A South Florida woman who trained at the Miami Dade College police academy under a full scholarship through the Miami Dolphins is now a newly inducted police officer.
Emily Santana was a student at Miami Central High School when she was selected for the scholarship. Two years later, she's a proud graduate of class 371 along with 21 other officers.
"When they called my name up, it was just a shocking surprise to have this scholarship, and to actually accomplish it was amazing," Santana said.
Santana was also part of the police explorers program in high school when she got the scholarship. The Miami Dolphins launched the program named UNITES in 2018 and then partnered with the Miami-Dade Schools police department to promote positive relationships between young people and law enforcement.
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And Santana is making them proud.
"Excited and happy to see Emily, Officer Santana now, graduating and getting ready to serve her community," Rashauna Hamilton from the Miami Dolphins said. "When we worked with the police explorers for them to identify a deserving recipient, they told us that Emily was that person."
Santana was also awarded a physical fitness medal and got her name on a Dolphins jersey.
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"I always wanted my name on a jersey, so for this to have my name on a jersey it's really cool, really awesome," she said.
