(Above) Casey Parker, career services director at the SIU Simmons Law School, leads a class during the recent “Crime Scene to Courtroom” workshop for high school students at the Southwestern Illinois Justice and Workforce Development Campus. (Below) Parker, right, and Angela Upchurch, acting law school dean, left, receive a handcrafted ceremonial gavel presented by Illinois 20th District Circuit Judge Heinz Rudolph on behalf of the Illinois Judges Association. (Photos, video provided by SIU Edwardsville.)
June 20, 2025
SIU Simmons Law School, SIUE show high school students how justice works, crime scene to trial
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Illinois high school students learned the intricacies and interplay of crime scene investigation and the legal system during a weeklong program co-sponsored by Southern Illinois University Simmons Law School.
Approximately 40 students, largely from the Metro East, participated in the “Crime Scene to Courtroom” murder mystery at the Southwestern Illinois Justice and Workforce Development Campus in Belleville, June 9-13. Students learned about processing and analyzing mock crime scene evidence including blood stains and data, got an introduction to the court system, studied trial preparation and participated in a mock trial.
The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy’s Innovation Hub, SIU Simmons Law School, SIU Edwardsville, Saint Louis University and the Southwestern Illinois College Police Academy presented the program to students in grades 10 through 12 from Edwardsville High School, O’Fallon Township High School, Pinckneyville Community High School and Roxana High School.
The expanding role of science in the law
Angela Upchurch, SIU Simmons Law School acting dean, said the program provided an opportunity to create “a hands-on, immersive experience that introduces high school students to both the scientific and legal aspects of criminal investigation.” It also showed a “shared commitment” of both SIU Simmons Law School and SIUE “to engage students in interdisciplinary learning that is both educational and exciting.”
“By blending forensic science and courtroom procedures, we aimed to show young people how the law and science intersect in real-world contexts — while also planting seeds for their future academic and career pathways,” she said.
Upchurch added that the law school’s mission is providing “accessible, high-impact legal education that is grounded in service, community engagement and innovation,” and “building a pipeline into the legal profession is core to this mission.”
“Programs like this help demystify the law and show students that legal careers are within reach, especially when they are empowered through curiosity, mentorship and early exposure,” Upchurch said.
The workshop is also an example of Simmons Law School’s outreach to the Metro East, which includes opening a satellite location in the Belleville facility two years ago.
Examining varied career paths
Tom Spudich, director of SIUE’s Master of Science in forensic sciences program and professor of analytical chemistry, said the workshop gave students the opportunity to learn about different careers.
“Real-world experience doesn’t come copy and paste,” Spudich said. “We wanted campers to think critically and communicate their findings in ways that nonscientists, like law enforcement and attorneys, can understand.” (For more on SIUE’s role in the workshop, see SIUE’s press release.)
Casey Parker, career services director at the law school, said programs like this help prepare students for actual issues they might see in a courtroom, in addition to perfecting other skills such as problem solving, reasoning and communication.
“We hope that they will take away an appreciation for forensics and how science can be used in the legal system,” she said. “Science is being used more and more in the legal system, and it’s important that SIU Simmons Law School encourages students to be curious about both. We hope to get students excited about the prospect of going to law school.”
University officials who joined the camp for lunch included Sheryl A. Tucker, SIU Carbondale provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, and Denise Cobb, SIU Edwardsville provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.
Other participants included Illinois State Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea), former U.S. Rep. and SIU Law alumnus William Enyart, and retired 20th Judicial Circuit Judge Annette A. Eckert. Other judges and attorneys assisting in the camp were 20th Circuit Judges Robert Haida and Heinz Rudolph; attorneys Cody Favilla and Jenny Paulson, both with the Simmons Hanley Conroy law firm, and Jennifer Mudge, an attorney with the Illinois State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor’s Office.
Special presentation to the law school
On June 13, Rudolph presented a handcrafted ceremonial gavel to the law school on behalf of the Illinois Judges Association (IJA) and Illinois Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Rochford, the current IJA president. The gavel was made by the late Judge Andreas “Andy” Matoesian, who had served over 53 years on the bench in Madison County, the longest tenure of any active judge in the state.
Matoesian “believed that the best part of his position was the opportunity to serve the people,” Rudolph said. “He enjoyed being around others and tried to speak to everyone on their own terms.”
Upchurch and Parker were honored to receive the gavel on behalf of the law school and its faculty.
“Receiving the ceremonial gavel is a meaningful acknowledgment of Simmons Law School’s dedication to outreach, innovation and education,” Upchurch said. “It symbolizes not only the spirit of collaboration with our colleagues at SIUE but also our commitment to investing in the next generation of legal minds. This recognition encourages us to continue to create enriching programs that connect our academic mission with community impact.”