Taylor Hall's Spotlight
Taylor Hall
About Taylor Hall
Taylor Hall is a third-year student at Penn State University Park majoring in Political science and minoring in Crime, Law, and Psychology. During the summer of 2023, Taylor studied abroad in Palermo, Italy and Rome, Italy through our Palermo, Italy: Organized Crime in Film & Society program.
Continue reading to learn more about how Taylor chose a program, lessons she took from an experience abroad, how studying abroad will impact her future, and the highlights of her time in Palermo and Rome in her own words!
Taylor on a rooftop during her program abroad in Palermo, Italy
Taylor in front of the Colosseum in Rome.
Photo Taylor captured of the Palermo Cathedral in Palermo, Italy.
Photo Taylor captured on a weekend trip to Capri, Italy.
Photo Taylor captured of the Mondello Beach in Palermo, Italy.
Photo Taylor captured of the Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy.
Photo Taylor captured of the Due Rocche Waterfall in Corleone, Italy
Taylor's Education Abroad Experience
"I chose to study on this program as it was highly recommended to me by my best friend, who also studied abroad in Italy for a full semester. Plus, the courses satisfied a requirement for my minor, so it worked perfectly!
I became super close with my friend group that I met during my program. We still hang out now that we are back at Penn State, and I know I made friends that will last a lifetime. One of the most memorable moments was going to Corleone and learning about the Godfather movie, and how the mafia still has a presence in Italy today. I became a more independent and outgoing person, and this experience really let me come out of my shell. At first, I was so intimidated to go abroad knowing absolutely no one, but I am glad I went because it was one of the best decisions of my life.
I was very surprised at how accessible everything is and how many different modes of transportation you can take to get places around Italy. We took planes, trains, ferries, taxis, buses, and more during my three-week study abroad experience. I was also surprised at how fast the time passed by. I already want to go back!
I would recommend that everyone study abroad, even if they have some worries about going. It was the best experience of my life, and I wish I had gone for even longer. Don't stress about the small things and just enjoy getting to learn a new culture."