Dr. Wy earned her Ph.D. and M.A. degrees in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland, College Park. She also received her B.S. in Criminal Justice and Psychology and her B.S. in Journalism in 2019 from the University of Southern Indiana.
Before joining the faculty at Drury University in 2025, Dr. Wy worked as a postdoctoral research associate for the University of Missouri — St. Louis.
Dr. Wy teaches a variety of classes for Drury’s Department of Behavioral Sciences, including Introduction to Criminology, Advanced Criminology, Juvenile Delinquency, Deviance and Social Control, and the Correctional System.
Dr. Wy’s research focuses on immigration and crime and differential experiences across race and ethnicity. Her work investigates youth well-being and the role social context plays in fostering differences in attitudes, behaviors, and lived experiences. She is particularly interested in how neighborhood context, as well as interactions with the educational and legal systems, shape trajectories of behavior and justice involvement—perhaps differentially across migrant and minority statuses.
Dr. Wy’s work has appeared in peer-reviewed journals including Justice Quarterly, American Journal of Criminal Justice, and Educational Researcher.
In her spare time, Dr. Wy loves to knit and crochet, peruse local bookstores, and watch movies (her personal favorite is Magnolia).
Drury University faculty member since 2025
Assistant Professor since 2025
