Wolftracks Spring 2015 by The American University of Rome

WolfTracks The American University of Rome Alumni & Friends Magazine - Spring 2015

WolfTracks Spring 2015

Welcome to the spring 2015 issue of WolfTracks. In this issue we relive the latest international alumni reunions, say goodbye to alumna Daniela Romano, read about the recent successes of our alumni and professors, pay tribute to AURâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest honorary degree recipients, and take a peek at the various events put on by AUR over the past semester. The WolfTracks Team Anna Schorch Editor Giulia Ramadan Design & Layout

Contents 6 Alumni News 21 Professor News 28 University News and Events 32 Student Activities 39 Community Announcements 42 Upcoming Events

“When I think of Dani, I think of laughter. She always had a smile on her face. I admired her strength, persistence, and positivity...and I always will. Thanks for being such a great role model, Dani!” Amy Schoenberg (Italian Studies, 2004)

“I got to know Daniela through Audra and our flatmate at the Tony George Haddad, Dani, and Magda Romano time, Raven. She was one of the sweetest people I've ever had the good fortune to know. She had a warm smile and kind eyes and I'd often find her in the courtyard at AUR surrounded by friends and classmates. She struggled at times getting to and from her classes with her illness, but she never complained about it - she was always positive and seemed truly happy when she was at school and surrounded by friends, no matter how much of a challenge it was for her at times. I never had a class with Professor Romano, but eventually knew her through Daniela, and I quickly understood where Daniela got her sweet nature and kind eyes. She will be greatly, greatly missed. My condolences go out to her family and all her other friends.” Sarah Paolozza (Business Administration, 2005)

In Memoriam “Dani you were an Angel here with us. Always with that great smile and full of joy. I will never forget your laugh and especially the pitch in which you would shout my name when I was only 8 yrs old on your swing. You have the kindest heart and you have never changed. You will always be in my heart. With all my love...Rest in peace.” Anonymous

“Dani, really like a sister to me and childhood friend, she was the sweetest and strongest person I know. I’m so grateful to have known her. I always remember her cheerful throughout her life, even despite the times when she wasn't very well. I will always carry her with me in my heart, thoughts and prayers, till we meet again.” Lina George Haddad and Dani

Lina George Haddad (Study Abroad, 2001)

“Daniela Romano was one of my best friends. Her smile and laughter are what I miss most. She's a unique gem that continues to shine in all the hearts of those who knew and loved her.”

Audra Kachonik, Dani, and Cherisse Burgard

Cherisse Burgard (Italian Studies, 2006)

“I met Daniela at AUR over a decade ago and I am so blessed for having had her in my life. She was a friend I could count on through thick and thin: the bad break-ups, the poor grades, failing my Italian driver’s exam for the billionth time no matter what it was, she always seemed to know exactly what to say to bring comfort. Her positive outlook on life in general was what was truly inspiring. She never once complained about anything. She was goofy, nerdy, silly, smart and the type of person that brightened up a room when she would walk in. I love her dearly and miss her every day.” Audra Kachonik (Communication, 2005)

Daniela Romano 1983 - 2014 “Talented. Beautiful. Kind. These are just a few words that describe Daniela Romano. Dani was one of my very first students at The American University of Rome and, without realizing it, she raised the bar inordinately high, both academically and creatively, for those who followed her. She was a wonderful student—a born storyteller with Dani and Kelsea Brennan-Wessels a razor-sharp wit, yet a quiet, unassuming intelligence. In class, Dani never seemed to crave the spotlight, although she often found herself in it, because she was so effortlessly bright. I can picture her very clearly and while she may have been slender in stature, her personality was giant, her worldview unique, and her spirit indomitable. I am honored to have had the chance to work with and get to know Dani; I shall always remember her radiant smile.” Elizabeth Geoghegan Professor of Communication & English

“Dani Romano was a student of mine in her last year at AUR. As supervisor of her Senior Capstone thesis I met with her weekly to discuss her progress on a screenplay she had presented to me as her final project. She always surprised me with the depth of her talent. I looked forward to those meetings with her because, contrary to most teacher-student relationships, I felt as if I were working with an equal, a fellow screenwriter in this case. We brainstormed, we laughed at our silly ideas (mostly mine), and marveled at the insights into characters, storylines, and themes (all absolutely hers). It was actually fun. I guess what I remember most about Dani throughout it all was her smile. She smiled with hers eyes. It was a knowing smile, as if she could see right through you. But at the same time it was filled with pure, innoRicky Romano, Dani, and Magda Romano cent joy. There was so much going on in that mind of hers all the time. I was amazed at how easily she could spill an entirely new universe of people, places and things onto each page of her script. So much emotion, so much awareness, so much truth. Dani will be missed.” Maurizio Marmorstein Professor of Italian Studies Dean of Undergraduate Programs

“Dani was a dear friend since I first moved to Italy to attend AUR about a decade ago. It was nearly impossible not to be friends with her: with welcoming eyes and an infectious laugh, she emitted an aura of kindness and joy that drew you in like a moth to light. I was constantly in awe of her. It was no secret that she was intelligent, but her seemingly boundless creativity – particularly in her writing – never ceased to amaze. She was an inspiration. The literary world was robbed too early of one of its potentially best talents. I miss you dearly.” Kelsea Brennan-Wessels and Dani

Kelsea Brennan-Wessels (Communication, 2008)

“I had the privilege to teach Dani Romano throughout her time at AUR. Dani was an unforgettable student for all sorts of reasons. Although she focused much of her study on my teaching area (filmmaking), she was truly a renaissance student – she excelled at everything she did. Dani’s quiet demeanor hid an intensity that showed itself in her personal passions. Dani absolutely loved science fiction, and she reveled in debates, particularly with her professors outside of class. She was an excellent writer, a highly successful researcher, a genuinely avid learner, regularly exhibiting qualities that echoed her truly remarkable parents, Magda and Ricky Romano. In my twenty years of teaching, Dani remains the only student I ever had who never received less than the highest mark in my class. Her consistent excellence was not only admirable, but mind-boggling at times. But that’s not what I remember most about her. I still believe that Dani’s smile was as perfect as one can be, a once-in-a-lifetime smile, a smile that alleviated any threat of darkness in the area. Like Dani herself, that smile was one of the greats.” Paul Zinder Course Leader – MA in Film Production University of Gloucestershire

Dani and Tony & Lina George Haddad

ALUMNI Alumni NEWS News

AUR Alumni and guests in San Francisco, California

Alumni Reunions: San Francisco and New York City

n Sunday evening, February 8th, AUR alumni attended a reunion in San Francisco to reminisce and mingle with alumni of the American Overseas School of Rome (AOSR), many from the high school graduating class of 1965! The small turnout provided for an intimate evening overlooking the Bay. Alumni shared their AUR memories, talked about professors and staff, and remembered funny anecdotes of their time while at AUR. In attendance were William Rice Matthews IV (International Relations, 2005), Isabel Arzoomanian (Business Administration, 2004), Alex Sexton (Communication, 2012) and his girlfriend Ashley Babin who attend AUR for a semester in 2011, and Jessica Jung (Communication, 2006) and Jaden Rocco (Business Administration, 2007) who met at AUR nearly ten years ago and are currently planning their wedding. Congratulations, you two!

he event in New York City, held at LIM College on February 23rd, was equally intimate. The freezing but pleasant evening attracted AUR alumni and Board members, plus alumni again from AOSR. AURâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s alumni included George Lekovic (attended 2000-2001), Vanessa Tortorice (attended 2000), Sofia Marmorstein (Communication, 2010), Jon Piccirillo (Italian Studies, 2009), Jeanette Baione (attended 2000), Milena Lekovic (attended 2001), Daniela Machado (Art History, 2011), Lisa Saunders (Italian Studies, 2007), Marvin Mathew (attended 2012), Dominic Coluccio (Business Administration, 2005), Rita Viola (Communication, 2010), and Sal Salpietro (attended and worked at AUR between 2002 and 2006) who was paramount in the eventâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s organization.

