Forensic Science Major Looks Forward to Beginning Law Enforcement Career in Las Vegas

After completing an internship with Connecticut State Police and working for ChargerREC, Kyle Lipka ’19, a forensic science major, is now preparing for his new role with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

May 20, 2019

By Renee Chmiel, Office of Marketing and Communications

As Commencement approaches, we’ll introduce you to some members of the University’s Class of 2019. Next up is Kyle Lipka ’19, forensic science major, whose experiences as a Charger brought him to the ski slopes in Canada and to coffee shops in Italy.

When Kyle Lipka ’19 looks back on his favorite memories at the University of New Haven, the president of the Ski and Snowboard Club remembers planning activities for the group, including a memorable trip to Canada. A building supervisor for ChargerREC, Lipka was especially involved in campus recreation, which he found to be fun and educational.

"As a student employee, I expanded upon the University’s six core competencies – leadership, teamwork, communication, global and cultural awareness, resilience, and critical thinking," said Lipka. "By enabling me to implement these core values – not only in the ChargerREC workplace, but also in the classroom – the University prepared me to be a strong candidate for the Connecticut State Police Forensic Science Laboratory’s internship program, which ultimately led to several job offers."

As an intern, Lipka worked with the laboratory staff members who received evidence, shadowed staff in the toxicology and latent print departments, and listened to court testimony in superior courthouses throughout the state.

Later in his college career, he gained further experience in the field of forensic science – as well as a cultural immersion – while studying at the University’s campus in Prato, Italy.

"The University of New Haven supplied me with the tools I needed to ensure that I would be successful after graduation."Kyle Lipka ’19

"In Italy, being far from home helped me to grow as an individual," said Lipka. "My favorite memory was completing our crime scene exercise in the center of Prato. I also enjoyed meeting residents at coffee and pizza shops, as well as the many events the city put on throughout the summer."

In the coming weeks, Lipka will be traveling again – this time to Las Vegas to begin his career in law enforcement. He has accepted a full-time position with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

"My internship with the Connecticut State Police gave me the ability to stand out among the many other applicants who were applying for this position," said Lipka. "The University of New Haven supplied me with the tools I needed to ensure that I would be successful after graduation."