BA in Sociology

Suzanne G. Devlin, 1982

Suzanne Devlin earned a bachelor of arts degree in sociology from Mason, as well as a master’s of science degree in conflict management, and she did this while she was serving as one of the first female members of the Fairfax County Police Department. She served the department for 33 years, including as the Acting Chief of Police, joining only seven women in the United States who were chiefs of police of major cities. At the time of her retirement from the department in 2009, her rank was lieutenant colonel, and she was serving as the deputy chief of police in charge of special operations, major crimes, and the Northern Virginia Regional Intelligence Center.

Suzanne moved on to work as a senior principal intelligence analyst in the Global Analysis Division of BAE Systems, and as a senior law enforcement advisor at the Department of Homeland Security. Now, she is in her fifth year as the supervisor of safety and security for Loudoun County Public Schools, where she oversees emergency planning and physical infrastructure, supporting safety and security in schools. Most recently, she was selected by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to attend the Emergency Management Institute and work with senior leaders in emergency management.

And Suzanne is no stranger to the Mason campus, having worked for fifteen years as an adjunct instructor in the criminal justice program and more recently as a volunteer for the college’s mentor lunch program.