John Ayres

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After returning home from basic training, John Ayres wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his life. However, he did know he wanted to get a college education in case his “plan A” didn’t work out, so he came to St. Charles Community College.

“I came to SCC in 2011 to get my general education courses out of the way,” John said. After talking to my dad, who is a detective for the Maryland Heights Police Department, I switched my major to criminal justice.”

Helping people in times of crisis is another reason John decided to explore the criminal justice field. 

“In the past I have gone on church missions to help people, and I really enjoyed it. I think a career in helping others would be really good for me.” 

Thanks to the hands-on learning of SCC’s criminal justice program, John feels prepared to enter the workforce after he graduates.

“Professor Van Mierlo’s class was a great learning experience. Since he is a lawyer, he sees both sides of criminology. He’s able to give students a lot of insight on the subject,” John recalled.

John also had a great learning experience during his internship at the Maryland Heights Police Department. The internship allowed him to do ride-alongs with police officers, which gave him insight on what an officer does during his or her shift. He also worked on a project for the Chief of Police, which John described as a really memorable experience. 

“After graduation, I plan on joining the Police Academy. I want to get my career as a police officer started before I start thinking about returning to school to get my bachelor’s or master’s degree.”

John, who just returned from deployment in Afghanistan last month, will graduate with his A.A.S. degree this May.

Last Updated: Aug. 1, 2018.