Toniqua Mikell (2012), originally from Columbia, SC, is a 2012 Winthrop University
Graduate. She double majored in Political Science and Sociology with a concentration
in Criminology. Toniqua returned to Columbia to attend USC for her Master of Arts
in Criminology and Criminal Justice. After finishing her Masters in 2014, Toniqua
stayed at USC to pursue her Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice. She is in her
final year of her doctoral program and expects to graduate in May 2018! She is currently
working on her dissertation, which examines discrepancies in racial depictions of
female sex offenders in the media. In addition to academic achievements, Toniqua is
also an instructor at USC and values her role as a mentor to students and advocate
for students from marginalized backgrounds.
"The professors in the PLSC department at WU are truly in it for the long haul with
past and present students. I love knowing that I can still reach out to them for mentoring
and guidance even though I graduated over 5 years ago."