The College of Applied Science and Technology proudly celebrates Dr. Donna Selman, chair of the Department of Criminal Justice Sciences, for being the recipient of the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Criminology (ASC) and the Division on Critical Criminology and Social Justice (DCCSJ), which is the highest honor awarded in this discipline. During the ASC Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., the committee praised her exceptional scholarly breadth, influential research contributions, and longstanding service to the field of critical criminology. Her exceptional work on private prisons, punitive social control, moral panics, and law-enforcement technology continues to shape the areas across critical criminology.
For Selman, this recognition is deeply personal because she has spent 25 years with ASC, and this organization is a home to her both personally and professionally. She not only met various colleagues but also introduced herself to diverse perspectives of thinking. A major turning point in her career came from her work as a labor and union activist, which helped her to understand the leadership rooted in compassion, responsibility, and justice. She recalls a mentor’s advice that guided her career in critical criminology, where she mentioned, “I had a mentor who told me to find the topic that will bring tears to my eyes or make me mad enough to yell and scream on top of the building, and that is what I should study for the rest of my life.”
“I had a mentor who told me to find the topic that will bring tears to my eyes or make me mad enough to yell and scream on top of the building, and that is what I should study for the rest of my life.”
Dr. Donna Selman
For her, that topic became the “privatization of prisons,” a subject that continues to address injustices that impact people’s everyday lives.
Selman’s leadership at Illinois State University has left a lasting impression on both students and faculty. She credits the department and great colleagues who are incredible mentors, great scholars, and amazing friends. According to her, faculty care a lot about students, programs, teaching methodology, and the department’s future. She further emphasizes that students’ passion for social justice motivates her each day. They learn how to think through complex issues with an ethical mindset, and she knows they leave Illinois State prepared to carry those values in their careers.
Looking ahead, Selman is excited about where the Department of Criminal Justice Sciences is heading. She highlighted the department’s new “Forensic Investigation” sequence that gives students hands-on preparation for work where scientific accuracy shapes outcomes in real cases. Selman said, “I am super excited about our new ‘Forensic Investigation’ sequence, where our students are learning how important science is for criminal justice because one mistake in the lab can impact the lives of some innocent person for 20 years or even a lifetime.”
“I am super excited about our new ‘Forensic Investigation’ sequence, where our students are learning how important science is for criminal justice because one mistake in the lab can impact the lives of some innocent person for 20 years or even a lifetime.”
Dr. Donna Selman
Selman’s record of scholarship, leadership, and mentorship reflects the University’s larger focus on justice, inquiry, and public responsibility. Her work shows how one person’s dedication shapes a field and prepares the next generation of criminal justice professionals, and the entire Illinois State University proudly congratulates her on achieving this milestone.
Learn more about the Department of Criminal Justice Sciences.
