Liberal Arts Major: Criminology
Minor: Psychology
Hometown: Smithtown, New York

What was the best part of your experience?

The best part of my experience was the ability to go to each place we were learning about and hearing directly from professionals who work there. Visiting the facilities and hearing stories first-hand created a more personal environment. The Dutch were very straightforward and answered any type of question we had, so it was a great learning experience.

How did this experience impact you academically?

Studying in the Netherlands this summer and visiting many important sites will stay with me for my lifetime. I met many new people and listened to their stories and learned from them. I strengthened my writing skills through note taking as well as writing discussion posts about some of these experiences. I will also carry this research with me for the rest of my time here at Penn State which will hopefully strengthen my academic credibility.

How will this experience impact your career goals?

This experience impacted my career goals by helping me learn about another country's criminal justice system and how it is different from my own. It helped me think critically about how our system could be better. I hope to become a police officer one day. As a future participant in the criminal justice system, gaining knowledge of more than one type of system could be beneficial in my line of work. Finally, I hope that this experience will inspire me to invoke change based on the research and knowledge I experienced first-hand.