Wolftracks Fall/Winter 2017

VOLUME 10, ISSUE 3 FALL/WINTER 2017

The American University of Rome Alumni & Friends Magazine

CONTENTS WOLFTRACKS - FALL/WINTER 2017

EDITOR’S NOTE 4

MEET AN ALUMNUS: Mitch Henderson ‘98

6

MEET MA ALUMNAE

8

Class Notes

10

Back at AUR

12

MEET THE FACULTY: Brian Koperski

14

AUR says: Welcome!

17

Alumni remember Prof. Terry Kirk

18

The Aur Times

24

Upcoming Events

25

Make your Jingle all the way...

26

DID YOU KNOW?

30

Cut it out!

31

AUR Gives Back

32

Give Back to AUR

34

Top 5 things to make your Holidays Italian...

In this issue I have decided to tell you a little about me, taking advantage of the fact that not many read the editor’s note. Let’s be honest: these notes are like prefaces within a book - we all skip them to get to the juicier stuff. And that’s ok. That’s why I am counting on most of you to skip it. If you are actually reading this bit, then, kudos to you!

About me: I’m an awkwardly short Colombian girl in Rome.

I am approaching 30, so I might as well get used to calling myself a woman. (I am actually hyperventilating now and buying wrinkle cream on Amazon). I am Colombian but my last name is not Escobar (I get that question more often now, ever since Netflix cast a Brazilian as Pablito).

I have two Bachelor’s Degrees (one in Photography and one in Art History), love my job and am currently single.

The only romantic relationship I have right now is with this city, and it is quite a complicated one. I would describe my relationship with Rome as a functionally pathologic lovehate relationship. Rome is like a problematic lover: every time you have made up your mind and want to leave it, it does something to keep you. So yes, I’m here… for the time being. That’s me… and if you are reading this, I invite you to tell me a little about yourself: AUR has many Alumni I haven’t had the pleasure to meet.

That’s all for this editor’s note. Enjoy this issue, as we have tried to make it interactive and festive.

I wish you all warm and fuzzy holidays!

Wolftracks Team Laura Estrada Prada – Editor and contributor Harry Greiner – Co-editor, contributor and graphic designer Amy Baldonieri - Contributor and copy editor Katherine Bemis – Contributor and copy editor Faith Carrie Coolidge - Contributor Kathleen Fitzsimmons - Contributor Ellie Johnson – Contributor and copy editor Carla Valentine – Contributor and copy editor

Laura Estrada Prada - Alumni & Development Coordinator Art History, ‘16 l.estrada@aur.edu

***The image on the cover of this issue is courtesy of Alumna Sara Guidato (IR, ‘16), the subject is her pooch Flint.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

I write to you from above the Atlantic as I am making what have become monthly treks to America on behalf of AUR. Although it cuts down on the time I get to spend in Rome – the city we have all come to love so much – going to America is important to this institution as we embark on its next era. As we enter into 2018, we are at the cusp of implementing a new strategic vision for AUR – one that addresses our incredible growth, our increasing internationality, our rising academic profile, and the innovation we require to meet the needs of our graduates. In order to accomplish the goals we have laid out for ourselves, we must increase revenue and that increase must include funds from charitable donations. My work in America includes meeting with donors and prospective donors to let them know about the important work we are doing at AUR, showing them our business plan, proving that we are a sound investment, and communicating the successes of our students, faculty and alumni all over the world.

Moving forward, fundraising will become more and more important to AUR’s bottom line. With our 50th Anniversary in 2019, we will launch a major fundraising campaign. Our AUR community will be vital to that campaign’s success. We, of course, hope that everyone can give – and remember that no donation is too small. However, what is even more important is that our vast network of alumni and friends help us to spread the word about this institution we all love so much. Help us reach prospective students, parents, corporate partners as well as funders. You will be hearing much more about these new initiatives as time goes by.

Until then, I wish you all a happy holiday season and health and happiness in 2018.

Very best,

Richard Hodges OBE

P.S. You can always reach me at president@aur.edu. Let me know if you will be in Rome or in the Philadelphia/New York/DC areas – I love connecting with alumni and friends of AUR.

