University News

Two LEJA Graduates Publish Articles with WIU Professor

November 14, 2022

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MACOMB, IL – Two recent Western Illinois University alumni have recently each published articles in Security magazine with one of their former professors.

WIU Law Enforcement and Justice Administration Professor Dean C. Alexander, an internationally-recognized terrorism expert, has co-published with Summer 2022 graduate Caden Buettner, who received his bachelor's degree in law enforcement and justice administration and minors in security administration, criminalistics and homeland security, and with Natalie Starczowski, a Spring 2022 graduate with a bachelor's degree in LEJA, and minors in homeland security and scuba diving.

Buettner's article with Alexander, "Truck convoys as a modality of political protest and potential violence," was published Oct. 19 and the article with Starczowski, "American Disenchantment and Disinformation Ushering Political Violence and Fracturing our Democracy," was published Nov. 9.

This is the third article Buettner has published with Alexander.

"Following the Canadian Freedom Convoy, and the subsequent American People's Convoy, the occurrence of trucker convoys being used as a modality of political protest was made apparent," said Buettner. "This article is ever the more important now with the November 2022 U.S. elections, where a new trucker convoy could create potential violence. Additionally, the publication of this article was particularly important for me as I presented on the very topic at the Western Illinois University Undergraduate Research Day, where I was awarded first place."

Starczowski said she has assisted Alexander over the past few months in gathering reliable sources regarding threats made against election officials.

"I used a lot of my personal time doing research for this article to make sure the information we had was accurate," said Starczowski. "In the meantime, I learned about the current and ongoing issues that our democracy is facing. I am very pleased with our article. I hope it reaches many people to inform them about the dangers of political violence. I would like to thank Professor Dean Alexander for giving me the opportunity to work with him after I graduated from WIU."

Alexander's former students work at police departments/fusion centers, government agencies (FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and State Department) and risk management firms across the United States.

After graduation, Buettner completed his internship with the United States Marshals Service and Starczowski completed hers with Homeland Security Investigations.

Buettner's article can be found at bit.ly/Buettnerarticle and Starczowski's article can be found at bit.ly/Starczowski.

For more information about the School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration at WIU, visit wiu.edu/leja.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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