Written by Monica VanDerWeide, ’95
Forensic science is the stuff of many popular television series, including Unsolved Mysteries, The X-Files, and Forensic Files. Far from the glamour and fiction of Hollywood, 2019 graduate Austin Sandusky works as a real-life forensic scientist for the Nebraska State Patrol in Lincoln, Nebraska. Guided by the scientific principles he learned as a biochemistry major at Hillsdale, Austin strives to help find the truth in each case he handles.
Austin grew up in the sleepy, small town of Morenci, some 30 miles southeast of Hillsdale. In 2010, when Austin was in eighth grade, the town was thrust into the national spotlight when three young brothers disappeared. The boys’ father claimed he had given them to a “group” to protect them from their mother, with whom he was engaged in a divorce and custody battle. To this day, the brothers’ whereabouts are unknown. That case triggered Austin’s interest in forensic science. “I knew that I wanted to become a forensic scientist,” he said.
While Austin had always dreamed of going to the University of Michigan and playing football there, the scholarship money he received from Hillsdale, plus the opportunity to play football at Hillsdale, led him to the College. “When I visited Hillsdale, I just loved the people, the coaches, and the College itself,” he recalled.
Austin was a wide receiver for a Chargers team that steadily improved over the course of his four years, culminating with a conference championship and a playoff game victory in his final season in 2018. “That was a great way to end my football career,” he recalled.
Meanwhile, in the classroom, Austin learned “what it meant to be a scientist” as he took biochemistry courses for his major and psychology classes for his minor. He worked closely with Hillsdale’s chemistry professors as he sought a graduate program in forensic science. He went on to earn a master of forensic science degree in forensic molecular biology from George Washington University in 2021. “Hillsdale set me up very well for graduate school,” he said.
As a forensic scientist in the biology unit of the Nebraska State Patrol, Austin deals with any case in the state that involves DNA. “I go through the scientific process, extract the DNA, get a profile, put out results, and testify in court if necessary,” he said. “Every case is different, so you definitely have to be on top of your game.”
Of course, dealing with cases of sexual assault and homicide can often be very disturbing. “You have to separate work from your home life,” Austin said. “It’s hard sometimes, but my coworkers and I help each other through that.” In the end, the struggle is worth the pain when the team can bring closure to a case and bring the truth to light. “I play just a small part in the puzzle of trying to find the truth,” he said. “But bringing closure to a family that’s been struggling is extremely rewarding.”
Bringing that help and closure to grieving families flows naturally from Hillsdale’s mission to cultivate students who want to do good for their family and community. So, too, does the desire to find and present the truth. “Hillsdale is very good at making you think outside the box,” Austin said. “The classes at Hillsdale taught me to look at each challenge from differing perspectives to create the best solution. This still rings true today, as each case has its own set of unique challenges and scenarios that require different solutions to discover the unbiased truth through science.”
Monica VanDerWeide is Director of Marketing Content for Hillsdale College. She graduated from Hillsdale in 1995 with a degree in English and German.
Published in April 2024