MEET AN ALUMNUS

MITCHELL HENDERSON Business Administration, 1998

W

hen Mitch Henderson was searching for a

experience,” he recalls. “I was seeking to live with and amongst

college, he wanted a fully accredited program

Italians and experience the language and the culture without

based in Rome that offered brand name

feeling peer pressure to party every night.”

recognition throughout the world. He also wanted a school with a strong business program. “Additionally, and this sometimes

The American University of Rome fit the bill. “Being in such

surprises people, I did not want to attend a university that

a unique city, together with so many incredible minds was an

attracted students looking for a ‘spring break abroad’ type of

experience I will never forget,” he explains.

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“As beautiful as the architecture, art, and culinary scene is in Italy though, I learned the most living among Italians and speaking Italian.”

Henderson made many friends during his time at AUR. “The great thing about the friendships I made at AUR was their breathtaking international scope,” he recalls. “I am in touch with

Digging into the AUR Archives, we found this picture of Mitch among the 1999 Commencement Photos!

many former classmates, and they are literally from all over the world.”

“They also take assets for granted; it’s as if they don’t even see

Close relationships were also forged with AUR professors who

them, and don’t realize they can be leveraged and monetized.”

made an everlasting impact on the young student, including Professor Kathleen Fitzsimmons, from whom Henderson

The experience studying, living and working in Italy has led

took a business course during the late 1990s that turned out

Henderson to develop a like-minded culture at his company,

to be monumental. Henderson recalls Professor Fitzsimmons

Clear Seas Research and BNP Media, where he is Co-Chief

excitedly telling her class about a new company she predicted

Executive Officer. “The culture in Italy is what I would call a free

would fundamentally transform the world. “Professor

‘resource’ or ‘asset,’” he explains. “If you are a business leader and

Fitzsimmons told us about the way this company captured

want to improve the culture within your organization, just look

feedback and the ease it brought to online purchases,” he adds.

at Italy. Add a barista and a coffee bar to your lunch room. Make

“At the time, this vision made many laugh. That company’s

it a rule to say ‘Buongiorno!’ to everyone you see. Sit down at a

name? Amazon.”

nice restaurant with your best employees and customers (and NOT at a burger joint!) and enjoy the conversation. Set up a

“This class changed everything for me, and I can honestly say

room where staff can watch the World Cup (or March Madness,

that this one discussion did more for me than any of the several

or whatever sport you choose) and socialize. Finally, encourage

courses I’ve since taken,” says Henderson who credits Professor

your employees who are parents to spend more time with their

Fitzsimmons with teaching him about business. “She was

children. If you can’t afford to do this then use my personal

literally ahead of Stanford in her vision.”

favorite Italian value: IMPROVISE.”

Henderson relished the classes he took with Professor Maurizio

Henderson often advises students who are applying to college to

Marmorstein from whom he learned about Luigi Pirandello,

consider where they want to be in ten years. “I suggest they write

the Italian dramatist, novelist and poet who won the Nobel

down that vision,” he explains. “And I can say in about eighty

Prize in Literature in 1934. “We learned (gasp!) that some

percent of the conversations I’ve had with students deciding

incredible writers do not write in English,” he exclaims. Another

whether or not to go to AUR, the answer comes back to yes.”

professor who made an impact on him was Breda Ennis who

The experience a person gains while studying in Italy is also

gave Henderson the confidence to write creatively in Italian,

beneficial to anyone seeking a business or legal career, adds

“something I had barely achieved in English,” Henderson

Henderson. “If you want a business career, you will want to

recalls. “She taught me to extract meaning from greats like

have international experience,” he explains. “Are you going into

Giovanni Boccaccio, Umberto Eco and Dario Fo, who won the

law? The experience I received in Italy learning about civil law

1997 Nobel Prize in Literature,” he adds.

compared to common law taught me so much about both the Italian system as well as the US system.”

Living abroad provided a broader perspective of the world which has continued to benefit Henderson on a professional

“Think about how better this world would be if the US (or your

level. “I recently read that people who have lived abroad have

home country) could learn the great things about Italy,” adds

a more powerful sense of what new products will succeed and

Henderson. “If you want to see this in your lifetime then you

which will fail,” he explains. “I find this to be acutely accurate.

owe it to yourself, and to the greater global community, to get

You gain an understanding of human nature when you live

this experience.”

abroad amongst an entirely different culture and language.”

