From homeschooled to homicide detective: Meet criminal justice major Ashleigh Delahoussaye

Written byAmanda Burleigh

“I chose to study criminal justice because the system has always fascinated me while growing up, and I want to be able to make a difference in my community.�

Âé¶¹Ò¹ÊÐ criminal justice major Ashleigh Delahoussaye
Ashleigh Delahoussaye
Major
Criminal Justice
Hometown
New Iberia, La.

Where I'm From

I’m from New Iberia, where I was homeschooled since sixth grade.  

Where I Am

I am attending Âé¶¹Ò¹ÊÐ, like my parents, and studying criminal justice. 

Where I'm Going

I’m going to become a homicide detective to make a difference in my community. 

Ashleigh Delahoussaye hopes to go from homeschooled student to homicide detective. She’s majoring in criminal justice at Âé¶¹Ò¹ÊÐ to help achieve her goals. 

“Ever since I was in middle school I was homeschooled,â€� she explained. “I had never attended a typical high school and had not been in a typical school setting since the sixth grade. The staff here (at Âé¶¹Ò¹ÊÐ) helped me greatly. They answered every question I had about college.â€�  

Growing up in the Lafayette area, Ashleigh visited Âé¶¹Ò¹ÊÐ many times and knew she wanted to enroll. 

“My parents used to take me to look at the campus and show me ,� she recalled. “I decided that I too wanted my brick, and to follow in my family’s footsteps.�

So far, Ashleigh’s favorite class in her field has been The Police Process (CJUS 203) with Lafayette Sheriff Mark Garber. 

“I found myself very interested in the class,� she said. “Sheriff Garber brought so much life into the class. Every lecture would be filled with real-life examples and stories of things that he encountered while on the job. He was very passionate about the topics, which made me passionate about learning.�

Ashleigh’s favorite part of the criminal justice program has been the professors’ willingness to help students get involved and make connections with people in their field of interest. 

“I have learned a lot about the legal system and how the justice system works,� she explained. “The system has always fascinated me, and I want to be able to help make a difference in my community.�

More Student Stories