Hall prepares for trip abroad
Campus Times
November 8, 1996
Junior Amber Hall, active on the soccer and softball teams, has been
playing both sports since she was 5. In her spare time she enjoys shopping
at her favorite store, Nordstrom, and going to the beach. Hall plans to
study abroad in England next semester.
Friendly, energetic, easygoing, are just a few words that can adequately
describe junior Amber Hall.
Originally from Upland, Calif., the 20 year old Hall has played soccer and
softball since the age of 5. Hall is currently a member of the women's soccer
and softball teams.
While playing soccer and attending Upland High School, Hall was recruited
by women's soccer head coach Wendy Zwissler to play at the University of
La Verne. Although Hall was skeptical about playing college soccer, she
was put to ease when she came to visit the school and stayed with some soccer
players before starting her freshman year.
"Soccer has been my life. I don't know what I'm going to do without
it. You can always play later in life, but the competition level is never
the same as it is in college."
Hall has been named All Conference in the Southern California Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference (SCIAC) for women's soccer for two years and All-Far
West Region her sophomore year. For softball, Hall has been awarded All-Conference
for two years, and Far West second team her sophomore year.
She is a diversified major in elementary education with a minor in physical
education. She plans to get her master's degree in speech pathology from
either Cal State Northridge or Cal State Long Beach.
Hall hopes to be a speech therapist in a school district and then eventually
own her own business. She wants to help coma or stroke victims rebuild their
vocabulary. She also plans to earn her teaching credentials at the same
time while in graduate school.
Along with Hall's busy school and sports schedule, she is also busy being
a member of Phi Sigma Sigma sorority. Hall received an open bid from the
sorority in spring, because she believes, "Rush is not for everyone."
With the persuasion from friends Tonya Taylor and Sharlyn Preece, who were
already members of the sorority, Hall accepted the open bid.
"I love the sorority. It has taught me so much about other people and
who I can count on,"she said.
Hall went on to say that, "I never saw myself as a sorority girl, nor
did I think I would have anything in common with all the girls. Of course,
when you get 44 girls together not everyone has everything in common, but
you all share a common bond. I could have gotten through college without
it, but I wouldn't have come out the same person. I know now I would not
have changed my decision."
Through one of Hall's sorority sisters, senior Tammy Lien, Hall found about
the Brethren Colleges Abroad and about Lien's experiences in England. Hall
was convinced that the next purpose in her life was to pursue studying abroad.
"I am really easygoing and I will try anything, " she said.
"We support each other. She was there for me when I went to England
and I want her to experience what I did there," said Lien.
Hall will travel to England in the spring semester with another sorority
sister, junior Adriana Macias.
"We are a lot alike, so it should be fun," said Hall.
She believes this will be a very important step in her college career. She
believes it will help her gain her independence. "I can't fall back
on anything, it's all me," she said.
Hall will primarily take general education classes when she goes to England,
and possibly some courses in her major if they will transfer. Hall wishes
the Brethren Colleges Abroad Program was more well-known.
The financial aid available is the same as that available while attending
ULV, which helped Hall make her decision.
On her decision to study abroad, Hall replied "I am scared to death,
it is one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make."
She also added, "I am also scared because a lot of my friends are seniors
and I will be missing everything that happens at ULV, and I will never get
any of it back. I love La Verne. It has totally made me the person I am
and I will miss it a lot."