Article by Faith Carrie Coolidge

Attending AUR also prepared Henderson to be an effective leader. “Sometimes, when I am among a group of all American executives, I realize many of them have not seen real human nature - they are missing an element of insight,” he explains.

Mitch was interviewed by Faith Carrie Coolidge.

Faith is a personal finance, luxury lifestyle and travel journalist based in Manhattan.

AUR is delighted to welcome Faith to our Board of Trustees.

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MEET MA ALUMNAE day-of logistics. I had the opportunity to meet the scholars and professionals from around the world that are currently in the cultural heritage field making a difference. This experience was essential for me, both professionally and personally, and one I would never have had, were it not for The American University of Rome’s Sustainable Cultural Heritage Masters program.

I

n Fall 2016, I had the amazing opportunity to intern for the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative (SCRI) as part of the requirements for the Sustainable Cultural Heritage MA. I worked closely with the Program Coordinator for SCRI on the backend logistics for two conferences hosted by SCRI in Washington, D.C. last October. One conference focused on the formation of a Syrian Cultural Heritage Center in Istanbul and the other was an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation sponsored meeting to address concerns about cultural heritage preservation during disaster situations domestically in the United States. Culture (in crisis both domestically and internationally) is one of the areas of focus that I have pursued in my career since graduation, so this was an incredible experience.

I worked remotely with cultural heritage professionals around the world to coordinate travel arrangements, manage the attendee list and provide information for the attendees. In October, I went to Washington, D.C. to prepare for the conferences and assist and coordinate

Currently, I am working for Princeton University as the Campus Collections Assistant for the Princeton University Art Museum. I work with the art located on the Princeton campus, writing content for the website, taking photographs and working with well-known artists on new commissions for campus. I also work in the Art and Archaeology Department, primarily with the archaeology archives. In this role, I have been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to work with both Monuments Men archives and photographic archives documenting sites in Syria. I am also working on projects with the Penn Cultural Heritage Center at the University of Pennsylvania focusing on culture in crisis in Syria.

ALYSSA THIEL M.A. Sustainable Cultural Heritage, Class of 2017 Intern at Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative, Washington, D.C.

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K AT E F A N T O Z Z I M.A. Food Studies, Class of 2017

A

UR Alumna Kathleen Fantozzi is currently working in the office of U.S. Senator for Colorado Michael Bennet, a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry who counts among his many priorities advocating for Colorado farmers and working to help build up and support thriving rural communities. Sen. Bennet recently spoke at a lunch with delegates of the Slow Food Nations U.S. Festival held in Denver, and while staffing the event, Kate had the exciting opportunity to meet Slow Food Founder Carlo Petrini, U.S. Slow Food Director Richard McCarthy, and chef, restaurateur, activist and author Alice Waters, who received an Honorary Degree from AUR in 2015.

Kate with Slow Food expert Alice Waters

Kate with Slow Food Founder Carlo Petrini

Arts Management Food Studies

Visit our Graduate School Website or contact Rachel Mascetta, our Graduate Admissions Counselor at r.mascetta@aur.edu

Peace Studies Sustainable Cultural Heritage

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CLASS NOTES Sara Muriello Communication, 2004

Sara J. Muriello has reinvented herself, transitioning from academic administration, where she had built a career over the last 10 years, to the Spa business! Sara has launched her own practice as a Licensed Beautician at Fresh Skin and Body in Fairport, NY. In her own words, “I am so very excited for this new venture as I have always been fascinated with skin and the spa industry. While studying and living in Rome, I had the opportunity to frequently travel throughout Europe. I visited many of the famous terme and spas, educating myself endlessly on different types of European techniques and procedures. After almost 10 years in higher education, I was ready for a change. The only thing that is constant is change. Life doesn’t stop, and neither should our education, our aspirations, and our evolution. My story began at The American University of Rome, where I met people who cultivated a desire in me to be the best that I can, and to constantly reflect, evaluate, and map out what that means to me personally and professionally. Grazie Roma, grazie AUR, grazie Professoressa!”

Sara sent an update to Prof. Fitzsimmons. The Professor kindly shared it with Wolftracks.