Erin, William Rice Matthews IV, Isabella Arzoomanian, Jessica Jung, and Jaden Rocco

Ashley Babin, Alex Sexton, and AOSR guest

AUR Alumni and Board members mingle at LIM College in New York City

William Rice Matthews IV, Erin, Isabella Arzoomanian, Jessica Jung, and Jaden Rocco

Annamaria Fink (Study Abroad, 2009)

“I

'm living in Philadelphia working just outside the city for a logistics company. I finished up my Masters Degree in Human Resources in April 2014, and was offered a position within my company to work for the Compliance Department handling all drug and alcohol records. Working my way to qualifications, I've been able to pick up maintaining records and safety for the Department of Transportation Federal Regulations. It's always interesting and different every day. I am also busy working on wedding plans to marry my best friend Ramy El-dakkak, who proposed this past August in front of family and friends in the city of Philadelphia. We plan to wed next October surrounded by family and friends (some AUR alumni and some family from Roma will be there too!) in New Jersey. I am grateful for the experience of studying abroad. It taught me that I really could survive any where in the world. And it has given me a confidence about myself that any fellow study abroad student would understand. The people I met and the connections I've made have helped me to be assertive and diverse in so many ways career-wise. If I could go back I wouldn't change a thing!”

“T

ime really flew by, as I'm sure all alumni say! I graduated and came back to New York - it was a really difficult time, the height of the recession. On top of having a strange reverse culture shock of sorts, finding a good paying job was a struggle. Rome and AUR really had become a second home. Through a lot of perseverence I got a job back in banking at a low level management position. After a few years and several promotions I got a VP Branch Manager job down in the financial district. It's been very rewarding and I really was able to tie a lot that I learned at AUR to build my career. I just bought my first apartment this past Summer and now have just a few more years to pay back my student loans - can't wait for that day! I miss sunny Roma, but nice to know there are still a lot of great people still at AUR!”

Justin Wynne (Business Administration, 2009)

Britni Harris (Interdisciplinary Studies, 2006)

ritni Harris came to visit AUR for the first time after her graduation nine years ago.

Britni graduated in 2006 and immediately moved to Washington D.C. where she managed AURâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s U.S. office until it closed in 2008. She then returned to Italy and settled in Milan, where she taught English and prepared students for their B1/B2 exams at high school until 2009. After renewing her visa in the U.S., she moved to Madrid for 2 years before moving back to Milan in 2013, where she currently teaches English language and literature at the Liceo Scientifico Conti. Happy memories of her time at AUR unfolded as Britni visited the offices where she worked as a student assistant in Admissions. Britni loves living in Milan and has no intention of returning to the US for the time being.

Daryll Sandoval (IRGP, 2014)

ecent AUR graduate Daryll Sandoval, as Assistant Coach, helped AOSRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Boys Varsity Basketball Team win the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (Dodds) European Championships on February 21st. Congratulations!

After graduating from AUR, Daryll scored a position as Social Media Consultant at the American Overseas School of Rome (AOSR). More recently, he began as an intern in the Office of the Executive Director at the World Food Programme. Good luck, Daryll! We wish you the best in all your achievements.

Erika Carr (Archaeology & Classics, 2014)

ecember graduate Erika Carr has recently been recruited as an intern for AUR’s President Richard Hodges. Her role consists of analyzing and editing archaeological reports from President Hodges’ Butrint projects. Her last semester at AUR was dedicated to her thesis on how rock art in South Africa demonstrates the importance of protecting cultural heritage. She has recently applied to AUR’s Master’s program in Cultural Heritage Management.

Federica De Giorgi (Communication, 2013)

n January 15, 2015 Federica De Giorgi graduated from King’s College London with a Master’s degree in International Children Studies from the Department of Social Sciences and Public Policies.

laire Tinguely Serpi recently visited AUR for a special lecture on photography by Professor Villani for the American Women’s Association of Rome. Of the experience, (Art History, 2010) she writes, “… As an alumna I am so grateful that AUR was willing to open its doors to me. Professor Villani was generous enough to say yes when I asked him to do a lecture on photography for the American Women’s Association of Rome. I organize monthly gatherings for entrepreneurs in the group on different topics each month. Many of us had burning questions about photography as we’re all active on blogs and social media. Understandably, we would like our images to look their best and capture the imagination and attention of our audience, but we don’t always have the technical background or sophisticated equipment to make that happen. Luckily, Professor Villani was willing to elucidate a number of topics with us, from composition to exposure, white balance to ISO. Did you know that you can convert a film camera into a digital one? Neither did we! It was a treat to learn more about photography from Professor Villani now that I have a very real and applicable need for the skill, and it was also great to take the familiar walk through the arches of the Aurelian Wall and AUR’s courtyard. I just wish I’d been there earlier in the day to see more familiar faces—Professor Esposito, I’m coming back for you!”

Claire Tinguely Serpi

“I

n 1994 I completed my undergraduate studies at The American University of Rome in Italian Studies. This undergraduate (Italian Studies, 1994) degree encompassed not only language, but Italian art, culture and literature. Throughout my undergraduate tenure I realized my passion for the Italian language and all aspects of its culture. My time in Rome was not just spent reading Calvino’s words, watching through Fellini’s lens, or studying Raphael’s brush strokes, but also immersing myself in the life of an Italian. This included reading Oggi, drinking at the café and supporting the ‘Azzuri’.

Carmela Patti Marucci

Today, I have been teaching all aspects of the Italian culture, including language, film, art and literature at Bishop George Ahr High School in Edison NJ, currently named one of the top 50 catholic high schools in the United States. My students enjoy, as do I, the passion for the life of an Italian, not only just verbs and nouns. My goal is not only to provide a place where students can appreciate the language and culture, but to also analyze, question and debate the merits of what they are being taught. These tools are what I learned during my time at AUR. As a wife and parent of two wonderful twins, age 4 (Giuliana and Luca), my husband, family and I instill our culture and love of all things Italian every second of every day with our children. As an Italian–American, I have always thought of myself as an ‘Italo-file.’ I spent every summer in Italy, was raised in this country with RAI Television on in our family home, and wore the newest fashions that came from Italy. However, my time and experiences at AUR had brought forth an appreciation of my culture that I did not realize as a child.”

Amber Glasser (Communication, 2012)

mber stopped by AUR on February 24, 2015 during her vacation in Rome with some friends from China where she has lived since 2013. She is currently based in Shanghai and teaches English at the Shanghai United International School.

After graduating from AUR, Amber would have liked to stay in Italy, but due to the worsening economic crisis she decided to explore something new and applied for English teaching jobs in Asia. In the summer of 2013 she received multiple offers from Shanghai and, with the help of Professor Sonnabend, selected the most attractive position teaching English to children for English First (EF). She moved to Shanghai United International School shortly after and has committed to a three-year term. Amber is also tutoring French and Italian, and doing both an online Master's Degree in Education and an ECSE post grad in Education with the University of Nottingham. She is learning Chinese, travelling, and enjoying the forward-thinking Chinese culture. Although she misses Rome, its weather and food, she is very happy with her job and her life in Shanghai. She attributes her success to her unusual experience in Rome and having graduated from AUR, being able to speak French and Italian, and being well-travelled. She is grateful for the amazing experience she had while at AUR, and for being able to turn to her professors for advice even after graduation.

Alumni Working in Higher Education Madelaine Kuns Bruschini (Communication, 2007)

“I

have been working since the beginning of 2015 as the Director of Development of the Tulane University Catholic Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Our new center will be opening its doors on August 21st, 2015 to kick off the beginning of the new school year. New Orleans is an amazing city, my husband Francesco and I often joke and call it the Rome of the United States. The two cities have so much in common! Besides that, being back in higher education is a true joy. It is the perfect opportunity to work with people of all ages and walks of life, one that I am immensely proud to have.”

Kiersten Saltwick (IRGP, 2015)

“A

fter graduating from AUR last May, I was contemplating either going to graduate school in Denmark or getting a job. Long story short, I’m now living in Evansville, Indiana working as the International Admission Counselor for the University of Evansville. It’s a small, but still larger than AUR, private school with about 400 international students and a British campus named Harlaxton College which is absolutely gorgeous! It was an incredibly smooth transition since I had been working as Melissa Abraham’s student assistant in the Admissions Department for the previous two years. While I was at AUR, I hadn’t thought much about becoming an admissions counselor but I loved working with Meli and the opportunity presented itself so I decided to work full time in Higher Education! I really love working for UE and I’m really excited about the year ahead because I will start recruiting internationally, with my first trip being to China in the fall!”

