Dana Djordjevic

I am going into my senior year here at UW-Madison and will be graduating in May of 2020 with a degree in Psychology, and a certificate in Criminal Justice.

This summer I had the opportunity to intern with ATTIC Correctional Services, in the drug court case management branch of the agency. Drug court offers offenders with drug related felonies to have a second chance, as an alternative to incarceration. The agency emphasizes the reduction of recidivism and provides clients with the necessary programs and treatment that they need to succeed.

Before I started my internship, I had zero plans for what I wanted to do after graduation. Through this internship I have been able to work with many different agencies and have seen how much they help people, and I have realized that that is what I want to do in my life. I am still unsure where exactly my passion will guide me, but I do know that I want to make a difference in this world, and I want to help people become the best that they can be.

This internship was truly an eye-opening experience for me. I have met many different people from all walks of life, and I have learned so much about myself and the criminal justice system from this experience. I have learned a lot about how case management works, and how treatment courts are run. I had the opportunity to work with probation officers and public defenders, who all team up to help these clients be successful in their program. I got to see first-hand what drugs do to people and learned that no matter what crime a person might commit, they are a person first and still deserve to live their life. I have always been a firm believer of second chances and having the opportunity to work in this second-chance program was the perfect fit for me. I will never forget the relationships I built with the clients and the drug court team: relationships that have not only given me skills that I can carry on to wherever my career takes me, but have also made me see the world differently.

I am so honored to be one of the recipients of the Audrey J. Harris Award, and am honored for the opportunities I have experienced due to the support from this award. The family’s generosity allowed me to focus more on my internship rather than having to stress about adding another job to pay for my expenses. I will always remember the knowledge and skills I have learned from this great experience, and I hope to use them to better others in the future. Thank you to the family of Audrey J. Harris for supporting students like myself in the Criminal Justice Certificate Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I am truly honored for your generosity.