Zoe Pedulla International Relations & Global Politics, 2015

After graduating from AUR, Zoe spent some time in Japan teaching English. Having returned Stateside, she is rocking California: “I am now working as Clinical Research Coordinator for the Stanford Sleep Medicine Center. I work on research, recruiting, and tracking diagnostic patients for numerous sleep studies (ranging from Narcolepsy treatments to studying core body temperatures on various mattress types). Less than a month into this new job I was asked to be the executive assistant to the Medical Director, Dr. Kushida, in addition to my research work. It’s equally as exciting because some of the very people who first founded the field of Sleep Medicine are still working in the department. I have a highly supportive team and am thoroughly enjoying this new learning curve.”

Zoe’s update is courtesy of Prof. Kathleen Fitzsimmons.

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CLASS NOTES Constantin Bouris Business Administration, 2006

Constantine Bouris (BUS ’06) returned to AUR recently with his new bride Fabiola. The former BizClub Vice President was revisiting old haunts during their first Italian vacation together.

He stopped by to visit with Prof. Fitzsimmons and catch up on the latest movings and shakings at AUR. “Costi”, as anyone who knew him could have predicted, is in sales today. In fact, he is the manager of a team of 18 successful salespeople at a Kia car dealership in Dallas, Texas. He was excited to see the changes that have taken place on campus since his time here, and plans to revisit soon!

By Kathleen Fitzsimmons

Sara Guidato International Relations & Global Politics, 2016 After graduating from AUR in May 2016, and having had a successful internship at FAO during her undergrad years, Sara started working for Pirene and Laura Frati Gucci. During her experience there, Sara aided Frati Gucci in the organization and logistics of the 65th edition of the FCEM (Femmes Chefs d’Entreprises Mondiales) Congress held in Rome this past November. Sara had direct participation in the planning and execution of a three-day conference with more than 700 attendees, a plethora of events and more than a dozen international speakers. “This experience helped me understand event management first hand, with all its challenges and last-minute demands. My Italian problem-solving nature and the time management skills I learned during my years at AUR helped me greatly.”

TELL US WHAT YOU ARE UP TO, WE WANT TO KNOW!

SEND A PICTURE AND A SHORT BLURB TO ALUMNI@AUR.EDU -9-

NEW FEATURE

BACK AT AUR...

AUR is always pleased to welcome back its Alumni . R(h)ome is where the heart is and it is always with much joy that we host events that showcase the great people that have passed through AUR. Alumni give back to their alma mater in many ways… so here are some alumni we caught giving back to this University atop the Gianicolo.

Bronwyn Sweeney Business Administration, 2007

Advertising Copywriter”, part of the Business Department lecture series organized by Professor Kathleen Fitzsimmons.

Humorous and enlightening, Bronwyn’s lecture not only described her experience as a copywriter for the London office of MullenLowe, but it pin-pointed pivotal challenges faced by marketing agencies in the online era we live in.

“Websites are our shop windows today,” explained Sweeney, as she elaborated on concepts such as “thumb-stopping content”. As we scroll through media, what is the content that will make your thumb stop scrolling? Enriching and inspiring, Bronwyn’s lecture left its mark on AUR once again.

We were lucky enough to again welcome this wonderful

And if the lecture weren’t enough, we launched the Alumni

Alumna back to the Auriana Auditorium this fall. Bronwyn

Roundtable podcasts with Bronwyn! Check it out on our

Sweeney treated us to her lecture “A Day in the Life of an

AUR Alumni Facebook Page!

Melanie Pisano Communication, 2013 Originally from Boston, Melanie moved to Rome in 2008 and graduated from AUR in 2013 with a BA in Communications with a double minor in English and Digital Film and Media.

Melanie wrote her first novel during her sophomore and junior year at AUR, and together with Professor Lisa Colletta edited the first draft as her senior thesis assignment. After graduation, Melanie signed with a literary agent from California and wrote the first draft of her second novel.

Melanie continues to reside in Rome as she balances writing and working at FAO full time.

Mel gave a lecture this past November on her experience becoming a writer and having a full-time job. Inspiring and amazing, Mel is a perfect example of the great Alumni we have!

