Featured Senior: Chelsea Hall ’14

Major: law and the liberal arts
Hometown: Defiance, Ohio
Chelsea Hall is well on her way to accomplishing goals. As of May, Hall will be the first in her family to earn a bachelor’s degree, and she has a job working in her field as a deputy clerk for the Defiance County Probate and Juvenile Court. Also, she will begin studying at the University of Toledo College of Law with an emphasis in family law this fall.
“On my first visit [to campus], I sat down with my advisor, Dr. Paul Chwialkowski, told him what my goals were, and he was very honest with me,” said Hall. “He told me, ‘If that’s what you want to do, here’s what I can do to help you reach them,’ and he spoke the truth because here I am today with a job offer in my field and a seat at law school waiting for me after graduation.”

Chelsea Hall with other members of UF’s Law Society

“I’ve gotten so much more out of my experience at UF than I ever could have anticipated,” said Hall. “I didn’t just learn academically. I polished my leadership and professional skills. I got involved early on, established relationships with a variety of individuals, and they opened doors to opportunities I didn’t even know existed.”
During the spring 2014 semester, Hall has had an internship working with John Thebes, a defense attorney in Toledo. Through that experience, Hall has assisted with reviewing a murder trial and writing the appellate brief for it. She also met “an outstanding woman in the legal profession, Judge Stacy Cook. The opportunity has opened my eyes to the different aspects of being an attorney, and it’s something that most undergraduates don’t usually get to participate in.”
In addition to internships, in-class learning and active participation in the Law Society, Hall has been involved in Student Government Association, Physics Club and the London Scholars Program.
“The London Scholars Program was one of the most amazing things I have ever done in my life,” said Hall. “My study abroad experience helped me create a certain mindset to wake up every day anticipating the new adventures that lie ahead, a life lesson that I will cherish forever.”

Chelsea Hall in London

The London Scholars Program is a for-credit study abroad program. Students spend a semester learning about the culture and completing prep work for a research project, the majority of which is completed while in London. Hall studied England’s justice system and compared it to the United States’ system.
Hall, who is graduating in three years, has some good advice for incoming students: “Travel the world with the help of Findlay’s study abroad programs … Start networking now … Fall in love with the city of Findlay … Stay optimistic.”