Teaching & mentorship

Connecting theory to practice.
Connecting students to possibilities.

Connecting theory to practice.
Connecting students to possibilities.

Applied, scenario-based learning that prepares students to think critically, practice discretion ethically, and communicate with confidence.

Applied, scenario-based learning that prepares students to think critically, practice discretion ethically, and communicate with confidence.

Teaching & mentorship

Connecting theory to practice.
Connecting students to possibilities.

Applied, scenario-based learning that prepares students to think critically, practice discretion ethically, and communicate with confidence.

Dr. Judith A. Leary

Teaching philosophy

Real-world context.
Student-first design.

Real-world context.
Student-first design.

Teaching philosophy

Real-world context.
Student-first design.

My teaching record reflects a sustained commitment to instructional excellence across diverse modalities, student populations, and institutional settings, including open-access community colleges, regional state universities, online platforms, and correctional facilities. As a Criminal Justice teaching generalist with 23 years of frontline public safety experience and over a decade of higher education instruction, I view criminal justice education as an applied, transformative process that bridges academic theory with real-world practitioner reality.

My teaching record reflects a sustained commitment to instructional excellence across diverse modalities, student populations, and institutional settings, including open-access community colleges, regional state universities, online platforms, and correctional facilities. As a Criminal Justice teaching generalist with 23 years of frontline public safety experience and over a decade of higher education instruction, I view criminal justice education as an applied, transformative process that bridges academic theory with real-world practitioner reality.

At the core of my pedagogical approach is process education and applied, scenario-based learning. Rather than primarily on passive lecture models, I design structured, student-centered learning environments where criminological theories, abstract legal frameworks, and administrative policies are examined through real-world case studies, simulated field scenarios, and multimedia analyses. Whether examining constitutional search-and-seizure standards, ethical decision-making under pressure, or evidence-based correctional practices, I challenge students to step into the role of practitioners where they evaluate competing values, analyze institutional outcomes, and justify their conclusions using empirical data and legal principles.

At the core of my pedagogical approach is process education and applied, scenario-based learning. Rather than primarily on passive lecture models, I design structured, student-centered learning environments where criminological theories, abstract legal frameworks, and administrative policies are examined through real-world case studies, simulated field scenarios, and multimedia analyses. Whether examining constitutional search-and-seizure standards, ethical decision-making under pressure, or evidence-based correctional practices, I challenge students to step into the role of practitioners where they evaluate competing values, analyze institutional outcomes, and justify their conclusions using empirical data and legal principles.

Recent mentoring & advising

Beyond
the assignment.

Beyond
the assignment.

Recent mentoring & advising

Beyond
the assignment.

Three examples of helping students connect their coursework, professional ambitions, and scholarly voice.

Three examples of helping students connect their coursework, professional ambitions, and scholarly voice.

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C)

Undergraduate Research & Civic Engagement Pipeline

Josie Abdul-Massih (future Medical Examiner)

Served as a friend, mentor and co-presenter for undergraduate student Josie Abdul-Massih. Guided student through applied research conceptualization, group proposal submission, and presentation preparation examining citizens' correctional academies as pipeline mechanisms for civic education, community trust, and professional recruitment for the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association (MCJA) Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois (2026).

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C)

Undergraduate Research & Civic Engagement Pipeline

Josie Abdul-Massih (future Medical Examiner)

Served as a friend, mentor and co-presenter for undergraduate student Josie Abdul-Massih. Guided student through applied research conceptualization, group proposal submission, and presentation preparation examining citizens' correctional academies as pipeline mechanisms for civic education, community trust, and professional recruitment for the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association (MCJA) Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois (2026).

Franklin University

Practitioner Advancement & State Correctional Operations

Audrey Swavel (ODRC Practitioner & aspiring Correctional Warden)

Served as faculty mentor for undergraduate student and active Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction practitioner Audrey Swavel, co-presenting on state correctional operations, professional development, and community-engaged educational frameworks at the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association (MCJA) Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois (2026).

Franklin University

Practitioner Advancement & State Correctional Operations

Audrey Swavel (ODRC Practitioner & aspiring Correctional Warden)

Served as faculty mentor for undergraduate student and active Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction practitioner Audrey Swavel, co-presenting on state correctional operations, professional development, and community-engaged educational frameworks at the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association (MCJA) Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois (2026).

