Dallas College

Student Experience: Veronica Alejandro

“I’ve always had a passion for law enforcement; I like that it’s black and white and I like the aspect of helping people. I grew up in the projects of El Paso, so I know something about gangs and violence and I want to help people get out of that vicious cycle. I want to help people make changes and be different. 

“I sat down one day to talk to my two children about how I wanted them to go to college and they asked me if I went to college. There are 100 reasons why I didn’t go and economics was the main one. But the next day, I went to Brookhaven and registered for classes. And then I came back to my kids and said, ‘I’m going this for you guys and for myself too. I want to show you that no matter how hard it is, going to college is possible.’ I had a good career as a job recruiter for many years, but I wanted more. 

“My goal is to go to another Dallas College campus to get Peace Officer Training, become a police officer and work part-time on my bachelor’s degree and eventually end up in forensics. I want every day to be a new challenge and I want to help people – but not from behind a desk. My criminology classes at Dallas College have all been good and I like the life experience my professors bring to the classroom.

“My advice to others starting college later in life? Don’t give up on your dreams! It doesn’t matter how old you are; you can push through it. I started college late but the main thing is that I started.” 

Veronica Alejandro is a criminology student at Dallas College, with future plans to earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at the University of North Texas.


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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
Veronica Alejandro
Veronica Alejandro
Dallas College student and hopeful future police officer
Criminal Justice
School of Law and Public Service
Updated September 10, 2026