#SoaringToSuccess: From Case Files to Courtrooms, O’Drain Finds Her Calling

Brianna O’Drain ’26, a Psychology, Human Services, and Sociology & Anthropology triple major, didn’t realize she would be speaking with Oneida County Jail inmates or checking up on the residents of a halfway house as part of her internship with the Oneida County Public Defender Office. Her eyes widened a little in reaction to some images in the case discovery files she was asked to review. But through the challenging yet very interesting experience, O’Drain rose to the occasion and gained insight into the career path she now plans to follow.

“When I first applied to the Oneida County College Corps program, I was assigned to a daycare. I quickly realized I don’t want to work with kids,” shared O’Drain. With that insight, O’Drain shifted to the Forensic Evaluation Unit, working with Patricia King and Jaclyn Whitfield, Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselors.

“We did a lot of things,” she elaborated. “I reviewed discovery evidence shared between the prosecution and defense in a court case. I went to the jail and spoke to inmates about their history, family history, and why they committed a crime. I reached out to a halfway house and other services to assist a client in need of help so they wouldn’t re-offend.”

Some of the most intense moments came when clients faced life-changing legal decisions or personal crises right in front of her like the day a client came into the office “in the middle of a mental health crisis.”

Despite the challenges, O’Drain embraced the experience and discovered a career path she’s eager to pursue.

“I found it to be really interesting,” she said. “This is what I want to go into. I want to help the underprivileged and underserved. I want them to get on the right track and to not reoffend, which keeps crime out of the community.”

Prior to the internship, O’Drain hadn’t realized what path she wanted to take and which career she wanted to pursue. Afterward, she added the Criminal Justice minor to her schedule to help her in her decision of whether or not to attend a graduate program for Forensic Psychology.

“I definitely know I want to work in the forensic field. It’s a large field but I want to work within it for sure.”

Her internship didn’t just provide direction—it equipped her with skills and a network to launch her career. Seeing how her supervisors approached situations differently gave O’Drain unique visibility into the multiple ways to approach situations and how to solve problems.

“They always pushed me to learn more. They taught me that you have to meet people where they are at. You are trying to benefit them so keep them in mind. It’s a trial-and-error process.”

O’Drain also picked up some important career skills.

“It gave me more people skills. I had to talk to people on the phone that I never thought I would want to talk to before. For example, I would talk to people at the drug court sometimes because I knew about the client and could say something about the person to help fill in any missing pieces.”

She also built a career network.

“Now I’ve got connections with people within the county and people working within these fields. I think I could start somewhere dealing with substance use or mental health, like in a jail system or a District Attorney’s office.”

Most importantly though, O’Drain deepened her understanding of the people she hopes to help. Every case, every client, and every conversation added to her growing perspective on the complexities of the criminal justice system and the individuals within it.

“We focused on multiple people every single day and everyone has their own story. I learned something from each of those in all sorts of ways,” she reflected.

Now, with a clear vision, valuable skills, and a strong network, O’Drain is prepared to make a difference—one person and one story at a time.