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Amanda Shaw International Relations, 2005

For the past ten years Amanda has researched and managed international programs on gender, social and economic justice. The main aims of her work have been to help transnational feminist and queer movements acquire resources, to strengthen the links between different social movements and to bring gender and social perspectives into policy spaces. She has been active in feminist, queer and other social movements, including working with LGBT movements in Argentina during the campaign for marriage equality (2009 -2011). Recently, she has been part of queer feminist and migrants’ rights organizing in Tuscany, Italy. Amanda recently completed her PhD in Gender Studies at the London School of Economics (LSE), where she currently works as a graduate teaching assistant for courses on gender theory, sociology and feminist economics. She is passionate about social justice, a proud queer feminist and excited to work with her alma mater to help create safe, inclusive spaces

for AUR’s hugely diverse students and staff. Amanda, in fact, held an LGBTQ workshop at AUR this fall, sharing her knowledge and experience with the current AUR LGBTQ+ Club members. The workshop was organized by our Student Life Coordinator and Engagement Specialist, Kathy Bemis.

Amanda’s update is courtesy of Kathy Bemis.

Giles Smith International Relations, 2008 Giles Smith graduated from AUR almost a decade ago and, although he comes back to Italy often, he has now moved back to Rome for a longer stretch of time: his wife is currently an intern of the Rome Sustainable Food Program at the American Academy. Originally from Milwaukee, Giles now owns a boutique hostel in Vermont (Hostel Tevere), which he currently manages from the other side of the globe! With a degree in Business Marketing and History, combined with his AUR degree in International Relations, Giles’ work experience and projects are an illustration of the interdisciplinarity required in the work force today. He, in fact, was a guest speaker at the November Career Fair and took part in our Alumni Roundtable Podcast! We hope to see/hear much more of Giles this Spring, now that he is so close by!

Giles and Prof. Brian Koperski after an engaging Video Podcast

Giles’ update is courtesy of Laura Estrada Prada

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MEET THE FACULTY

BR This feature showcases the richness of our faculty, both intellectually and personally. In this issue of Wolftracks we introduce you to Professor Brian Koperski, part of our Film and Digital Media Deprtment and creator/producer of our very own AUR Podcast Studio.

I

t’s Monday morning and, as usual, I am late. I used to be quite punctual in my early 20’s but now it seems that the Italianisms (and the lack of punctuality) have become part of who I am. In front of the gate of the Carini Building, I desperately look for my badge, thinking Professor Koperski will probably make fun of my delay with his infallible humor. Finally, a student heading out opens the gate and I dash down to the Carini basement. I must say that during this past semester I have discovered the dark entrails of our campus (unbeknownst to me during my days here as a student). “The Cave”, as Professor Koperski humorously refers to the underground level of Carini, holds one of the most fascinating and vibrant spaces that The American University of Rome has to offer: our very own podcast studio. But we will elaborate on that a little later.

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I arrive panting to our meeting spot and Professor Koperski greets me with his usual morning humor. Given my tardy arrival, we proceed with the necessary sound checks (for which I have decided my signature word is ‘noodle’) and start recording our chat. As with all conversation with people who think too much, Professor Koperski begins with a question that destabilizes me, “If you could go back to any age of your life with the knowledge you have now, at what age would you go back to?” Startled and hit by the all too common Monday brain-delay, I chuckle and flip the question back to him. He answers, “At forty-two, I would go back to when I was twenty-three.” I have to admit that such a young age sparks my curiosity and I inquire. He replies: “I would be twenty-three today because of the technology you have at your fingertips. I would go back to that age and be part of this revolution now.”

As he goes on to tell me he was born and raised in Cody, Wyoming, Professor Koperski’s British accent throws me off my prior assumptions regarding his provenance. His answer, “This is how cowboys really sound.

At the rodeo. Truth.” With a raised eyebrow, I continue the interview, with the expectation that a more cohesive reason for his accent will later become evident.

Koperski went to Arizona State University, where he got a degree in Humanities and a minor in Architectural History, the reason behind his passion for photography.

Making Phoenix his home, Koperski completed his graduate studies in Film and Digital Media at ASU. At this point in the conversation, I am curious to know how he tore himself away from the dry heat of Arizona, and he tells me how his life changed in the spring of 1999.

