Cheryl Najera
Criminal Justice Instructor, College of the Muscogee Nation
Cheryl Najera is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. She has been with the College of the Muscogee Nation for nine years and currently serves as the Program Coordinator, Advisor, and Instructor for the Criminal Justice Program. She holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Northeastern State University (NSU) and a Master of Legal Studies degree in Indigenous Peoples Law from the University of Oklahoma (OU), College of Law. Cheryl is currently a doctoral student at Oklahoma State University working on a Doctor of Forensic Science.
Cheryl has spent over 20 years working in Indian Country both for the Muscogee Creek Nation and the Choctaw Nation. During this time, she has worked with indigenous youth and young adults. Cheryl founded the ACJA-LAE chapter of the criminal justice student organization Nu Omega Lambda Omicron (NOLO), is a member of the American Society of Criminology (ASC), the American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA-LAE), and the Alpha Phi Sigma Theta Mu National Criminal Justice Honor Society.
In Cheryl’s spare time, she is a photographer with several award-winning pieces. Cheryl’s photo “We see you” #MMIW recently won the 2021 Thunder Indigifest Photography category for advocacy in the Faculty/Staff Tribal College category and her 2022 submission “Spirit Sees Red” won in the Faculty/Staff audience choice category. Her photography focuses on Indigenous people and strives to bring awareness to the National Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and People epidemic.
Cheryl’s time at the College of Muscogee Nation has been spent investing in the future of the students. She has a genuine passion for her field of study in Criminal Justice and a love for the students. Cheryl believes in equipping her students with knowledge and experience to further their futures and make a difference within the community and our tribal nation.
Hensci! The Associate of Science degree in Criminal Justice is an academic program designed for students who are interested in the field of law. The Criminal Justice program contains three specializations: Legal Studies, Law Enforcement and Tribal Justice. Criminal Justice touches on topics such as the operation of the legal system, constitutional law, and juvenile justice. The program requires the completion of 66 credit hours with 24 credit hours taken in the specialization.
Students develop knowledge in both the law enforcement community and in the legal studies community. Students will become knowledgeable in areas of Federal Indian Law, Tribal Law (the Muscogee Nation), state, and federal laws.
Students completing the Criminal Justice Program will:
Whether you’re interested in a career in law enforcement, corrections, court administration, legal secretary, or, ultimately, as a lawyer, an associate degree in Criminal Justice from the College of the Muscogee Nation can help you. In our program you’ll discover the rewards of public service or serving your tribe on the Muscogee Reservation.
For more information on the program contact Cheryl Najera at 918-549-2815 or by email at cnajera@cmn.edu
Specializations include:
Established in 2023 by the CMN Criminal Justice program, the College of the Muscogee Nation became the first Tribal College in the United States to start a chapter of the American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA/LAE). We are the 3rd Chapter in Oklahoma and the 1st Tribal College in the nation. Our membership brings the tribal criminal justice perspective to the national organization which provides a unique perspective to other colleges and universities in the United States. CMN Nu Omega Lambda Omicron (NOLO) is based on the objectives of improving criminal justice through educational activities as well as fostering professionalism in law enforcement, legal studies, and tribal justice
Here you can find the required courses and accumulated hours needed to graduate with a Associate of Science in Criminal Justice.
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