Hannah Gross

Junior Hannah Gross is a real life hero. Working as the president of Chatham’s chapter of the American Investigative Society of Cold Cases, she is literally solving real crimes at this moment! Since she’s such an inspiring member of the Chatham community, we decided to give her the first profile of the semester!

 

Hannah Gross: I am currently studying biology and criminology. 

 

On campus, I am involved with the Pre-Med Club as its communications coordinator and the American Investigative Society of Cold Cases Chatham Chapter as president. 

 

 

Almost an entire year ago now, I went to a conference at the Cyril Wecht Institute of Duquesne that was focused on Cold Cases. While at the conference, I met Detective Kenneth Mains and learned that he had started the American Investigative Society of Cold Cases (AISOCC). I was immediately interested in the work of that his group did. Members of AISOCC are from the medical, law and investigations fields and to have so many people with different backgrounds working on a single goal was something I knew I had to be apart of. I decided to become a student member as soon as I could. It was not too long after that when I began to discuss with Dr. Sarteschi (a criminology department professor) about bringing a student group to branch from this institution to Chatham. 

 

As a member of this organization you are given access to cases that have never been solved. Members have the opportunity to speak with professional investigators who may have worked on (or still be working on) a case and learn extensively about the details of the cold case through files and notes. Working with other students to collaborate on thoughts, ideas, and questions about the case is also a large part of the membership. 

 

 

Medical Examiner by day, Broadway actress by night. I’m a Gemini so there will always be some duality in my life! 

 

The plan right now for post-grad is to pursue medical school. For me a major long term goal would be to become a medical examiner at the county level or even work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. There is so much you can do with medicine but I still would like to tie it to the criminology sphere as much as I could. 

 

 

One word: opportunity. The opportunities to succeed and expand here I do not think are present anywhere else. I have made connections that I would have never dreamed of making. I have been able to be involved with research, clubs, and now an actual investigation. If I had never taken the leap towards these opportunities, my life would not have been changed as much as it has. 

 

Oh my goodness…it would have to be the friends I have made while I have been here. We have become so close over the semesters and have gone through so many of the same struggles together. I do not know where I would be without their support.