CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — Penn State students had the opportunity to travel abroad this summer and learn firsthand about the history and evolution of organized crime in Italy. Much of what students knew about organized crime stemmed from stereotypes created by films and television shows like “The Godfather,” “Goodfellas” and “The Sopranos.” They quickly learned the reality is quite different.
Penn State Lehigh Valley professors Deb Dreisbach, coordinator of Penn State Lehigh Valley’s criminal justice program, and Samantha Beebe, coordinator of the biobehavioral health program, led a group of 33 students from the University Park and Lehigh Valley campuses to Palermo, the birthplace of organized crime, and Rome as part of the three-week course CRIM225N: Organized Crime in Film and Society.
“There’s always a mix of majors,” Dreisbach said. “What’s interesting is usually four to six are criminal justice majors — this year I had nine criminal justice majors out of the 33 students. It’s nice because they bring different perspectives and ask good questions because it’s such an interesting topic."
Much of their time was spent talking with law enforcement officials involved in anti-Mafia initiatives.
“We had an appellate judge who works on these cases. We talked to business owners in the anti-Mafia movement and experts in anti-Mafia law. That’s what makes this course different — we’re out talking to the experts,” Dreisbach said.
Students documented their experiences through a vlog and reflected on their time abroad through a series of reflection questions.
“Many students say what a life-changing experience it was,” Dreisbach said.
Learning went far beyond the classroom. Sightseeing tours and team bonding experiences were part of the agenda. The group enjoyed a four-hour boat trip in Palermo, and ate the finished product after a pasta-making class in Rome.
The students were free to explore and sightsee on their own in the afternoons, as well.
“The students had a long weekend in Palermo and one in Rome. We encourage them to immerse themselves,” Dreisbach said. “They’re really on their own after class, so they have to decide where they want to go, what they want to see, and how to get there. It’s amazing to see the growth in the students in that three-week period.”
Students quickly learned self-sufficiency and time management, Dreisbach added.
“Students learn how to rely on themselves and each other — a mindset I instill the first day we meet — to help create those bonds and help students learn more about themselves," Dreisbach said.
Carley Maldonado, a rising senior criminal justice major at Penn State Lehigh Valley, was scared to travel out of the country before taking the course.
“I was scared to leave the country, but now that I’ve done it, I want to do more traveling,” she said. “I wanted to do a study abroad trip and I’ve always been interested in organized crime. It was so interesting to go to Palermo, where organized crime originated.” It is still very much a part of the culture, Maldonado noted, as businesses are required to pay an addiopizzo, or tax, to the Mafiosos for protection.
Nelson Copete Jr., a senior cybersecurity major, said the experience not only exceeded his expectations but gave him more confidence in his area of study.
“Studying abroad was something I always wanted to do and always thought about — regardless of what the class was,” he said. “It helped me step out of that ‘I’m a cyber major and only have to take cyber classes’ mindset and branch out."
For Copete, a self-described “people person,” meeting people from different cultures was another highlight of the experience.
“When the people I met in Italy heard me speak English, they were so nice,” Copete said. “I got to be friends with one waiter and a person working the register at a café. I felt the conversations were genuine—unlike over here where I feel like things are rushed. I couldn’t believe how nice the people in Palermo were.”
Copete feels the experience abroad will set him apart professionally.
“I would recommend an experience like this to other students," he said. "We can list this experience on our resume, which shows we’re willing to branch out, take risks, and be open to opportunities.”
Beebe, who co-facilitated the group with Dreisbach, said experiences like this help group members evolve as not only students but global citizens.
“I think it’s important for students to look outside themselves and appreciate diversity, cultures, different social structures, and have that global view if we want to not only succeed, but prosper,” Beebe said. “It’s important for us to realize we don’t just live in our own little worlds; you'll be happier if you have this global perspective and are a good global citizen.”
Beebe has been part of different study abroad courses but said this one was different.
“Deb has really nurtured this program and fine-tuned it into something that I think is wonderful for the students,” she said. “I saw it in them — I saw them become more mesmerized. They were firing off questions because the topic piqued their interest even more. Students really value and appreciate all the work that went into this experience.”
Students apply for the three-week course through Penn State Global’s application portal. Dreisbach said increased numbers each year reflect the program's competitive registration, which is capped at 33 participants. Click here to learn more about the course CRIM225N: Organized Crime in Film and Society.