Maranatha Baptist University

Coursework-to-Conference Scholarly Transition

Miriam Spencer (future Forensic Anthropologist)

Guided undergraduate student Miriam Spencer in converting a writing-intensive ethics paper on forensic anthropology from an upper-division criminal justice course into a conference-ready presentation, including research refinement, ethical analysis, proposal submission, and professional presentation preparation for the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association (MCJA) Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois (2025). She has recently been accepted to take part in a POW/MIA forensic archaeological dig in Germany for Summer 2028.

Maranatha Baptist University

Coursework-to-Conference Scholarly Transition

Miriam Spencer (future Forensic Anthropologist)

Guided undergraduate student Miriam Spencer in converting a writing-intensive ethics paper on forensic anthropology from an upper-division criminal justice course into a conference-ready presentation, including research refinement, ethical analysis, proposal submission, and professional presentation preparation for the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association (MCJA) Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois (2025). She has recently been accepted to take part in a POW/MIA forensic archaeological dig in Germany for Summer 2028.

Student course evaluations

The student
perspective.

The student
perspective.

Student course evaluations

The student
perspective.

Feedback from student course evaluations across institutional settings.

Feedback from student course evaluations across institutional settings.

“The instructor explained research methods in a way that was easy to follow and kept the focus on real-world examples, which made the material more practical and engaging.” — Franklin “The instructor was very knowledgeable and provided great insights for this course” — Franklin “The professor presented the material in a way that was both engaging and easy to digest.” — Franklin “Dr. Leary was a well-spoken representative of the field of Criminal Justice and was knowledgeable about the subject matter.” — Franklin “It was good she provided instruction that was clear” — Purdue “She had a lot of personal knowledge gained from her own experiences working with juveniles, which was tremendous help.” — Purdue

Teaching experience

Across institutions.
Across modalities.

Across institutions.
Across modalities.

Teaching experience

Across institutions.
Across modalities.

Fall 2014 – Present

Program Coordinator & Undergraduate Adjunct Faculty, Criminal Justice; Graduate Adjunct Faculty, Master of Nonprofit Administration

Maranatha Baptist University

Current

Fall 2014 – Present

Program Coordinator & Undergraduate Adjunct Faculty, Criminal Justice; Graduate Adjunct Faculty, Master of Nonprofit Administration

Maranatha Baptist University

Current

July 2021 – Present

Undergraduate & Graduate Adjunct Faculty, Criminal Justice

Franklin University

Current

July 2021 – Present

Undergraduate & Graduate Adjunct Faculty, Criminal Justice

Franklin University

Current

May 2023 – Present

Lecturer II & Prison Education Specialist

Sinclair Community College

Current

May 2023 – Present

Lecturer II & Prison Education Specialist

Sinclair Community College

Current

January 2023 – May 2023, covering an interim chair

Undergraduate Adjunct Faculty, CRM 342: Law & Society [Writing Intensive]

Cleveland State University

Previous appointment

January 2023 – May 2023, covering an interim chair

Undergraduate Adjunct Faculty, CRM 342: Law & Society [Writing Intensive]

Cleveland State University

Previous appointment

August 2021 – August 2025

Undergraduate Adjunct Faculty

Purdue University Global

Previous appointment

August 2021 – August 2025

Undergraduate Adjunct Faculty

Purdue University Global

Previous appointment

Fall 2013

Instructor, CRJU 2100: Introduction to Criminal Justice

Bowling Green State University

Previous appointment

Fall 2013

Instructor, CRJU 2100: Introduction to Criminal Justice

Bowling Green State University

Previous appointment

Courses by institution

Breadth of
teaching.

Breadth of
teaching.

Courses by institution

Breadth of
teaching.

Undergraduate and graduate instruction, from introductory criminal justice coursework to nonprofit administration and graduate research methods. Includes capstones, internships, and individual directed studies. The list below is of all unique courses taught at least once across any institution, but several courses in the list below have been taught 10 or more times.

Undergraduate and graduate instruction, from introductory criminal justice coursework to nonprofit administration and graduate research methods. Includes capstones, internships, and individual directed studies. The list below is of all unique courses taught at least once across any institution, but several courses in the list below have been taught 10 or more times.