Augusta Scruggs graduated with Latin and Departmental Honors in May 2026 from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology, a concentration in Criminology, and a minor in Criminal Justice. During her undergraduate studies, Augusta was awarded multiple competitive research grants and completed an honors thesis exploring schadenfreude. As a research assistant, she authored an article titled "Digital Stages of Policing: Impression Management on TikTok," investigating how law enforcement strategically leverages social media during periods of public scrutiny, and presented her work at the Southern Sociological Society Conference. Beyond her research, Augusta served as a sociology tutor and held key leadership roles, including Vice President of The Order of Omega National Honor Society and Director of Member Education for Kappa Delta. Augusta's primary research interests focus on forensic evidence analysis and presentation, as well as evidence-based recidivism policies. She is excited to bring her background in research, leadership, and sociological inquiry into classroom discussions and contribute to the criminological community at Penn.