Arresting News for Safety Scholar

Victoria La Rocca '09 rewarded for her "rightdoing"

August 28, 2007

La Rocca visits Spain before heading to Dickinson's study-abroad program in Bologna, Italy.

Victoria La Rocca '09 was surprised to learn she had won the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) scholarship, which is given annually to students who meet specific qualifications of academic achievement, service to public safety and merit. La Rocca, one of 30 applicants, was the only one to receive the $750 award.

Dolores "Dee" Danser, director of public safety at Dickinson, nominated La Rocca. "She is intelligent, personable and very dedicated to her studies and to the Department of Public Safety (DPS). She has handled some special projects for me and her work is very good," says Danser.

Employed by DPS her sophomore year, La Rocca answered phones, dispatched officers, filed records, registered vehicles and assisted students, faculty, staff and visitors at the front desk.

"I enjoy working for DPS because of the environment," says La Rocca, who was encouraged to apply by a friend who also worked there. "I love the people with whom I worked. Many times I just stopped by to talk with the officers."

David Sarcone, assistant professor of international business & management and international studies, and Tullio Pagano, associate professor of French and Italian, wrote letters of recommendation for La Rocca's application. "Victoria is a positive and outgoing student," says Sarcone. "She does not back away from a challenge and works hard to achieve her goals."

Pagano adds that La Rocca wrote "one of the most creative papers I saw last semester," combining her interests in Italian studies, art and international business & management to write about Italian "Vespa" scooters.

A hard worker in class and out, La Rocca has learned a lot from her time with DPS. It "really gives you a different perspective on the security aspect of the campus," she says. "I am a lot more conscious and aware of my surroundings when walking around at night. I often call for a Safe Walk/Safe Ride from the library or another dorm, and I notify DPS when there are suspicious people walking around campus," La Rocca says.

"In many of my college activities," she continues, "I would take advantage of what DPS has to offer to students. As co-director of Newman Club and member of the Step Team, sometimes I would call DPS and request an officer to unlock a building" or provide assistance for events.

As for this academic year, DPS and the Carlisle campus will have to say arrivederci to La Rocca as the Italian-studies, international-studies double major will be at Dickinson's study-abroad program in Bologna, Italy.