Mohawk Graduate, Constable Peter Galopoulos is a firm believer that education is the pathway to career success. After participating in a police ride-along, Galopoulos knew his future was in policing. While obtaining a Law and Security Diploma at Mohawk College, he made valuable connections that would later assist him in the Police Constable Application process. “John Belisle, a Mohawk instructor, took time to help me through the application process. I was very fortunate to have knowledgeable teachers and resources at Mohawk” said Constable Galopoulos. In 2009, he was hired by the Halton Regional Police Service and currently performs duties in Oakville. 

Although Constable Galopoulos is now a full-time OPP Officer, he continues to further his education in the online Diploma-to-Degree (D-to-D) Program in partnership with Mohawk College, University of Fredericton (UFred) and Husson University. “I first heard about the Diploma-to-Degree in Criminal Justice Program while flipping through a magazine. I was attracted to the online program because it fits my busy policing schedule” remarked Galopoulos. 

The online D-to-D Program allows Community College graduates holding a diploma in Business or Criminal Justice the opportunity to apply their credits toward a four-year Bachelor’s Degree from Husson University and courses are delivered online via UFred’s online learning platform. After transferring up to 90 credits, students are able to complete their Degree in as few as 10 courses, just one year of online study. Constable Galopoulos doesn’t plan on stopping his education here; “Once I complete my Bachelor’s Degree, I intend on finishing my online Master’s Degree with UFred. My supervisor has remarked that continuing my education will help advance my policing career.” 

This story was originally published in Fall 2012 of the Mohawk Alumni In Touch magazine.