Crime shows are all the rage and for Quatazvus Prince, they are also inspiration.

Prince is a criminal justice student from Calhoun Falls who, like many high school students, had more on his mind than college upon graduation. But his parents had a plan for him.

“My parents said I had to go to school,” Prince said. “Neither of them went to college, so they made my education a priority.”

At the urging of a friend, Prince enrolled in computer networking classes at a technical college far from home. He found that the computer route and the large setting were not for him.

“I took computer classes because a friend of mine was taking them, too,” he said. “But it never really interested me.”

Prince left school after one semester and entered the work force, but still struggled to find his niche. He also discovered that, without an education, his employment options were limited. So he looked into enrolling at Piedmont Technical College.

“I loved the true crime shows like First 48 and Crime 360. The work involved fascinated me,” said Prince. “When I came to Piedmont Tech, I was impressed with the quality of the program.”

Prince entered the criminal justice program and found his calling. He credits his success to the instructors in the program, Samantha Hauptman and Brandy Finch.

“Looking at all the courses I had to take to complete the program, I became overwhelmed,” he said. “Ms. Hauptman and Ms. Finch went above and beyond to help me and embraced me with encouraging words.”

Prince said the attention he received from his instructors was a reflection of the care and concern that has been shown by other members of the Piedmont Tech faculty and staff.

“I went to a small high school, so I am used to the one-on-one attention. Piedmont Tech has provided me with that same care,” he said. “If you have a problem, the faculty and staff here don’t move on until you are taken care of.”

At Piedmont Tech, Prince is a member of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and serves as a Presidential Ambassador. He is on track to graduate in May and plans to continue his education at Anderson University. He would like to pursue a degree in law with plans to become an attorney or a judge.

“Everything I have been through has prepared me for what I am doing now,” Prince said. “I have discovered that no matter how far fetched a goal may seem, you can do it if you stay focused.”