Kiersten and the UE Mascot, Ace Purple

Amy Schoenberg (Italian Studies, 2004)

“I

am currently the Study Abroad Coordinator for Governors State University in Illinois. My duties include advising students interested in study abroad, developing study abroad programs, working with international university partnerships and facilitating faculty-led programs. As part of the Office of International Services, I also work closely with international students. AUR played a huge role in my career path. My first study abroad experience was at AUR and it changed my life completely. After transferring to and graduating from AUR, I worked as a Resident Graduate for two years and then in the Student Life office for 18 months. That was when I realized how much I loved working with students in international education administration and that I wanted to continue down that path. I was fortunate enough to stay in Rome and spend the next years working for two different study abroad program providers, API and SAI Programs. After spending almost 13 years in Rome, I decided it was time to move back to the U.S. and create a life near my family. It was a big decision but I had to seriously think about my future and after weighing the pros and cons I decided to make the move. I knew that I wanted to stay in the field of international education and use my experience and skills in the best way possible. After many months of active job searching, I finally landed the job I had been looking for. I am so grateful for the time spent abroad and can’t wait to see how these new opportunities will give meaning to everything I’ve done in my life up until now.”

Jessica Lagomarsino (Business Administration, 2013)

“A

fter graduating from AUR, I was not ready to leave Rome. I have been working as Assistant Program Coordinator for SAI Programs, a study abroad company with offices here in Rome. I have loved sharing my passion for studying abroad with fellow American students. It's been great experience involving a breadth of skills, all of which AUR prepared me for.” Jessica keeps a blog about her “daily joys and struggles” of living in the Eternal City, Roma Dolce Roma: www.romadolceroma.wordpress.com 13

Alumni at AUR & Bioversity

From left to right: Edgar Barrales (Italian Studies, 2011): Student Life Coordinator Anna Schorch (Interdisciplinary Studies, 2013): Alumni and Development Assistant Arianna D’Amico (Interdisciplinary Studies, 2002): Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Nohea Reveley-Mahan (Business Administration, 2011): Admissions Counselor and Recruiter Francesca Zivny (IRGP, 2014): Financial Aid Counselor

Filippo Marinelli, Arnela Hodzic, Anastasia Safarian with son, Alexander Sapega, and Isabelle McDonnell

or years AUR has helped students gain internships at Bioversity International, an organization dedicated to the research for development in agricultural and tree biodiversity.

Recently, a group of AUR alumni all currently working for the organization met with their peers for an aperitivo on Thursday, 26 March. AUR’s Anastasia Safarian, Alexander Sapega, Isabelle McDonnell, Arnela Hodzic, Filippo Marinelli, Kristina Eidukaitis and Andrea Del Bianco are all currently working for Bioversity in the Finance & Coporate Services Unit. Alexander (Business Administration, 2012), Accounting Assistant, will be leaving Bioversity this summer to pursue a Master’s in Sports Management at Columbia University in New York. Fellow graduate in Business Administration, Isabelle (2012), also an Accounting Assistant, will be leaving as well to move to San Francisco with her fiancé, AUR alumnus Ahmed Badenjki. Arnela (IRGP, 2014), Kristina (Business Administration, 2013), Anastasia (Business Administration, 2008), and Filippo (Business Administration, 2014) hold the positions of Budget Assistant, Programme Budget Assistant, and Accounting Assistant for the Treasury, respectively. Andrea Del Bianco, a Budget Intern, is still studying Business Administration at AUR.

Marvin Mathew: Leader, Entrepreneur

ack in 2012, study abroad student from the University of Maryland Marvin Mathew, alongside a group of friends and Kathy Bemis in Student Life, took the initiative to create an outreach program at AUR based on sports diplomacy. Bridgesport, designed to engage local kids through basketball, uses sports as a means of communication and has developed into a program that bridges cultures through sport. The program has been recognized by President Clinton’s Clinton Global Initiative University and People For the American Way, and maintains a partnership with the University of Maryland.

Marvin has since gone on to graduate from UMD with a degree in Government & Politics and a minor in International Development and Conflict Management. While at UMD, he represented the university at the Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference where he began “...thinking innovatively and outside the box about different social issues.” His passion for making a difference led him to the White House, across four continents, and to support the work of Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley’s roundtable. While still a student at AUR, Marvin was selected to represent the US at One Young World, the largest gathering of youth outside of the Olympics, where he spoke of a new way of business – one in which government, industry, and civil society can generate positive social value together. He continues to make an impact working to catapult new technologies in the NYC Startup Ecosystem while “…challenging government to do more, effectively and quickly.” As such, Marvin works with the United Nations’ Policy Strategy Group and actively explores opportunities in which business and government can work together on challenging issues. Marvin is passionate about his friends and faculty at The American University of Rome, the city of Rome, and BridgeSport. He remains an active supporter of the university. In Bocca Al Lupo, Marvin!

Romina Persi Lands a Spot at Booking (Communication, 2013)

omina Persi graduated from AUR in 2013 with a Bachelor’s in Communication and a minor in Film and Digital Media. She currently works as a Content Editor for Booking.com, an online accommodation company. “Studying at AUR helped me shape my writing style and develop my commercial, fictional and non-fictional writing, which has prepared me for my job as an editor. In terms of degrees, Communication and Film and Digital Media go hand-in-hand. I learned so many skills, not only in terms of writing, but also photography, movie editing etc. which helps with almost all types of media jobs.” Romina is currently sourcing online photography for Booking and co-ordinating a project which involves collecting the content for the free Italian travel guides customers receive after booking. “It’s a lot of responsibility for my first job after graduating, which is great. It’s a fast paced company, and you have to be very open to change. My job as an editor has changed so many times in the past 2 years, which makes it both exciting and challenging. It also allows me to travel, I’ve been to Amsterdam, Milan, Bolzano, and I have a trip to Barcelona coming up.” When asked about her time at AUR, Romina says:

“AUR gave me a great opportunity to both study and work in an international environment, which is not something you can find in every city. I love how culturally diverse it is, as well as its hands-on learning techniques.” In her free time, Romina also takes part in Retake Roma with AUR’s Volunteer Club, and occasionally attends soccer games. “I love still living close to AUR. It allows me to still be a part of the community, I can catch up with friends, attend the alumni events, and also enjoy the beauty of Rome in my post-graduate life.”

Clifford Curda at Volkswagen (Business Administration, 2014)

Cliff, second from left on bottom, at Volkswagen

“S

hortly after graduating from AUR, I secured an internship with Volkswagen Group of America at its plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. My experience, in one word, was fantastic. I highly recommend students searching for internships in the States begin their search with this program. Volkswagen’s Chattanooga plant is the auto maker’s second attempt at manufacturing in America and has only been producing the Passat at this location for a little over four years. Specifically, I interned within the In-House Logistics department which, simply put, is responsible for the movement of material from the moment it enters the plant to the moment it is delivered at the assembly line, as well as oversight of the third party logistics (3PL) workforce.

