ALUMNI PROFILE

Bridging the Gap

Colbey Russell ’24 is Bucknell’s first Public Safety officer to graduate from the University
by Sarah Downey ’25
Like any nervous first-year student, Colbey Russell ’24 meticulously studied his schedule and planned his route around campus before his first day of classes. Russell made a point to arrive early to each class so he could personally introduce himself to students. As a member of Bucknell’s Office of Public Safety, it was important for him to establish a connection with his classmates. “I wanted to be transparent about my position,” he says. “I didn’t want my presence to make anyone uncomfortable or cause somebody to not fully engage in a classroom setting.”
Portrait close-up photo view of Colbey Russell smiling in his Bucknell's Office of Public Safety officer uniform outfit featuring a dark navy blue polo top with his gold-colored badge equipped on it, his name imprinted in white on the polo top which says SERGEANT C. RUSSELL, and his other black-colored gadget work devices equipped on his polo top plus khaki light beige colored cargo pants as he poses with his left arm situated on top of the Bucknell Public Safety custom-themed SUV car on campus during the day
Photo: Emily Paine
Colbey Russell ’24 graduated from Bucknell in four years while working full-time in Bucknell’s Office of Public Safety.
In May, Russell became the first Bucknell Public Safety officer to graduate from the University. Russell, who completed degrees in education and psychology, began working at Bucknell in 2014. He had always envisioned himself becoming a secondary education teacher in physics and mathematics. “After high school, I attended two semesters of college before life took me in a different direction,” he says. “I wanted to have a positive role in my community, which led me to Bucknell’s Office of Public Safety.”

Working on a college campus reignited his interest in education. But the idea of being an adult learner with a full-time job and family responsibilities was daunting. “It took me years to muster up the courage to finally fill out the application,” he says.

As a student, Russell brought a unique perspective to classroom discussions. “In an education or psychology class, I could provide a parent’s perspective,” says the father of two. “It also helped me get to know the students. Now there’s a group of students who will ask how my daughters are doing.”

His coursework helped him develop a greater sense of purpose in his work. In 2020, Russell developed an equitable and student-centered campus safety model that has since been adopted at Bucknell. The model, SEE Safety Networks, was informed by conversations Russell had with students, and his related research has been published in two national journals. “I hope to help other universities create equitable, inclusive safety measures,” he says.

As a Bucknell alumnus, Russell will continue his role as deputy director of Public Safety, a leadership position in which he works to build community rapport and trust between officers and students. “As a student, I gave it my all to have meaningful interactions with students,” he says. “Whether hosting a dinner to encourage conversations or creating unique video projects showing my outside experiences with raising children, I worked to humanize myself and foster connections,” he says. “I look forward to continuing to strengthen those connections with students in our community.”

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