First-Generation Criminology Graduate Pursues Doctoral Studies

ATLANTA — As Deborah Ashokeji (M.S. ’25) walks across the stage to receive her degree in criminal justice and criminology, she won’t be leaving Georgia State University behind. She’s set to begin her Ph.D. at Georgia State in the fall, backed by full funding — a huge accomplishment for her as a first-generation student.

“This is more than a degree for me,” Ashokeji said. “It’s proof that I could reach spaces I once thought were impossible.”

Ashokeji’s start to higher education was challenging and isolating. The daughter of a Nigerian-Jamaican immigrant family, her interest in criminal justice is deeply personal, informed by her lived experiences as an undergraduate student at a New Hampshire college. Being one of the few Black students enrolled there, she navigated instances of discrimination that shaped her understanding of victimization and systemic inequality.

Ashokeji originally planned to attend law school, but a newfound passion for victim advocacy shifted her focus to criminology. Her interest deepened through her work as a domestic violence court advocate in Kingston, N.Y., where she assisted survivors with filing for orders of protection and accompanied them to court. This work solidified her resolve to pursue higher education.

Financial challenges in pursuing her master’s degree initially seemed insurmountable, but Georgia State offered Ashokeji a lifeline — a full tuition waiver and a graduate teaching assistantship (GTA) that allowed her to continue her studies without incurring additional debt.

With her GTA, Ashokeji worked closely with Professor Scott Jacques and Associate Professor Josh Hinkle in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology. At the same time, she worked full time as a program leader at OneStop Centerville Community Center in Gwinnett County, Ga., where she continues to lead daily programs and classes for seniors, teens and children. She also completed a capstone project in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, assisting in the investigation and development of awareness strategies around jury duty scams targeting older adults.

Eager to begin her doctoral studies later this year, Ashokeji plans to focus her research on offender decision-making and target selection — analyzing how offenders choose their crimes and victims — with the goal of contributing to criminal justice policy reforms that improve outcomes for victims and prevent crime.

“Being a Georgia State alum means that I surpassed the limitations I had growing up,” Ashokeji said. “Georgia State took a chance on me and that changed my entire trajectory, so I urge students to dream big and never limit yourselves.”

— By AYSPS Graduate Student Assistant Ayomidotun Olugbenle (M.A. in Communication)