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Criminal Justice major Lauren Gruber will graduate with her bachelor鈥檚 degree during Spring 2025 Commencement.

 

Countdown to Commencement 

The University of Central Missouri offers a community of support, allowing students to redefine what鈥檚 possible as they forge a path to their future. With help from faculty and staff, UCM students are empowered to be the heroes of their own stories and as we prepare for 2025 Spring Commencement, the News Bureau is shining a spotlight on some of those stories.

 

 After capping off her senior year with a national championship win, Criminal Justice and Criminology major Lauren Gruber is heading into her next chapter with plenty of confidence, skills and accolades.

Gruber, of Kansas City, Kansas, said she chose the University of Central Missouri (UCM) because she liked the pairing of a sizable campus with a tight-knit community that allows students to get to know their professors. She also had the opportunity to be involved on campus in a number of ways, from leadership roles in LAE-GED and ROTC to playing intramural volleyball.

Gruber has been a member of UCM鈥檚 Lambda Alpha Epsilon-Gamma Delta (LAE-GED) Chapter of the American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA) all four years of college. She served in several officer positions, including president during her senior year.

鈥淏eing in LAE has probably been the best experience I've had at UCM,鈥� Gruber said. 鈥淚t's had a lot of influence on my day-to-day life here and I鈥檝e made a lot of lifetime friends from that organization.鈥� 

For decades, LAE-GED has participated in the ACJA-LAE national championship, which includes competitions in academics, physical agility, crime scene investigation and firearms. Gruber said she tries to participate in almost every category, although crime scene investigation and firearms are her favorites.

When the team arrived in Long Beach, California, for the 2025 national championship earlier this year, it was the first time in two decades that UCM wasn鈥檛 entering the competition as the reigning champion. 

鈥淲e lost our streak last year, so this year was very important for us and for the school to bring that trophy back home,鈥� Gruber said. 鈥淚t was very nerve-wracking during awards because I really wasn't sure if we were going to bring the trophy back home again, but once we got to the end and we tallied up all our points, we knew we'd done it again and it was very exciting.鈥�

A member of Army ROTC for several years, Gruber served as the public information officer over the past year. Last summer, she completed cadet summer training in Kentucky, which brought her a step closer to becoming a commissioned officer, and a JAG internship at Fort Liberty in North Carolina. 

Joining ROTC wasn鈥檛 something Gruber had considered until a few friends invited her to join them for morning workouts. 

鈥淎nd then one thing led to another, and next thing I knew, I was getting sworn into the Army and I stuck with it,鈥� Gruber said. 鈥淎 big part of it for me was helping pay for school because I was paying for school all by myself with student loans. Knowing that I had the opportunity to join the National Guard and have them get federal and state assistance was extremely beneficial for me. 鈥� I have now come to really enjoy it and I really wanted to continue to pursue that after college.鈥�

As she prepares to graduate this spring, Gruber has joined a National Guard military intelligence unit based in Kansas City, Missouri, and plans to earn her paralegal certification.

鈥淚 think freshman Lauren would be extremely proud of where I am now. I never thought I would be in ROTC, never thought I would be president of LAE,鈥� Gruber said. 鈥淚 wouldn't say I was shy when I came here, but I definitely wasn't as outgoing and confident as I am now, so being here has definitely brought out my leadership and confidence, leading all the way up to graduating.鈥�

Gregg Etter, professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology, said Gruber is an excellent leader who works very well with other students and faculty.

鈥淟auren is an example of the excellent Criminal Justice and Criminology students that we are lucky to have here at UCM,鈥� Etter said. 鈥淭he work and dedication of students like Lauren are what make the Criminal Justice and Criminology Department here at UCM one of the best programs in the country.鈥�

Not only did Gruber learn from her dad鈥檚 experiences in law enforcement, but she has also learned from professors who spent years working in the field before becoming educators. Gruber credits the Criminal Justice faculty, alumni connections and her LAE involvement for helping prepare her for a future career.

鈥淯CM gives you a lot of opportunity to be involved in a lot of different things and it's really important to do those things,鈥� Gruber said. 鈥淵ou meet a lot of great people. I've met friends that I think I'll have for the rest of my life and had experiences that I feel like I could only get here and not somewhere else, so I'm really grateful for that. And I couldn't imagine really being anywhere else.鈥�

 

 

 

 

Check the News Bureau daily from May 5-9, as we share stories of UCM graduates who are redefining what鈥檚 possible and shaping the future, one step across the stage at a time.