Montgomery College professor connects career readiness series with real-world law enforcement paths

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND / ACCESS Newswire / January 15, 2026 / Montgomery College professor Bridget Lowrie led a Future Forward Career Readiness workshop that connected criminal justice students with local and federal law enforcement professionals, bringing the student life program's hands-on series directly into her classroom and helping students link course concepts to public safety careers.

Future Forward launched in fall 2025 under the leadership of Dr. Shawn Sanders, who developed the project to connect students with career skills through workshops offered across all three campuses and online. The series brings industry professionals to students through interactive sessions focused on competencies such as communication, leadership, critical thinking, professionalism, equity and inclusion, teamwork, technology, and career and self-development. Lowrie joined the initiative to bring the "Careers in Law Enforcement" session into her criminal justice classroom.

"In the criminal justice field, employers are looking at more than a test score," Lowrie said. "They're looking at how you handle conflict, how you show up on time, how you talk to people and how you make decisions when the stakes are high. This workshop helped students start putting that picture together."

The workshop featured a mix of local and federal law enforcement, with presenters outlining career paths and explaining how core professional skills translate into day-to-day criminal justice work.

The session reinforced core career readiness areas highlighted across the Future Forward series, including professionalism, equity and inclusion, teamwork and career self-development, while giving students a practical look at expectations in public safety roles.

"Students need to see how the skills we talk about in class actually play out in the field," Lowrie said. "Future Forward gives them a chance to hear directly from officers and agents, ask real questions and start to picture themselves in these roles."

Sanders and Lowrie are expected to continue collaborating on additional Future Forward workshops aimed at bringing career readiness skills into the classroom and expanding opportunities for students to engage with professionals in the field.

For more information about the Future Forward Career Readiness series, including upcoming in-person sessions on campus and virtual sessions online, students can visit Montgomery College's leadership development programs webpage: https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/life-at-mc/student-life/leadership-development-programs.html.

Registration is required. For questions or assistance with disability accommodations, contact shawn.sanders@montgomerycollege.edu

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About Bridget Lowrie

Lowrie teaches in the Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice Department at Montgomery College. She began teaching in 2013 after nearly a decade in law practice. Lowrie holds a J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law, where she served as an associate editor of the Maryland Law Review and was a Rosa Zetzer Fellow, a B.A. in political science from American University, and an A.A. from Prince George's Community College. She has been recognized by the American Association for Women in Community Colleges with its Top 40 Under 40 honor and remains active in civic and legal organizations, including service on nonprofit boards and advisory groups, work that informs her teaching and her efforts to connect students with criminal justice career paths.

Contact:

Bridget Lowrie
Phone: 240-567-5143

SOURCE: Bridget Lowrie