From this internship, I attained a strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, warehouse management, and the processes in which material moves within the plant. I was heavily involved in process observation and data collection which directly lead to approximately $600,000 in annual company savings. I found logistics to be a wildly fascinating and continually evolving subject and worth looking into as a career. However, what I enjoyed most was observing how the plant operated amidst the expected growing pains of a young business, an ethnocentric upper management/parent company, severe cost reductions in the face of expansion, and a workforce poised to unionize. More importantly, how all of these factors affected internal workforce/company culture, communication, and strategy.” 17

AUR Alumnus Salvatore Salpietro Serves on Advisory Board

ormer AUR student and employee from 2002-2006 Sal Salpietro on serving on AUR’s Advisory Board:

Why have you joined AUR’s Advisory Board? I joined because I was very much in agreement with the direction that Richard Hodges was looking to move the university. It has needed a push for some time. And the fact that I both completed a good portion of my studies at AUR, as well as worked there for a number of years, AUR is very important to me. AUR deserves to thrive and I want to help in any way I can. How does it feel to be a part of this group with other like-minded professionals who feel as passionately as you about this institution? It has really shown me that AUR is important to so many people. And so many successful people! It is a group of smart people that can really contribute something to AUR. It’s an honor and responsibility to be part of it. In your opinion, what are the benefits of having alumni on our Advisory Board? Saying it is “very important” is an understatement. While the academic and business leadership are closely related to the student life, they have drastically different experiences of the same outcomes. It would be like an English professor checking the grammar of a translation of Dante’s Inferno without consulting with a native Italian speaker. While each has their own expertise, board members of different backgrounds can really contribute unique and even critical insights. What are your hopes for this Board and how it can influence AUR as an institution? This board is very action-oriented. Problems are presented, and solutions are discussed. As the Brits say, without faffing around. My first hope is that we can affect some real changes and improvements to the situations presented thus far. My second hope is that the board remains action-oriented, fresh, and dynamic. 18

Adrian Petrilli & Zoe Pedulla Take Japan (IRGP, 2013 & 2014)

ast fall, we moved to Osaka, Japan to start teaching English. These past few months we've been really getting to know the Kansai region. I (Zoe) work in Chayamachi, a funky neighborhood in downtown Osaka, and Adrian commutes to Kobe (you may recognize the name thanks to its world famous beef). We’re both enjoying teaching, and learning from our students as well. Moving to Japan has been pretty similar to moving to Italy: it was a big change but a good one, and we were lucky enough to be welcomed to Japan by another AUR alumnus, David Samulski (Archaeology & Classics, 2013). Throughout our few months of living here, we've managed to tick off a few things on our Japan-bucket lists. As mentioned, we met up with fellow alumnus David in Tokyo but also for a brief hello in Nara! We were thrilled to see the annual Sapporo Snow Festival in February, and to witness the glory of clashing giants at the Grand Sumo Tournament! Some of the best moments have been those that are hard to recreate anywhere else. We've spent time at a cat cafe, dipped in a snow-covered onsen (hot spring), and rang in the New Year at our neighborhood shrine. Some things are more culturally similar to Europe, such as visiting castles, touring the Sapporo brewery, and going to the Kobe Luminarie (light festival), which even has an Italian connection. This event commemorates the devastating 1995 Great Kansai Earthquake; at that time all the lights were donated by the Italian govern-

ment to help bring some hope and joy back to the city, and the tradition has continued ever since. Unlike our beloved Roma, almost everything in Japan seems to be built upwards, so here a good restaurant is as likely to be on the 6th floor as it is to be in a nice piazza in Trastevere. That's taken some getting used to. Needless to say, one similarity between Rome and Osaka is the love and adoration of food. We have been blessed to be in yet another food-obsessed city. We are basically eating our way around Japan and savoring it's unique dishes (like uni, takoyaki and fugu)! As this is my first post-uni job, I have many friends and lovely faculty at AUR to thank for helping me get here. From granting me a volunteer opportunity with the American Academy in Rome (whilst I figured out my next life move), to avidly offering to write recommendations - AUR and it's wonderful staff were the ones who propelled this big jump. Of course we've endured pangs of Rome-sickness, but we credit our AUR experiences to sending us in this direction. It’s definitely taking some getting-used to, and our Japanese is slowly progressing, but we’re enjoying this new adventure and the love of travel that AUR encourages! Sending all the best to our AUR friends and Alumni around the world, Zoe Pedulla & Adrian Petrilli

Where has #lifeafterAUR brought you?

North America: Taylor Drobnicki - Albany, NY John Persico - New York City, NY Salvatore Salpietro - New York City, NY Elizabeth Ray - Washington, D.C. Mia Pezzanite - Washington, D.C. Jen Pedraza - Washington, D.C. Noemi Miyahara - Washington, D.C. Amberlee Lucca - San Diego, CA Charlotte Chavez Smith- San Diego, CA Rachelle Murphy - Montepelier, VT Sofia Marmorstein - New York City, NY Cortney Kern Healy - Denver, CO Mickey Spaulding - Denver, CO Cherisse Burgard - Koloa, HI Ruthie Rizzo Castillo- Los Angeles, CA Ian Zurzolo - Los Angeles, CA William Rice Matthews IV - San Francisco, CA Lauren Edmonson - San Francisco, CA Jessica Jung - San Francisco, CA Monica Toumanian McNamara - Ventura, CA Rosi Mosca-Herrera - Atlanta, GA Alex Sexton - Healdsburg, CA David Silva - Houston, TX Brooke Conti Handel - Boston, MA Cait Bagby - Boston, MA Dominique Kampa Marmorstein- Seattle, WA Rebecca Tenuta - Chicago, IL Audra Kachonik - Chicago, IL Ajda Birgen - Miami, FL Lyndsay Kerbs Scott - Vancouver, Canada Iker Amerlinck-Huerta - Mexico City, Mexico Europe: Ioannis Vafopoulos - Barcelona, Spain Rebecca Terzano - Rome, Italy David Chacon - Rome, Italy

Kelly Mangiantini - Rome, Italy Erica Taylor - Rome, Italy Anastasia Safarian - Rome, Italy Brian Ross - Rome, Italy Daniel Yeatman - ForlĂŹ, Italy Mehtab Dere - Bologna, Italy Lucia Trombi - Between Parma and Pisa, Italy Ilaria Hinrichsen - London, UK Vanlentino de Sousa - London, UK Madeline Ndoci Feicht - London, UK Frank Muto - Warwick, UK Martina Demopoulou - Athens, Greece Anna Hasselberg - Gothenburg, Sweden Rory Westerman - Haarlem, Netherlands Katja Munoz - Berlin, Germany Giulia Rizza - Malta Jenna Sheedy - Lausanne, Switzerland Zeljka Pratlacic - Belgrade, Serbia Cansu Celik - Istanbul, Turkey Australia & Asia: Sharaf Kilani - Perth, Australia Guldin Saribas - Ankara, Turkey Shurouq Kamel Irani - Amman, Jordan Dina Hamza - Dubai, U.A.E. Marcella Donovan - Dubai, U.A.E. Rami Omran - Dubai, U.A.E. Zoe Pedulla - Osaka, Japan Adrian Petrilli - Osaka, Japan Martina Mascarenhas - Colombo, Sri Lanka Randi Rowe - Bangkok, Thailand Africa: Lylah Monroe - Cape Town, South Africa Alumni responses from the Facebook Alumni Group (January 7)

Professor News Professor Martin in a Spasso con Daisy

rofessor Timothy Martin is a faculty member of the Fine Arts Department, teaches Masterpieces of Italian Opera, and is the director of the Summer Vocal Institute, as well as being the director of the Amazing Grace Gospel Choir. His performance in A spasso con Daisy (Driving Miss Daisy) has received rave reviews in the Italian press.

Professor Gould’s Contribution to the Sustainable Preservation Initiative

eter Gould, Professor of Cultural Heritage and Board member of the Sustainable Preservation Initiative, contributed to an event organized on 17 March by the American Academy in Rome, in collaboration with Roma Capitale on “Public/Private Partnerships for Supporting Culture: Incentives and Impact” . In particular, the debate focused on how to increase private investments in arts and culture in Italy, given the new legal and institutional frameworks.

Andrew Thompson and George Eliot’s “Quarry for Romola”

UR’s Executive Vice President and Provost Andrew Thompson recently published an edition of a working notebook, the previously unpublished “Quarry for Romola,” by the great Victorian novelist George Eliot.

The September 2014 issue of the peer-reviewed, scholarly journal George Eliot – George Henry Lewes Studies (Vol. 66, nos 1-2, Penn State UP) was dedicated to Eliot’s “Quarry” which consists of extensive notes made while researching her novel Romola (1863). The notebook likely accompanied Eliot on her month-long stay in Florence in 1861. Set in fifteenth-century Florence, with characters such as Girolamo Savonarola, the novel is testimony to Eliot’s meticulous research into Florentine customs, language, topography, costume, the revival of classical learning, and some of the great figures of Renaissance Florence, including Lorenzo de’ Medici and Machiavelli. Of the novel, Andrew Thompson says, “George Eliot’s intention was to recreate the milieu in which her characters moved as accurately as possible, and while working on the notes for this edition it was fascinating to trace the many ways Eliot makes use of material from her ‘Quarry’, often using carefully researched details very imaginatively to bring to life a scene or portray the sights and sounds of late fifteenth-century Florence.”

