justice of UW-Madison, died unexpectedly on June 20, 2022 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Strong was a beloved community member, volunteer, mentor, coach, and instructor. He began working with CLSJ in June of 2021, bringing with him a wealth of experience in the Madison community, including 26 years in the Madison Police Department, where he served as neighborhood officer, sergeant and lieutenant. During his time at MPD, Wayne earned a Medal of Valor and Life Saving Awards.
Our students felt privileged to be able to work with Wayne. In the words of student Niko Konstantopoulos, he was “such an amazing soul.” Wayne was particularly committed to making our university more diverse, equitable and inclusive, and had begun to organize a program for CLSJ to reach out to local high schools to encourage kids to think about going to college and studying law and criminal justice. “He was a strong communicator with a gentle voice who made us think about diversity in new ways,” CLSJ Director Alexandra Huneeus said.
Strong was a community member of the Wisconsin State Journal editorial board, where “he always tried to give a voice to marginalized communities”, State Journal Executive Editor Kelly Lecker said. One group close to his heart was the Raiders Youth Football and Cheerleading Program. He volunteered with them for over 25 years, coaching youth and helping kids find their brightest futures.
Strong leaves behind his wife, Terri Strong, with whom he was married for 35 years, and their two children, Jessica and Byron, and three grandchildren with whom he loved to spend to time.
The service will be held on Friday, July 8, at noon at Mt. Zion Baptist Church. You can find more information at this link: https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/25196870/wayne-strong/madison/wisconsin/foster-funeral-cremation-service
Welcome
The Center for Law, Society, and Justice (CLSJ) houses two interdisciplinary undergraduate programs related to law, legal institutions, and criminal justice: the Legal Studies major and the Criminal Justice Certificate.
The Legal Studies major provides a liberal arts education across traditional disciplines, focusing on law, legal processes, legal institutions, and how they operate in society. In addition to courses in Legal Studies, students can take courses from a wide range of other units, including Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, Philosophy, Law, and History (among others).
The Criminal Justice certificate is an undergraduate certificate (minor). The Certificate consists of courses from several disciplines and an intensive field experience/internship that gives students the opportunity to learn about the dynamics of criminal and juvenile justice systems. Students engage in internships in a variety of areas including mental health, alcohol and drug programs, juvenile and court supervision, prevention programs, policing, community corrections, programs working with people who have been victimized, and court programs such as the public defender’s office.
Legal Studies
The Legal Studies Program is an undergraduate major that provides a liberal arts education across traditional disciplines, focusing on law, legal processes, legal institutions, and how they operate in society.
Criminal Justice
The Criminal Justice Certificate Program is an undergraduate certificate program available to students from a variety of majors who wish to enhance their academic training related to the criminal justice system.
