Millie Thornton transformed a childhood passion for crime scene investigations into a qualifying spot in a national forensics competition and a place in Illinois State’s new forensic investigation sequence.
“My friends and I, throughout our childhood, were all very interested in it,” said Thornton, who graduated in May from University High School in Normal. “We would watch (crime) shows and do the little detective crime scene kits you can buy online all the time.”
Those same friends reconnected over the last two years in a criminal justice class offered through U-High’s partnership with the Bloomington Career Academy. Led by a former Bloomington Police officer, the class allowed the students to meet with local crime scene investigators who walked them through a mock crime scene.
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Through the class, Thornton and her friends participated in the SkillsUSA Crime Scene Investigation competition. This spring, their team won the state title, qualifying for the national contest held in June in Atlanta, where they placed seventh out of 32 teams.
Thornton gained valuable experience during the events, learning firsthand from detectives how to assess and investigate crime scenes.
For the state competition, the students collected evidence for a hypothetical shooting at an apartment party. They were then judged on how well they could explain how to process evidence, draft consistent reports, and document evidence. At nationals, Thornton’s team conducted a crime scene check and performed similar tasks as they did at the qualifying competition.
“Instead of having us collect evidence, they already had evidence back there for us. So, there was fingerprinting that we had to do, one person did DNA (collection), and I did trace evidence, which is basically like hair and clothing fibers.”
On the back of that success, Thornton will join Illinois State’s Department of Criminal Justice Sciences this fall.
“It’s given me background knowledge to help me further my learning,” Thornton said. “I am looking forward to all the professors I’ll be able to meet, because I’ve heard many good things about the different classes they’ll teach and different things that they research. I’m really excited to see what other ways forensic criminal justice can apply to the world.”
Thornton knows Illinois State very well. Her dad, Sean, is a three-time alum and graphic designer in University Marketing and Communications. She grew up just a few miles from campus, attended one of the University’s Laboratory Schools, and gained additional law enforcement experience through an internship with University Police.
“I think I’ll be able to integrate myself here very easily,” she said. “I also know that ISU is an amazing social community. So I’m really happy for that.”
Receiving the prestigious Jesse W. Fell Scholarship, the Legacy Scholarship, and the AIM High Scholarship helped Thornton choose to stay close to home. She plans to live on campus, but eventually would like to take advantage of study abroad opportunities offered by the Honors Program and the Department of Criminal Justice Sciences to learn about how law enforcement and governments operate in different countries.
Thornton wants to join the Criminal Justice Association and expand her horizons by meeting new people and taking on new challenges.
“I always try to do something new. Like when I was a freshman in high school, I quit swimming and decided to do boxing,” Thornton said.
Thornton hopes Illinois State launches her into a career as a crime scene investigator, eventually with the FBI.
“It’s a chance for me to experience something new every day,” Thornton said. “Also, I know that it’s going to help someone too. How accurately I package up evidence or analyze it can change someone’s life. I know that it could help bring family closure or can keep communities safer.”