Professor Colletta on Isherwood and Celebrity

ommunication & English Program Director Professor Lisa Colletta recently contributed to a volume entitled The American Isherwood, a collection on the post-Europe life and work of writer Christopher Isherwood in Los Angeles. Her chapter, “The Celebrity Effect: Isherwood, Hollywood, and the Performance of Self,” examines Hollywood’s celebrity culture, performance, transformation, and the self. Colletta has previously written of Isherwood in her book British Novelists in Hollywood: Travelers, Exiles, and Expats. She also edited a volume of his letters entitled Kathleen and Christopher, an account of his early career as a writer in the form of letters written to his mother between the years 1935 and 1940. For more information, visit www.upress.umn.edu.

Professor Conti and The Life of Saint Helia

rofessor of Classics Marco Conti recently co-edited The Life of Saint Helia: Critical Edition, Translation, Introduction, and Commentary, a late ancient Latin hagiography, or study of the saint’s life. Of uncertain provenance and one of very few female hagiographies, the remarkable and virtually unknown text was written predominately in dialogue format recording a lengthy and highly polemical debate between a young Helia and her mother regarding the relative merits of virginity and marriage, followed by a dialogue between Helia and a bishop and a debate between Helia and a judge. This lively work will be of great interest to students of hagiography, asceticism, women's history, and biblical exegesis.

Professor Ramsey-Portolano Edits Cambridge Scholars Publication

talian Studies Program Director Professor Catherine Ramsey-Portolano edits volume entitled The Future of Italian Teaching: New Technologies and Multi-Disciplinary Perspectives, published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. The volume consists of fourteen essays, the product of a two-day conference held at AUR in October 2012, and features perspectives of Italian professors teaching in a range of geographical, academic, and social contexts. It combines innovative and creative approaches to teaching Italian language, literature, culture and the arts in today’s global society, complete with the latest trends and the use of technology.

Ramsey-Portolano also recently published an essay in an edited volume, “Italian Women Writers Confined: The Case of Neera”, in Boundaries, Borders, and Transgression: Italian Women Writers, 1800-2000. 23

Professor Geoghegan Receives Two Awards

rofessor of Communication & English Elizabeth Geoghegan recently won two awards for her writing from Travelers’ Tales, for which it was selected and published in The Best Travel Writing, Vol. 10. Her Travelers’ Tales Solas awards include Gold for The Marco Chronicles: To Rome, Without Love in the category of Travel Memoir and Bronze for Things You Can Learn from Nuns and Other Tales in the category of Women’s Travel. Prof. Geoghegan, author of Natural Disasters: Stories, earned her MFA in Fiction Writing from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago and both her MA in Creative Writing and BA in English from The University of Colorado at Boulder. Her writing explores the intersection between geography, exile, and intimacy and she is currently at work on an untitled novel set in Southeast Asia. She lives in Rome, Italy on a dead-end street between a convent and a jail. For more information visit: www.elizabethgeoghegan.com Twitter: @elizgeo Instagram: elizgeoroma

Professor Gaborik Translates Plays by Massimo Bontempelli

rofessor of Communication & English Patricia Gaborik recently translated and edited Watching the Moon and Other Plays by Massimo Bontempelli for Italica Press. The volume presents three plays never before translated plus a lengthy introduction, making it the most extensive work available in English on the author. She also recently spent time in residence as a visiting scholar at UCLA and the University of Wisconsin, gave talks on her forthcoming book Mussolini, Man of the Theatre, and guest-lectured at her alma mater, Northwestern University. And Prof. Gaborik’s award-winning one-act play “Down the Aisle” was published in the William Patterson University Creative Writing Anthology in 2012 and received its European premier at the English Theater of Rome in 2014.

Professor Patania and Mayor Marino

Professor Patania’s Busy Year

t has been a busy year for Aldo Patania, Professor of International Relations & Global Politics and Business Administration. Last fall Patania organized a series of Distinguished Lectures delivered to the AUR community by the three US Ambassadors in Rome who spoke about the focus of their mandate as representatives of the US Government. This semester he hosted another Distinguished Lecture by the Italian Minister for Labor and Welfare, the Hon. Giuliano Poletti, who spoke about the Renzi Government’s reform of the labor market as well as the nation’s political and economic framework. Also, at the Rome Campus of Temple University, Patania organized a campus visit with Philadelphia Mayor Nutter and Governor of Pennsylvania Corbett. He hosted a series of top-level lectures held by the Mayor of Rome, Ignazio Marino, and by the Italian Minister for Education, University and Research, Stefania Giannini. He then organized a meeting with Temple students and the President of the Senate, Pietro Grasso, inside the Senate Chamber. In March he organized a symposium to discuss the visit of Pope Francis to Philadelphia scheduled for the September 2015 World Meeting of Families.

Professor Patania and Min. Giannini

Professor Patania and Hon. Poletti

Fine Arts Program Director Breda Ennis Promoted to Full Professor

rofessor Breda Ennis is considered Ireland’s leading artist in Italy, having held exhibitions on both local and international platforms over the past three decades. Planting her roots in Italy initially with an Italian government scholarship at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, Prof. Ennis studied under artists who worked with Visconti and Fellini, like Antonio Scordia, for instance, or Emilio Greco, one of Italy’s most famous sculptors. We interviewed Professor Ennis to get a special take on this very prestigious promotion and to see what makes her creativity tick.

What has been your biggest inspiration as an artist? And as a professor?

My biggest inspiration is pure nature, and in particular trees. Now horses are creeping into my work – even if at an allusive abstract level at the moment. In the last few years I have gone back to an early passion for thoroughbred horses – their elegance, their poetic movements and their reassuring elusive dynamic and spiritual energy. I am looking forward to developing this aspect now. As a professor, my greatest influence has been Prof. Guido Strazza, an Italian Artist and How many years have you been Professor, who was President of the Acadworking at AUR? How have you emy of Fine Arts in Rome and President seen the Fine Arts program and its of the Academy of San Luca. He had the capacity to leave aside his own style in students grow over the years? the classroom and concentrate on finding I have worked at AUR for almost 26 years, from 1988, in fact. I actually began the individual style of a student. He then nourished this particular aspect so that teaching fine arts courses starting with students could find their own particular Italian Sketchbook Images of Rome. This path in the making of art. I remember was the first fine arts course at AUR and soon other American university programs that students came from all over Europe to visit him in the Academy and literalin Rome picked up on the allure of the class. We then introduced painting cours- ly ‘beg’ him to look at and analyze their work. They all left with stars in their eyes. es, followed by printmaking and in 2006 Another professor who influenced me was or so we offered a minor in Fine Arts. Antonio Scordia (who worked with VisThere are so many practical aspects that conti and Fellini for many years). While at go into creating a full-fledged program, but finally in 2012 the degree in Fine Arts the Academy I was also able to meet Italo Calvino who came to lecture on the link at AUR was approved and launched. This was a very exciting moment for me. Even between sculpture and literature. While studying I was working in the studio next if it is obvious that art and Rome make a to the great Italian Sculptor Emilio Greperfect marriage it did take a long time to make AUR the first independent Amer- co, who was always happy to critique and ican university in Italy to offer a Fine Arts give advice. Degree and it was certainly worth waiting In my own work I love to pick a specific element and go back over the centuries for. It is so exciting to begin and complete a program of study with students as and see how this particular element was painted. This is the research aspect of the it gives one time to help young artists to find their place in the ever growing global making of art and it ensures that an artist will never be without ideas. The making artistic scenario. By involving students in of art is born from an ‘idea’ and how you exhibitions outside the university, I take develop this will determine the quality of them one step further, by helping them develop a professional CV while still stud- the artwork. ying.

“ Do not be afraid to be independent and take risks. Self-discipline and work and work and work and work is the only way to sustain an artistic career.

Do you remember a student that left a lasting impression on you?

I will not speak about my present very talented students, because I adore them all equally. Drawing from the first student who stands out for me is Kristen Mosca, followed by Ian Little, Olivia Bouchard, Madelyn Mitchell, Nicole dal Porto, Caitlin Latner, Viviana Biagoni Gozzoli, and David Samulski and the thing that stands out from all of them collectively is that they all were full of courage in their artwork. They had no fear or trepidation.

