EXPLORING THE BUSINESS OF ITALIAN TOURISM IN ITALY

Host to several United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites, Assumption faculty at the University’s Rome Campus have developed a new course that takes full advantage of the city and nation as a classroom without walls. During the fall semester, students in the Business of Italian Tourism course learned the greater importance of these landmarks and how they are critical to the country’s economy.

“The objective of this course was to have students not only gain understanding of a worldwide industry, but to do so while examining key aspects of Italian tourism, such as economic, developmental, socio-cultural, employment, environmental, private-public collaborations, and marketing,” said Professor Cary LeBlanc, Ph.D., assistant professor of management and marketing and director of the Rome Campus program.

According to Prof. LeBlanc, Italy is the fifth most visited country in the world and contains the most World Heritage Sites with 58, many of which are in Rome, providing an opportune backdrop for a class on tourism. Teaching this course in Rome, explained Prof. LeBlanc, provided students the opportunity to not just see historical landmarks but experience and examine why such structures and artifacts are appealing to tourists.

“We observed how, where, and when tourists are connected to the tourism industry in big and small ways by visiting the sites where tourism is most active. … The beauty of studying abroad is that students got to go back to sites such as the Colosseum, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Piazza Navona as many times as they wanted, only they went back with different perspectives. Students were asked to step back from the allure of the site and think about it as a business, one that is very important to Rome, specifically.”

Alexa Pesce ’23 shared that this course transformed her perspective on tourism, allowing her to fully immerse herself in the culture. “This course encouraged me to take that deep dive into local culture and go beyond the surface level,” she said. “I no longer desire to visit a tourist attraction and walk away with just a picture. I want to know the story behind the site and what role it played in Roman culture.”

Pesce added that the course opened her eyes to what it means to go “behind the scenes” of a culture, such as their class trip to Janas Farms, an agriturismo outside of Orvieto, an hour north of Rome. “After hearing [the farmers’] stories and tasting their products, I have a whole new appreciation for their industry,” she said. “My newfound interest in food and land quality would never have come about if I didn’t get introduced to this aspect of Italian culture. Having this firsthand cultural exchange has reminded me how enriching and rewarding the tourism industry can be. Had I never gotten exposed to this way of life, I wouldn’t have as deep a connection with the culture as I do now.”

The trip intersected with the Environmental Cultures of Europe course taught by Professor Maryanne Leone, Ph.D., which explored the importance of caring for the environment to the slow food movement. “Environmental issues are very important to tourism, as hosting tens of millions of tourists each year in

Italy creates significant environmental challenges,” explained Prof. LeBlanc.

He hoped that this class helped students develop a greater appreciation of the importance of tourism to Italy; however, he hopes they also learned to be cognizant of the significant challenges to Italy’s culture. “All these tourists do leave a trace, physically for sure, but maybe even more important culturally,” he explained. “This understanding can translate into the students becoming much more informed travelers who can appreciate so much more of those experiences.”

“This course – and studying abroad in general – has forever changed how I travel,” said Pesce. “I don’t want to be someone who sees a location as disposable. I want to be a traveler who learns about and appreciates a location thoroughly. Being able to travel leads to appreciation and a deeper sense of the world than any other form of education.”

Assumption University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences named for Donald and Michele D’Amour

Assumption University marked another significant moment in its 118-year history with the ribbon cutting for the D’Amour College of Liberal Arts and Sciences on November 20. In recognition of their steadfast support of the University and their dedication to providing a Catholic liberal education, Assumption named the school after Donald AP’60, AU’64, HD’10 and Michele HD’10 D’Amour. Members of the D’Amour family, faculty, staff, students, and other benefactors joined the D’Amours at the event that celebrated not only the naming, but the essence of a liberal arts education.

“Today’s dedication of the D’Amour College of Liberal Arts and Sciences represents the culmination of decades of engagement that both Don and Michele have had with Assumption and the support that they have demonstrated as trustees and benefactors,” said Assumption President Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D., in a ceremony that took place outside of Founders Hall where faculty in the school have their offices.

“What stands out about Don and Michele is the motivation behind their support – their commitment to a quality

Donald and Michele DʼAmour (CENTER), along with University administration, mark the official naming of the DʼAmour College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Catholic education. … [They] truly appreciate the value of the liberal arts in the formation of young women and men in today’s world.”

President Cesareo shared that while education should provide an individual with intellectual skills and solid professional training, Assumption’s Catholic liberal education provides students with an opportunity to reflect on the “big questions” and seek the truth in every area, while forming their minds, hearts, and souls. Assumption’s D’Amour College of Liberal Arts and Sciences provides students with a strong foundation in Catholic liberal education because, regardless of major, all students take core courses within the College as part of a cross-disciplinary approach.

“This is the mission of the University, but it is the particular mission of this College, which lays the foundation for all of the academic programs offered our students across all of our schools,” he added. “This is why it is most fitting that the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences bears your name, which is synonymous with Catholic liberal education here at Assumption.”

Paula Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., professor of psychology and dean of the D’Amour College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, remembers hearing about the D’Amours’ gift and “feeling such a sense of relief wash over me with this tangible assurance that, yes, the Catholic liberal education we offer our students is still perceived as relevant,” she said. “Your generous gift is already allowing us to deepen teaching and learning in the liberal arts and sciences by infusing high-impact practices across the curriculum and across the four-year experience of our students.” mission. “I have been taught the value of listening to others. To engage others,” she said. “While we may not always agree, Assumption has taught me not to simply adapt to a popular opinion but to form my own, then challenge it.”

Dean Fitzpatrick shared that during summer 2021, the University launched the Summer Scholars Research Program, which paired students with a faculty mentor and empowered them to apply what they have learned in the classroom through research projects. The College has also begun enhancing its interdisciplinary first-year program through more intentional courses, requiring cocurricular activities to extend learning outside the classroom, and providing mentor training for first-year program student facilitators.

President Cesareo added that the D’Amours embody and live out the values at the heart of Catholic liberal education in all aspects of their lives. The D'Amour family is known for founding Big Y supermarkets (Donald is the retired chairman of the board and CEO while Michele previously served as the company’s educational partnership administrator). They have also been recognized for their philanthropic support of many charitable organizations and their passionate dedication to supporting, developing, and providing educational programming.

Matthew Naughton ’23, a cybersecurity major, shared that the D’Amour College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has had and continues to have a positive impact on his life. “I entered the University undeclared, searching for a field of study that piqued my interest,” he explained. “Thanks to [the College], I was able to find my field of study and fall in love with it. Moreover, it has allowed me to personally develop a solid career path for my future.”

Carly Sevigny ’22, an English, mass communication and media major, has also benefited from the liberal arts

In her remarks, Michele noted that the D’Amours have had a long relationship with Assumption. “It’s been a welcoming community, and they’ve never forgotten who they were or what their mission was,” she said. “With all today's pressures to be competitive and to add programs such as nursing and cybersecurity, there’s a huge temptation to forget who we are. Francesco and his leadership – and Paula and this College in particular – have really focused on who they are. They ensure that each and every student who walks through these doors still learns and gains the wisdom to understand that the ultimate thing they need to be concerned with is finding the truth, the light, and the way.”