Twenty-year-old Koperski chose Italy as a destination for his Spring Break vacation. A lover of architecture, Professor Koperski came to the Old Continent in search of all the architectural sites he had

learned about in books during his undergraduate years. With a checklist and a journal, he came to Italy for a week, only to find the woman who would later become his wife, on his last night in Rome. “We tried to keep in touch,” Koperski explains, “but this was 1999 BC (before computers), and communication overseas meant snail mail and postcards. The relationship fizzled out and we lost contact for five years.” Little did he imagine, at the time, that Alessandra, who would one day become the mother of his two daughters, would find him again years later. When she did, emotions grew regardless of the ocean that divided them, and in 2005 Koperski moved to England where he lived for two years before moving permanently to Rome. At this point, hungry for an explanation, I ask if these two years are the explanation for his use of words like ‘bloke’, ‘flat’ and ‘mate’. To this, he answers, “Oh yes… I bought my accent at Heathrow airport.”

After a laugh, I move on to the next question, asking him about how he ended up at AUR. “I had taught for a couple of years in Rome already, and after several trials and tribulations surrounding my work in the consumer electronics business, I wanted to find something that would allow me to teach more.” And that was it.

Professor Koperski joined AUR as an adjunct in the Film and Digital Media department. His dedication proved to be a perfect fit with the university and he soon became a full-time instructor.

“To be a professor, you have to love what you do… believe in what you do.”

As Professor Koperski elaborates on the importance of passion as a cure against frustration and mediocrity, I ask him where he finds passion. “I find passion in the difference I see in students at the end of the semester; they have mastered the tools, but more importantly, they have become better film-makers, instead of better technicians. Universities like AUR offer a more encompassing experience that allows them to develop more well-rounded creative minds and

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become professionals capable of creating conscious media products.”

The final topic of our conversation is, of course, the podcast studio.

Professor Koperski initiated his podcast class last spring and it was an immediate success. “To have a podcast studio allows students to have a voice.

It puts them in a broader public speaking environment without the actual pressure. Students in my class don’t initially realize that while there are only twelve of them in the studio, they are being heard by millions of people.”

Thanks to Professor Koperski we have been able to host three podcast episodes: two with Alumni and one with AUR’s founder’s son, David Colin. With Professor Koperski’s expertise, we are hoping to make many more this upcoming spring.

After about an hour of conversation, our time was up: the members of the Media Club were, unlike myself, right on time to their podcast recording. I leave “The Cave” with a smile on my face. It is the dedication of professors like Koperski that make AUR a wonderful place to learn.

By Laura Estrada Prada

Prof. Koperski’s Italy checklist in his travel journal

AUR says Welcome!

We are excited to share AUR’s internal growth with our longtime Friends and Alumni. So here we will fill you in on the faculty changes that have happened in the last months.These professors will join long-standing faculty in the enrichment of our academic quality and cultural diversity.

Genevieve Gessert Ph.D, Classical Art and Archaeology, Yale University.

Former Director of the Classical Summer School at the American Academy in Rome and former Fullbright Fellow, Dr. Gessert brings extensive knowledge and experience to the undergraduate curriculum. Dr. Gessert will assume a position as Interim Director of the AUR Archaeology and Classics Department, overseeing its changes and growth.

She is currently the Program Director of General Education, helping build and establish the new signature Program.

Cecilia Sottilotta

Ph.D, Political Theory from LUISS Guido Carli, Rome.

Dr. Sottilotta is now Assistant Professor of International Relations at AUR. Her research includes work on political risks, including security issues, trade, regionalism and development, and the current and future dynamics of European fiscal and monetary integration.

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Mary Beth Looney MA from the University of Georgia, MFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Professor Looney is currently Acting Director of Fine Arts, and she brings the curricular experience of Fine Arts Programs in the United States to her teaching at AUR. Prof. Looney will also contribute to the signature multidisciplinary General Education program.

Laura Prota

Ph.D, Economics from Macquarie University, Sydney (Australia). Dr. Prota is now Assistant Professor of Economics at AUR. Dr. Prota holds a Master’s degree in Economic Development and Cooperation from the University of Bologna and an undergraduate degree (magna cum laude) from the University of Federico II in Naples. She received a post-doctoral fellowship from the Faculty of Economics and Statistics (University of Salerno) from 2012-2015. She specializes in social network analysis, rural development, and innovation systems under globalization.

