Ella Snyder is a MS student in the Criminology program at the University of Pennsylvania. Ella graduated magna cum laude from Boston College in May 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. Ella was inducted into the national honor societies of Phi Beta Kappa and Lambda Pi Eta in 2024 and 2023, respectively. She is also a recipient of the Dorman R. Picklesimer Jr. Outstanding Major Award, a departmental honor based on major GPA. Ella’s work focuses on preventing acts of mass violence, particularly those that impact children such as school shootings. She has researched strategies for youth protection and early threat detection. Ella is also interested in how law enforcement can intervene in these crises with compassion and cultural sensitivity, promoting healing and trust within affected communities. As an undergraduate, Ella completed an honors thesis entitled Chronicling American Educational Tragedy: The Evolution of Media Coverage from Columbine to Uvalde, which examined how public narratives around school shootings have shaped societal responses and policy discussions. A substantial part of Ella’s undergraduate career was dedicated to service, primarily through her involvement with BC Bigs, a student volunteer organization that partners with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts. She mentored a middle-schooler for three years and served on the Executive Board of the club for two years. As a result of her efforts, she was recognized with the very prestigious Welles Remy Crowther Service Award in April of 2024. Ella’s long-term goal is to become a professor of criminology and spearhead research that informs public policy, refines intervention strategies, and creates a lasting, positive impact for vulnerable communities.