Dallas College

Student Experience: Nilka (Nicki) Rios

“My mom has watched TV programs about law and order since I can remember and most of my family is in corrections. I dropped out of high school five months before graduation because I was pregnant and I tried to get back into school three different times but I just couldn’t finish. I finally got my GED and started classes at Dallas College. 

“I’ve got to say, I always wanted to be in criminal justice but I wasn’t sure in what capacity: FBI, SWAT team, what? Being in Bill Drake’s class is the best! He’s the best teacher and he inspires me to think about career possibilities, beyond what I was originally thinking. 

“I’m a single mom with three kids, but there are no excuses for not going to college because there are so many programs to take advantage of. I have assistance with food and child care, but I’m not going to be dependent on those forever. I’ve been out of the house since I was 16; I was too independent for my own good. I come from a good and stable family, but I was hanging out with the wrong people and doing things the wrong way. But I want my kids to have a good life.  

“Yes, I messed up by not finishing high school, but I’m fixing my past mistakes. I’m earning a college degree and I want to be a criminal justice teacher.”

Nicki Rios is earning an associate degree in Criminal Justice. She also volunteers at Atwell Middle School and Law Center as an assistant English teacher and soccer coach. She is bilingual in English and Spanish.


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Karen Kenebrew

Karen Kenebrew

Writer and mediator
“The program not only fulfilled my CE requirements but also motivated me to seek postgraduate degrees in alternative dispute resolution/conflict resolution. The instructors have a wealth of experience and are passionate about the industry, which translates well in the classroom and adds to the learning experience.”
Conflict Management
Joyce Jones

Joyce Jones

Assistant Executive Director Dispute Mediation Services
“My experience at community college taught me baby steps, which led to giant steps. Not everybody can succeed at first in a four-year university. My best advice is to stay focused. Anybody can get off track, but try to find your way back. I did.”
Criminal Justice
John Tinsley

John Tinsley

Patrol Officer Rockwall Police Department
“It was a good experience to have officers with experience tell us how it was going to be on the street. I loved my time at the police academy. Sometimes my friends and I joke that if they told us we had to be back at the academy tomorrow, we’d all show up at 8 a.m. and be happy to be there.”
Criminal Justice
Giovanna Salazar

Giovanna Salazar

Dallas College student and hopeful future border patrol officer
“I like that my professors don’t just have academic knowledge but have a working background in all different fields. It brings more interest to our classes and we get to have a much better idea of what we’ll be up against in the future in our careers.”
Criminal Justice
NickiRios
Nilka (Nicki) Rios
Dallas College student and hopeful future criminal justice teacher
Criminal Justice
School of Law and Public Service
Updated September 22, 2026