What is the one most important piece of advice you can give students of Fine Arts looking for a career in the field?

Do not be afraid to be independent and take risks. Self-discipline and work and work and work and work is the only way to sustain an artistic career. Some artistic careers move quickly and others move slowly but it is not important because in the final analysis you reap the rewards

in one way or another. I remember Professor Strazza once saying that if you are still making art at the age of 40 there is a strong possibility you can survive another 40. We all thought at the time that it was a strange thing to say but he added that the ‘work ethic’ is fundamental for artists of all ages. He advised young artists to develop a thick skin because people are always ready to criticize your work. On the other hand he felt that there is no place for an overdeveloped ego in art – meaning one has to strive for a universal factor.

What’s next for Breda Ennis the artist?

I will be holding a personal exhibition in the Museo Michelangelesco (the birthplace of Michelangelo) in Caprese Michelangelo, near Arezzo, in June. I am still working on the art, but common themes will be trees, horses, nature and Italian/ Irish landscape

University News & Events Italian Minister of Labor on the Job Act

Bologna F.C. Owner Joe Tacopina Visits AUR

taly’s Minister of Labor and Welfare, the Hon. Giuliano Poletti, discussed recent labor reforms with AUR Business students on March 11. The Italian Government is carrying out true revolutionary reforms, affecting at once the country’s political, social and economic structures, Poletti said, and the ‘Job Act’ is a radical shift forward, designed to protect Italian workers from the deregulated reality of the modern job market.

oe Tacopina, owner of Bologna F.C., visited AUR to speak about his experience of owning a football club, increasing it’s vlaue, and his hopes of the team competing in Serie A next season.

Livia Podestà on Sexism in Advertising

Dan Meis and the New AS Roma Stadium

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an Meis, designer of new AS Roma stadium, visited AUR in February to speak to Business students about how the stadium design evolved and his plan to turn a simple sports venue into a versatile social space. With the L.A. Staples Center, the Columbus Crew Stadium and designs for Qatar’s World Cup bid under his belt, Meis’s plans for the AS Roma stadium remain influenced by the Colosseum and Siena’s Palio. He plans to begin construction this year.

ivia Podestà wrapped up this semester’s Business Lecture Series with a presentation on Communications and Sexism in Advertising. Podestà is a Media Relations and Communications Manager at the Swedish Institute and specializes in public diplomacy, social entrepreneurship, lifestyle, culture and social issues, including gender equality. Her lecture focused on the increase of the objectification, hypersexualization and violence against women in advertising. She stressed how the rise of technological platforms could lead to a more gender neutral world, like that of Sweden where teenagers are provided with media education and sexual ads that objectify women are denounced.

Climate Change with Graeme Barker

n February 11th AUR hosted Professor Graeme Barker from the University of Cambridge for a Masterclass on climate change. Barker discussed the fluctuation of climate change and new technological advances in Archaeology. He shared his experiences and current projects while offering advice and encouraging students to be passionate about what they do.

The Black Caliphate

n April, the International Relations and Global Politics program hosted a presentation of the book The Black Caliphate, co-written by Jack Caravelli (former CIA analyst and former White House National Security Council

Staff Director for Nonproliferation) and Jordan Foresi (SkyTg 24 Reporter on Italian Politics, former New York and UN correspondent and AUR alumnus - Interdisciplinary Studies, 1998). The authors addressed the risks, challenges and opportunities of the rise of ISIS in the Middle East, the Sunni-Shia war, and the retrenchment of US foreign policy in the area.

Protecting Cultural Heritage

UR was honored to have Professor Katharyn Hanson, from the University of Pennsylvania, to speak on protecting cultural heritage. Her lecture, “Protecting Cultural Heritage in Crisis: Syria & Iraq,” addressed conflict zones and various threats to cultural heritage, like looting and construction, and the difficulties in protecting it. She also introduced her institution, the Archaeological Site Preservation Program (ASP), which educates students on how to preserve and maintain cultural heritage. Imagery of specific case studies left a lasting and emotional impression on the audience.

UNESCO and Tourism

ynn Meskell of Stanford University visited AUR to give a lecture entitled “UNESCO World Heritage: A New Global Order of Things.” The talk covered recent developments and implications of decisions taken by the World Heritage Committee in their implementation of the 1972 Convention World Heritage Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. The ongoing issues of monetary crises and the sustainability of sites remain. But another problem is emerging, that of countries being more interested in having their sites on the list not to protect them but to merely boost tourism.

Dead Sea Accord

he World Archaeology Congress recently passed the Dead Sea Accord to address the issue of the deliberate destruction of archaeological sites and museum collections. Last May, to conclude deliberations of the Dead Sea resort previously held in Jordan, AUR hosted a ten-day event consisting of meetings, site visits, and a conference called “Culture Under Threat.” It was on the last day of this event that a World Archaeology Congress was held in our auditorium to collectively complete the accord.

La Grande Bellezza Director Receives Honorary Degree

n the elegant and historical surroundings of the Istituto dei Studi Germanici in the heart of Villa Sciarra, The American University of Rome presented Academy Award winning director Paolo Sorrentino with an Honoris Causa Degree. Attended by Sorrentino’s family and over 100 international students, the award ceremony was followed by a Q&A session and reception where Sorrentino and his family mixed with the University students, faculty and staff. Sorrentino was lauded for his cinematographic intertextuality; his ability to represent the fragility and vulnerability of human nature through the use of music, art, memory, friendship and love; and for having once more put Italian cinema on the international map. Following is the Q&A session led by Film & Digital Media students Alessandro Coia and Maria Luisa Miller and moderated by Professor Kristen Palana. AC: Your career as a cinematographer in Italy is fairly recent and every Italian knows that the Italian film industry can be defined as “stationary”. How were you able to stand out? And what suggestions do you have for future filmmakers? PS: The reason why I succeeded in cinema is the same advice that I have for people that want to do cinema … It’s just one thing, it’s the obsession. I was obsessed with cinema and it’s the reason why I’m in the business. If you are obsessed, you can do it, too. It’s very, very simple. Your obsession is the secret. If you’re also talented, that’s good, too. But it’s not the most important thing. To be obsessed and to think all day about cinema is my advice. Cinema is the mirror

of life, so you can do that. Sorry for my English. MLM: You became a filmmaker because of your “obsession,” as you said, but was it also because you wanted to project certain ideals and values into your movies? PS: I’m afraid I’m going to disappoint you. I didn’t think of it so much in terms of projecting ideals in my films. I simply wanted to tell stories. And, as I mentioned earlier, the most important stories that I could think of had to do with the concept of beauty and desire. MLM: This Must be the Place was your first movie shot entirely in English. What was it like to work for an international production and with international actors? Did you notice any differences between working in America and working in Italy? PS: No, I didn’t find great differences between the two things because luckily cinema is a sort of universal language, and so everywhere, whether American or Italian, crews have the same approach. When I went to the United States to do the movie I thought everything was going to be different, but it turned out that everything was the same, except that American cinema is bigger than Italian cinema. The only important difference was the language, and to work with actors who act in another language. At the beginning I thought it was going to be a problem for me, but soon I understood that it was not a problem because the “American language” is a sort of music so I listened to the music and if I liked it I would say “Good, let’s move on.” But if I didn’t like the music of the language that was used, I’d say “Let’s try another take.” This is my method because I don’t speak English, as you can see.

AC: Back to La Grande Bellezza. It’s considered your modern masterpiece, and we hope to say this again with your next movie. Were you expecting the kind of success it had when you were awarded with an Oscar? And one thing that struck me was that some situations or some imageries that you were describing in the movie were specifically about Roman society. Is that your commentary on Rome upon coming to work in Rome, or is this the perception from the Southern part of Italy, or is this a more general critique about Rome?

the vulgarity and the decadence that are featured in the film are negative from a societal point of view, but they have a beautiful form of aesthetic. So, frankly as I said, mine was not a critique. This film was misunderstood and I’m afraid that such a misunderstanding is unlikely to happen again, sadly.

