Elton Booker Completes Prestigious FBI Internship

Elton Booker, a Champlain College Criminal Justice Major, rose to the top of aspiring law enforcement professionals in the summer of 2005 when he was chosen for the FBI Honors Internship Program in Washington, D.C. following a highly competitive, nationwide selection process.

“I was enormously joyful,” Booker said of getting the news. “I had been one of 65 students chosen from about 5,000 applicants to become an FBI Honors Intern, and then I became the one selected from the Vermont/upper New York area. I was fascinated and enthralled that I got a chance to work with the world’s most prestigious law enforcement agency. This opportunity was a dream come true for me; I have wanted to attend this academy since my freshman year in college.” According to the program’s Web site, “Only individuals possessing strong academic credentials, outstanding character, a high degree of motivation and the willingness to represent the FBI upon returning to their respective campus” are selected as interns.

Booker’s primary assignment over the 14 weeks of the program was research review and analysis of legislation. “I worked mainly out of the Criminal Justice Information Services department in Clarksburg, West Virginia,” he said. “I worked in the Program Development Section, a unit responsible for making legislation and doing research for the Attorney General of the United States. I worked with federal and state databases … and did background research and analysis on legislation such as the Patriot Act and the Privacy Act.” In addition to receiving self-defense training and weapons training, he also served on the Compact Council, which is encouraging states to share criminal history information with one another without having to go through the FBI’s database.

“I also had a lot of travel and excitement,” Booker said. “I spent about three weeks in D.C., seeing the sites and getting tours of federal buildings and Department of Justice sites. I stayed in the most luxurious hotels. I made several trips to the lab in Quantico, West Virginia and saw many things that people dream of, such as evidence that was collected in the Timothy McVeigh case and other important federal cases. I also met the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team and its Evidence Recovery Teams.

Reflecting on his experience helped Booker affirm his plans for the future. “I have been thinking about working with the FBI in the Violent Crimes division after I get out of law school,” he said. “It’s a long-term goal. I have learned many things on the federal and state levels of law enforcement and my experience will help me no matter at what level I decide to work. The most exciting news is that as an Honors intern, the three-year work experience that’s a prerequisite for applying for a position as an agent will be waived, so I can apply right after college if I chose.

“My career plans have always been solid,” Booker said. “I am applying to graduate schools now and am planning to get my master’s degree in Criminal Psychology. Then I am going to work at a local law enforcement agency and attend law school at night. My ultimate goal is to become a homicide detective in New York City, D.C. or Boston.”

“Receiving the FBI National Honors Internship is a testament to the exceptional work Elton has done as a student and to his personal qualities,” said Criminal Justice Program Director Prof. Robert Edwards. “It also makes a strong statement about the Criminal Justice program at Champlain. Elton is rightfully proud of his accomplishments, as is Champlain College.”

Booker summarized his feelings about his experience by saying, “No matter what career path I eventually choose, my internship at the FBI will be an experience I'll never forget and one that will benefit me in all my future endeavors. From my time as an intern, I have a deep feeling of satisfaction that the work I did helped the lives of ordinary citizens.”