Student awarded scholarship for police career
Grace Novak studies criminal justice at Wayne State University
A scholarship from the Officer Collin Rose Memorial Foundation is helping Royal Oak college student Grace Novak as she gets close to completing her criminal justice degree at Wayne State University.
Novak, 21, is on track to get her bachelor’s degree next spring and then attend a police academy.
Part of her interest in the field stems from the help a Royal Oak detective, county prosecutor and others gave her after she was sexually assaulted when she was 17 and reported the crime.
“I think law enforcement is one of the most heroic positions a person could get into,” she said.
Novak’s $1,000 scholarship honors late Wayne State University Police Officer Collin Rose. He was murdered during a street investigation in Detroit in November 2016. He was pursuing a master’s degree from the university when he was killed.
Novak is one of three people given scholarships this year from the Rose Memorial Foundation, which received more than 20 applications.
Even though she works two part-time jobs, she has a 3.2 grade point and average and does volunteer work.
Foundation President Chris Powell said in a statement that Novak was selected for a scholarship after she, like other applicants, submitted essays, letters of recommendation and transcripts.
“Our committee was greatly impressed with Grace’s dedication and her story,” Powell said. “She grew interested in policing at a young age and knows the importance of service and helping others.”
Novak helps the Royal Oak Police Department with its annual 5K Run/ Walk and in the past raised money for its K-9 program when she was a student at Royal Oak High School.
“I started reading books at the time and thought maybe I wanted to be a K-9 trainer one day,” she said. “I got to meet Royal Oak’s K- 9 (unit) and go to some of their training.”
Novak also volunteers with the nonprofit Common Ground, which helps crime victims and people in crisis.
She knows first- hand what it’s like to survive a sexual assault, get help through therapy and still carry on with life.
“In my senior year a close friend of mine raped me,” Novak said, “and I made a choice to go to the high school’s police liaison officer and follow through with a report.”
The case was in court for two years before her assailant was finally convicted.
“For those two years I dealt with the Royal Oak police detective and the prosecutor,” she said. “That’s what really instilled in me that there was no other option for me but to pursue the same career and give back in the way they helped me.”