Jenny Petrucci Ms. Petrucci (MA, Postcolonial Studies from the London metropolitan University) joined AUR in 2011 where she started off as the Administrative Assistant to the Provost Office. After two years, she moved on to the role of Director of the First Year Program and Coordinator of Special Programs. This year, while working on her Ph.D in Education, (King’s College - London), Ms. Petrucci became a full-time faculty member. Wolftracks congratulates Ms. Petrucci on her scholarship and professional growth within AUR!

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Kyla Fullenwider Professor Fullenwider was a 2016 Presidential Innovation Fellow, part of a groundbreaking initiative to modernize the US federal government by bringing top executives, entrepreneurs, technologists, and other innovators to improve federal programs that serve more than 150 million Americans. She has been part of the faculty at the School of Visual Arts, at Johns Hopkins and the Maryland Institute College of Art. Ms. Fullenwider led two editions of AUR’s entrepreneurship weekend with great success and now joins us as Visiting Professor of Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship.

Matthew Qvortrup Ph.D, Political Science and International Relations from Oxford University. Dr. Qvortrup joins AUR as Visiting Professor of Political Theory and History in the International Relations program. An expert on comparative constitutional engineering and European Politics, Professor Qvortrup’s book Angela Merkel: Europe’s Most Influential Leader received international acclaim. Awarded the PSA Prize in 2013 for his research on ‘Terrorism and Political Science’, he served as a Specialist Advisor to the House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee. A frequent commentator for the BBC, Professor Qvortrup writes regularly for Bloomberg.

Lyal Sunga Dr. Lyal S. Sunga is a well-known specialist on international human rights law, international humanitarian law and international criminal law. He joins AUR as Visiting Professor of the Department of International Relations.

Dr. Sunga has consulted for the UN Security Council, UNESCO, UNHCR, and many other UN agencies, in adittion to the National Human Rights Commissions in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nepal, Nigeria, the Russian Federation and Uganda.

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AUR Alumni remember...

P r o f e s s o r Te r r y K i r k Eight years have passed since the death of our beloved Art History Professor Terry Kirk (August 30, 1961 - October 17, 2009).

We asked our Alumni to share thoughts and memories of Professor Kirk.

“Wow, I can’t believe it’s been eight years. I had the pleasure of having Terry Kirk as one of my professors.

He was just the BEST. So funny, outrageously intelligent, and always smiling. I was new to art history and it was his class that made me fall in love with it. My favorite thing about him was his walk! He had such an elegant strut, and he would wear these flowy pants that made it look like he was gliding, almost floating, across the pavement. A real-life angel on Earth.”

Ajya Ayse Birgen

“I was a Study Abroad student who transferred to AUR in my senior year. I did not take an art class with Prof.

Kirk, but while working as a student assistant in the Business Department, I saw Prof. Kirk often as Arts and Business offices were in the Carini Building. His enthusiasm, his charisma, and his kind smile really made you feel the importance of living the life in the moment. His attention was always genuine, and it was a pleasure to speak to him. His love for teaching was very inspiring!”

Anastasia Safarian

“I‘ve never met anyone who loved and appreciated art like he did. If I remember correctly, one of AUR’s catchphrases was “the city is your classroom’’... well, he was the professor that would use every single aspect of the city and relate it to art! He didn’t teach in AUR ...

He taught in Rome.”

Martina Demopoulou “By far the most memorable professor ever...”

Melis Kanik

“In January 1991, at the brink of Operation Desert Storm, this Buffalo girl studied abroad at AUR. I got to know a fellow classmate, Jamie Pangione, from Boston, MA, during a bomb threat evacuation of our dorm residence. We both studied International Business, but Jamie also took Art in Rome with Professor Terry Kirk. It wasn’t until our entire class took a field trip to Venice for Carnevale when I met Professor Kirk, who warned the two of us that we might want to take a break from kissing long enough to appreciate the spectacular Doge’s Palace in all its grandeur.

Professor Kirk’s wry humor, his love of teaching, and his love of art inspired a fictional character in my novel, The Sculptor, featuring a study abroad student stalked by a serial killer in Rome. Kirk’s sincere desire to instill students with his same passion for Italian art is, for me, what made him larger than life.

