Ava Thorpe

Fort Valley State University - Global Challenges Teaching Award Exploring Polarisation and Division

Ava Thorpe teaches criminal justice at Fort Valley State University. Ava Thorpe has a professional background in criminal justice, having previously served as an inmate records clerk, police officer, deputy sheriff, medicolegal investigator, death investigation specialist, and community supervision officer. She holds certification for basic mandate and probation and parole in the State of Georgia. She has completed professional training for crisis intervention sponsored by NAMI and the Georgia Public Safety Training Council. She has a master’s degree in criminal justice with a dual specialization in forensic science and forensic psychology from St. Leo University and a bachelor’s in legal studies from Purdue University Global, and is a doctoral candidate for a PhD at Liberty University. She is strongly interested in polarization and division in criminal justice contexts and developing a curriculum that embraces the diversity of criminal justice thought, policy, and legislation.

The US-UK Fulbright Global Teaching Award will enable her to equip students with a global understanding of criminal justice institutions, historical impacts, and the importance of diversity and inclusion within the field. She enjoys baking and visiting aquariums with her two kids.