PS: I must confess that the film’s success is entirely based on a huge misunderstanding. I never dreamt I’d be successful with this film, but others saw this film as a film that criticized Roman society and Italy. In fact, my intention was to do exactly the opposite. Mine was not in any way a sort of critique of Rome and Italian society. What I was trying to say is that

Student Activities ARTeROMA A New Art History Student Journal

he Art History Program is pleased to announce the publication of the first issue of ArteRoma, a new online art history student journal to be published online every semester. The journal will promote high quality work of AUR’s Art History students and give the general public an insight into activities within AUR’s Art History Program. Papers, exhibition reviews and other contributions are welcome from all Art History majors, as well as from other students taking Art History classes. The journal is accessible from the program’s website: www.aur.edu/art-history/studentjournal/.

“I

Sofia Paoletti Studies Abroad at Emory University

am currently representing AUR at the Goizueta Business School at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia... Half American and half Italian, I’ve been brought up my whole life with the coexistence of these two very different cultures. While I’ve always lived in Rome, I have often travelled to the States to visit my relatives. Experiencing the American college lifestyle has been something I have dreamt about doing my whole life. That said, I was a little scared, as I had never lived alone or away from home before. It turns out that this has been, without a doubt, the most exciting, fun, and life-changing experience of my life!

I was able to organize my time wisely in order to study, do homework, work out, and go to parties on the weekends. I decided to take four classes this semester and have enjoyed each and every one of them, particularly my Negotiations class... I have participated in many of the activities and events organized

by the University... I have gone to conferences, concerts, charity events, plays and parties. In summary, the Emory Exchange has been an amazing experience that I wish I could repeat again. I strongly encourage students to take a semester abroad and take advantage of this precious opportunity...”

Sofia (left) in class

Rumination Student Exhibition

n Thursday, April 23rd the Fine Arts Program presented its biannual exhibition of student works, Rumination. Filling an entire floor of AURâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Building B, students from all art courses displayed their best pieces from the

semester. An impressive showcase of student talent, Rumination was a success, attracting everyone from the AUR community to admire the collection.

AUR Legacies Brittany & Trevor Gowan The Gowan siblings, Brittany and Trevor, came by AUR at the end of April while on vacation with their mother. Brittany studied at AUR in the Fall semester of 2007, while completing her degree at Lemoyne College. Trevor came to AUR in the Fall of 2010, studying abroad from SUNY Albany, and coincidentally was housed in the exact same apartment and room as his sister three years prior. Brittany is now living and working in New York City. She manages the ice-skating rink of The Standard Hotel while her brother is currently finishing up his Master's degree at the London School of Economics, a joint degree between LSE and Columbia University.

Sisters Marita & Josephine Luzon: A Passion for Numbers Runs in the Family Marita Luzon, AUR’s Finance Office Manager, and Professor Josephine Luzon, Bioversity International’s Finance Manager and Financial & Managerial Accounting Professor at AUR, have more in common than job titles: their passionate penchant for numbers. Professor Josephine Luzon has been teaching accounting at AUR since 1990 while Marita joined AUR’s finance office in 2001. In addition to her job, Marita is very active in various student affairs. Professor Luzon has also become active with her students, “contrary to popular belief, I care a lot about my students and am happy to be among them. I even recently discovered the fun of having an Aperol Spritz with my students after class.” Professor Luzon remembers approaching the then AUR Office Manager in 2001 who was looking for an Accountant. She wanted to share with her ‘little’ sister the joys of being part of the AUR family. Marita got the job and, after 13 years of hard work and demonstrated professionalism, she was recently promoted to Finance Manager. Of working with her sister, Professor Luzon says, “I am so proud of my ‘little sister’ that I don’t even mind being referred to as ‘Marita’s sister’ rather than Marita being referred to as ‘Professor Luzon’s sister.’” The Luzon sisters continue to share their special AUR experience.

Francesca, Boris & Natacha Aka “My siblings and I have always shared the school experience together to the point where it seemed very odd and sad to think about not having them around at AUR after they were going to graduate high school. However, they came to AUR making my last year here twice as fun. They were not particularly excited about that though, since they would always fall in my shadow becoming ‘Francesca's brother and sister’. Natacha would struggle the most to distinguish herself from me as most teachers and professors would confuse her with me.

to the point where we have to force each other to go study because otherwise ... we don’t get anything productive done! Just catching sight of them around campus makes me proud of being their sister because I see they've integrated themselves more than well. AUR has always been the kind of environment for us to blossom and that is what happed.” -Francesca

When they got into AUR however, I was not worried about that issue because by not having the same majors I was sure they were going to shine in their respective little worlds, which is what happened. The exciting part about this new experience for them is that they ended up meeting and getting along very well with my friends which I could not be happier about. I have always enjoyed and still enjoy having my siblings in the same school or university as me because we have a blast whenever we are togeher. That happens

Boris and Francesca

Bronwyn & Patrice Sweeney

Patrice (Communication, 2007) and Bronwyn (Business Administration, 2007)

“I was not only lucky enough to go to university in Rome, but I was lucky enough to go with my sister. Though we finish each other's sentences and have, on numerous occasions, been mistaken for twins, we are very different people. But we had an interest of Italy in common. Patrice was a food enthusiast and dolce vita seeker and I was an avid Serie A fan. When Patrice got accepted to AUR in 2006, we convinced our parents to let me accompany her to drop her off. It was love at first sight from the top of the Gianicolo and I followed in her footsteps in 2007. I think our parents were relieved we were both going to be in the same place - though Patrice and I quickly established ourselves as a double deal sharing professors, friends and sadly, a mobile phone our first year. Studying with my sister was nothing short of awesome.

To have a shared experience with something as personal as university is amazing. To have that with my sister is even better. Our stories have regaled the Sweeney dinner table for years. So much so our youngest brother (who can be seen in photos at our graduation coming up to our chests and now towers over both of us) has applied to come in the Fall!” -Bronwyn

Balancing Motherhood and School Nina Coates

“Going back to school for a degree in International Relations and Global Politics was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made. I have been living in Italy for the past six years, almost four of them in Rome. My family is the most important thing, and finding a balance is often difficult. The best things come from sacrifice. I chose AUR because of the program, and above all the sense of community that I felt when I first visited.

I have scheduled the majority of my classes around my children. They are in an Italian public school so their day ends at 16:30. With a lot of hustle, I manage to get my kids to school by 8-815 and pick them up when school lets out. The spring has been a little more challenging because of the gorgeous weather. And it is Rome - who wants to stay indoors?! It’s all about the balance and managing my time well. The professors have all been amazing when it comes to occasional blips in my daily routine. Not every day is sunshine and lollipops, but there is always someone who is encouraging and supportive. Whether a classmate or a professor, the people are amazing. I am in great company with Nicole and Kendra (other AUR moms). My son Alex is 3 and Giuliana is 5 and they have their little AUR friends in Elodie and Lila. I spent this past weekend on a Girl Scouts camping trip with the kids. Thanks to Professor Fitzsimmons, my daughter is part of the Daisy troop and loves it. AUR has added so much to my life, both personally and academically. I cannot wait to see what the future holds.”

Nicole Duke “When I found myself pregnant at age nineteen, people weren’t exactly rushing to congratulate me. ‘Don’t worry, you don’t really need a college degree these days. But get enough sleep and travel while you can, because soon you won’t be able to really experience those things until she moves out of the house!’ was more along the lines of what I was told. While I knew raising a child would be difficult no matter the circumstances, I also knew that my beautiful baby girl would be anything but a handicap. It was during this time that I decided to give her the most full and exciting life possible. I decided to study abroad in central Italy and took Lila to almost twenty different countries before her second birthday. Maybe I was biased because it was our home base, but Italy ended up being my favorite place. Something about tall flutes of sparkling white wine on the coast of Southern Italy made me feel like the world was so beautiful I couldn’t stand it. Six months here wasn’t enough for me, and I knew we had to come back for a longer amount of time. After putting in lots of research, AUR

seemed to be the best choice for us. Rome is an amazing city to live in and I loved the idea of raising my daughter in an international community. I love the small campus and can honestly say I’ve met many of the best teachers of my life at AUR. It isn’t always easy living abroad with a threeyear-old. There will be challenges no matter who or where you are in life and we’ve had experiences here I wouldn’t change for the world, with some great friends who have made all the difference.”

