Future lawbreakers should beware—Nolan Hines will one day be on the case. Hines, a senior criminal and community justice major at Viterbo University, plans a career in law enforcement with aspirations of eventually becoming a detective or forensic investigator.

“It feels good to help people,” Hines said of why he is pursuing his chosen career field. “And with the amount of crime in some places, law enforcement needs more help to address it.”

Hines especially enjoyed his classes in criminology at Viterbo, which furthered his interest in working on and solving criminal cases. He intends to begin his career as a police officer and is now gaining some relevant experience in incident reporting, communication skills, conflict resolution, and de-escalation this semester through a seven-credit internship with Viterbo’s Campus Safety and Security department.

“A friend on the baseball team had done the same internship and told me it was a good learning experience,” Hines said. “I think it will help me determine the exact route I want to take in law enforcement.”

Baseball is what drew Hines, a native of Calgary, Canada, to Viterbo as a junior college transfer.

“When Viterbo reached out to me and I got to know the coaches and players, it seemed like a great environment and fantastic place to play and finish out my college career,” said Hines, a relief pitcher for the V-Hawks.

His baseball eligibility now finished, Hines is spending his senior year as a volunteer coach with the team. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with friends on the bluff, in downtown La Crosse, or fishing.

After graduation in May, Hines plans to spend the next year or two playing baseball in a professional independent league in Idaho before beginning his career in law enforcement and hopefully returning to the La Crosse area.

“I’ve had great experience at Viterbo,” Hines said. “My teammates, coaches, professors—everyone has been great.”

Explore the Program

Discover how Viterbo’s criminal and community justice program prepares you to make a meaningful impact through careers in law enforcement, corrections, victim advocacy, and more—all grounded in ethics, service, and social responsibility.