Kristen Iles, a senior from Philadelphia majoring in Criminal Justice and Sociology, has stayed busy during her four years at Arcadia. Most recently, Iles presented her research paper, “Scripts of Harm: Television, Race, and the Cultural Work of Violence,” at the 63rd Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences annual conference.

“The purpose of the study,” said Iles, “was to examine how television contributes to the normalization of violence and racialized stereotypes, specifically through portrayals of crime and policing in television programs.”

She is currently working on the analysis.

“I expect the findings to suggest that these portrayals may highlight stereotypes and increase fear-based perceptions of crime,” she explained.

This commitment to research and academics led Iles to receive the Rayna Sue Moskovitz Memorial Award, which is given to a high-achieving senior in the Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice department, at Arcadia’s 2026 Honors Convocation.

“The ACJS conference was a very different experience,” said Iles. “What I appreciated most was being able to present research that I spent a great deal of time working on these past few months.”

Back on campus, Iles takes part in the Model United Nations club, which has helped her improve her public speaking and research skills, and the Criminal Justice Society. In addition, she is actively involved with the Belonging and Flourishing Committee and the Office of Equity and Civil Rights.

“These experiences have allowed me to connect with many people on campus and support the Arcadia community in interesting ways,” she explained.

Iles counts her professors, instructors, supervisors, and peers–especially her roommate–as vital members of her community.

“Experiences [with the campus community] remind me that meaningful work is never done,” she said. “It takes a community of people who encourage and challenge one another to make a difference in the world.”

“I would say my favorite memory at Arcadia has been living with my best friend from high school. It has been amazing to see how far we have both come. I look forward to seeing both of us achieve our dreams.”

To finish the work she’s begun at Arcadia, Iles has specific plans after graduation.

“I plan to attend law school, hopefully at Widener University Delaware Law School,” she explained. “I am currently waiting to hear back about my acceptance.”