Kendra Schneider: A Single Mom’s Perspective

Why AUR? I wanted the diverse community. I previously studied foreign languages, and wanted a diverse environment to study and practice in. It also made sense with my major, International Relations, I didn’t think I would learn anything international if I had chosen to stay and study in my home town.

Fay, and Fernanda through the AUR Facebook page, and Nina, another mom, during the first week of orientation. All of them helped me with Elodie in one way or another during orientation and once school started. Nina, who has lived in Italy for 6 years with her husband and 2 kids, helped me enroll Elodie into Divino Amore, a school that is walking distance from AUR.

What were some challenges you faced beTell us about your experience at AUR so fore arriving in Rome? far. There is no student housing offered to single AUR started classes in September and Elodie’s parents. A personal challenge was finding hous- school didn’t begin until October. I’m still not ing near AUR. I had never been to Italy before sure how this all worked but I had so many stuand didn’t know where dent volunteers watch Elodie anything was. And once in the garden while I attendwe arrived how I would ed classes that somehow this get to our new house - I was all able to work. Tyler also had the challenge and Fay were able to continue of setting up child care watching Elodie for me during It’s been hard having Elodie with me, but my evening classes once her for Elodie. I told myself great, she already knows more Italian if I could figure out both, school started. than me! I see it as a personal motivaI would move to Rome tion, being a single parent here at AUR and go to school at AUR. I can’t say enough about the and hope it is empowering to others also. people that go to AUR. SomeWhat about the chalthing that still sticks out to lenges you faced once me from my first orientation you made it to Rome? meeting with Irene Caratelli Somewhere in between I was able to network is when she said, “Theres more than one way to on the AUR Facebook page and met people get over a mountain. You can go alone, or start who were willing to help me. I had someone to alone and meet people on the way and share pick us up at the airport and help us navigate your resources and get through it together.” the cheap way of getting to our new house via This hasn’t been an easy mountain to climb but public transportation instead of taxi. I also had I am so grateful to everyone who has helped people willing to watch Elodie for me when I me along the way. Its not every day you meet had class. That didn’t make my first entrance to someone who will give so much of their time AUR any less awkward. I still remember arriving and energy to help you succeed. I have been late to the welcome BBQ and walking through lucky enough to meet not one, but multiple the garden gate pushing Elodie in a stroller. I people in the AUR community that have been felt like all eyes were on me because I was the so helpful and giving. only student who brought a child. I met Tyler,

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Community Announcements Alice Waters To Receive Honorary Degree “I am so honored to be receiving this degree from The American University of Rome, and am looking forward to speaking to the students. I love that this institution gives young people an opportunity to be in this extraodinary city, and to learn from its incredible history.”

he American University of Rome is elated to announce that Alice Waters has been confirmed as the Honorary Degree Recipient for the Graduating Class of 2015. Alice was chosen for her pioneering dedication to creating, implementing and promoting local and sustainable food options in what has been referred to as a healthy, organic food revolution. Alice Waters - chef, author, food activist and owner of Chez Panisse - has been a champion of local, sustainable agriculture for over four decades. She is the founder of The Edible Schoolyard Project, an innovative model for public education that integrates the growing and cooking of food into a core academic curriculum. The centerpiece of the mission is to promote a free, nutritious and sustainable school lunch for all students, K – 12, and to bring children into a new relationship to food.

Alice’s vision for edible education began 20 years ago with The Edible Schoolyard at Berkeley’s Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, which today draws visitors from around the world. The online Edible Schoolyard Network (edibleschoolyard.org) gathers and shares lessons and best practices from school gardens, kitchens, and edible education programs worldwide. To date, there are more than 4,000 Edible Schoolyard Network member programs in 54 countries. Alice is also Vice President of Slow Food International, and is the author of fourteen books including New York Times bestsellers The Art of Simple Food I & II; 40 Years of Chez Panisse: The Power of Gathering; and The Edible Schoolyard: A Universal Idea. She will receive her degree during the upcoming Commencement Ceremony on May 22, 2015.

AUR Retakes Roma

UR’s Volunteer Club has joined forces with Retake Roma’s Monteverde Vecchio chapter this semester to help familiarize students with the neighborhood and to give back to the community. Retake Roma is a non-profit movement and organization that fights against the degradation of Rome with the main goal of enhancing and educating the community. Of the Volunteer Club’s involvement with the organization, co-president Sarah Burghart says, “The Retake Monteverde Vecchio community is wonderful and they love our involvement... It’s also always great to hear people walking by us or driving by us thanking us.“ AUR has also recently donated a Water Jet Cleaner to the Retake Monteverde Vecchio chapter to help with the cleaning of graffiti.

AUR’s Volunteer Club on Viale dei Quattro Venti

Welcome, Susan & Francesca AUR’s new Vice President for Development Susan Johnson comes to us with a background in development for a number of nonprofits across the areas of education, human services, religion, and the arts. She particularly enjoys the building of development programs in dynamic and entrepreneurial organizations during transitional periods. She is excited about working with the numerous AUR constituencies, including alumni, to promote the education and cultural experience that makes AUR so special. Susan is based in New York, NY and will be making periodic trips to Rome, as well as traveling domestically. Susan has a BA in philosophy with minors in religion and art history so she is excited to be working for a liberal arts focused institution like AUR.

“After graduating from AUR in December 2014, I was hired in the Admissions office as a Financial Aid Counselor. I worked in the same office as a student assistant throughout my studies, so the transition was very smooth. I am so happy to be able to continue working with the wonderful AUR staff and still be a part of AUR’s exciting and international community.” - Francesca Zivny (IRGP, 2014)

Farewell, Claudia Claudia has spread her wings and moved on to the European Space Agency as a Communication Officer. Her work and energy will be missed. We wish her all the best!

AUR Launches Two More Master’s Programs Food Studies

Arts Management

The Food Studies Program is an interdisciplinary program that aims to provide knowledge and skills on the current situation and developments surrounding sustainable food production and consumption, more generally on how we affect the Earth’s resources with our food choices. AUR’s location in Rome provides direct and unique access to international organizations dealing with policies, programs and treaties on food, agriculture and sustainable development at a global level.

The Arts Management Program will shape a new breed of professionals in the arts management field. It offers Liberal Arts, Humanities, Fine Arts, Film, Media, and Communication graduates the opportunity to acquire the appropriate management and business skills to enable them to capitalize upon their previous grounding within the arts. An advantage available to students of Arts Management in Italy is the possibility to study some of the world’s oldest private collections in a country famous for its patronage in the arts.

Upcoming Events May 22, 2015 Time: 5:00 pm AUR’s Class of 2015 – Commencement The American University of Rome’s 2015 Commencement Exercises will take place on May 22nd in the stunning surroundings of Villa Aurelia. The truly international graduating Class of 2015 represents 18 countries and will be receiving bachelor’s degrees in Art History, International Relations and Global Politics, Archaeology and Classics, Film and Digital Media, Business Administration, Communications, and Fine Arts. Alice Waters will also be receiving an Honoris Causa Degree during the Exercises in recognition of her pioneering dedication to creating, implementing and promoting local and sustainable food options.

October 2, 2015 Time: TBD Conference on Global Sustainability and Local Foods The American University of Rome and the American Academy in Rome, in collaboration with the University of Naples Federico II and Pisa University, under the Patronage of EXPO Milano 2015 and the European Society of Rural Sociology, are holding the Conference on Global Sustainability and Local Foods. Research themes include: local foods and identity building; urban food systems; local foods, sustainability and food security; cultural and historical approaches to sustainability and local diets; governance and policies.

Stay Involved Creating a Global Network Whether a graduate or a past study abroad student, please keep in touch with the AUR community. Join the “AUR Alumni” Facebook group; network on the LinkedIn page, “The American University of Rome Alumni”; and visit the alumni blog (www.aur.edu/ alumni) to read about your peers. Contribute to WolfTracks with your stories and updates. Write to us at alumni@aur.edu. And if you find yourself in Rome, please come visit!

Help AUR • Volunteer at University events • Assist in organizing an alumni reunion • Act as an ambassador to the university

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