Ally Arabio

Forensic Science & Biology Major
Mathematics Minor
Admissions Ambassador
Resident Advisor
Student Activities Board

Alexandra (Ally) Arabio ’21 of Egg Harbor, NJ, a two-sport athlete and double major, graduated in May 2021 and is off to Iowa State University to pursue her Ph.D. in statistics. Arabio is entering ISU's statistics graduate program after completing a one-year distance internship with the University’s Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE).

Arabio’s undergraduate research in handwriting analysis and faculty collaborators, associate professor of mathematics James Hammer, Ph.D., and professor of forensic science Lawrence Quarino, Ph.D., helped forge her connection with CSAFE and launch her internship experience.

Quarino met the director of CSAFE, Alicia Carriquiry, Ph.D., at a conference and set up a meeting to introduce her to Arabio and discuss their handwriting project. After meeting Arabio and learning about her research, Carriquiry offered her a summer internship with CSAFE. Arabio’s internship was eventually extended through the spring of 2021, and she will continue her research as a graduate student at ISU.

Throughout the internship, Arabio worked on her handwriting analysis project, frequently met with CSAFE members and learned more about statistics and computer coding. The remote aspect of her work allowed her to collaborate with individuals across the country and pursue research with CSAFE throughout the academic year, despite being roughly 1,000 miles away from ISU.

On campus, Arabio was a Resident Advisor (RA), a tutor with America Reads and an Admissions Ambassador, as well as a member of the Student Activities Board (SAB) and the swim and field hockey teams. A forensic science and biology major, Arabio chose Cedar Crest College because of the College’s accredited forensic science program and small size where she felt that she could make a difference to the community.

“My favorite part about my academic experience at Cedar Crest is how individualized every aspect has been,” Arabio says. “Through independent research and elective courses, I've really been able to study what I enjoy.”