Jamie, now my husband of twenty-two years, views Professor Kirk as a person who held a position that went beyond that of mentor or friend. Jamie feels that Terry Kirk taught him to take a momentary reprieve from the world of wine business in which he now makes his living to appreciate the art in life that surrounds us every day. Whenever Jamie and I recall our many fond memories of AUR, or revisit those spectacular works of art in Rome which Terry Kirk introduced us to, we’re so grateful that he was part of our history.

Jamie and I have since acquired degrees from various institutions, like University at Buffalo and Boston University, in the areas of business, wine and law. But not a day goes by, when Jamie doesn’t think of this professor above all others with sincere reverence and appreciation. Jamie is so grateful for Professor Terry Kirk, in his scarf and long coat, not just for his professionalism but also for his inspirational life lessons.”

Gina Fava - 17 -

The AUR Times Fall/Winter 2017

ROME, ITALY

www.aur.edu

WOLF’S DEN OPENED, WOLVES STAY INSIDE! AUR is changing, growing, learning and improving every day. On September 12, 2017, we celebrated the inauguration of the newly restored lounge a.k.a. The Wolf ’s Den. This new space has redefined winter conviviality, study space and relaxation between classes at AUR. So a toast to the newly refurbished Den. Come check it out... it’s always better in person!

President Hodges cutting the ribbon of the new Wolf ’s Den with architect Cinzia Abbate

A view of the lounge from the Garden entrance

I

f you came to AUR after 2003, you probably spent Finals week in the computer lab where the Wolf ’s Den is today. Regardless of the early 90’s feel and the bulky black desktops, many Alumni created good (and not so good) memories inside this space. Not so good because many might have had experiences “losing” a paper an hour before it was due and running in what seemed insurmountable distress to the IT office to ask for a miracle. But with new times, come new needs and the Wolf ’s Den is now one of the busiest

spots on campus. So yes, the Den opened, and the pack stayed inside! A wonderful space to study, meet with professors, read a book or procrastinate... the Den (excomputer lab) is always where the heart of AUR beats at its strongest.

Current students enjoying the new Den

President Hodges addressing the AUR community at the inauguration of the Den

A big thank you to the members of staff who made this happen and the promise that this is only the beginning of AUR’s surge forward.

By Laura Estrada Prada

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ALUMNI GATHER AROUND THE WORLD

bottom right top left

top right

Alumni Aperitivo in NYC with Prof. Fitzsimmons

Alumnae meet in Milan

Board of Trustees Aperitivo at the Majestic Hotel in Rome

center left

center right

bottom left

Board of Trustees Aperitivo at the Majestic Hotel in Rome

Alumnae meet in Chicago

Rome Alumni Apertivo this past November

(Dominick Coluccio, Justin Wynne, Alessandra Potenza)

(Silvia Esposito, Karim Ramadan, Kathleen Fitzsimmons, Massimilla Dussoni, Sara Guidato, Lindsey Hook)

(Amy Schoenberg, Jeena Sheedy & Audra Kachonik)

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(Sofia Paoletti, Lindsey Hook, Massimilla Dussoni, Laura Estrada Prada, Tiffany Burrafato)

(Kathleen Fitzsimmons and Alumnae)

MOUSE MAUS GETTING BIGGER BY THE DAY We have a little more information about our very own Wolfie. His mother is called Belle, and he has two siblings born on the same night (Duffy and KB).

According to the Wolf Conservation Center, both Maus and his sister KB look a lot like their father.

Wolftracks is planning to see if it is possible to arrange a visit to the Wolf Conservation Center this upcoming May. We will be sure to keep you posted!

R

emember that adorable puff ball we introduced last issue? The cute-as-can-be wolf cub that was born on the night of the 5th Alumni Reunion in Rome? Well, he has grown and is now a handsome six–month-old cub. He has learned how to sign his name (see the below certificate) and is happily discovering the woods of South Salem (NY).

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PARENTS’ WEEKEND 2017, A BLAST!

T

his fall 2017 we held the 3rd edition of Parents’ Weekend, in conjunction with the Thanksgiving festivities at the end of November. This year, we decided to open the Thanksgiving dinner to the entire AUR community, and we had - as we usually do - a wonderful crowd!

We were so happy to see such a great turn-out: parents, students, faculty and staff all joined to share this year’s turkey meal. The evening was packed with smiling faces, candlelight, pumpkin soup and familial joy.

On Friday, we treated parents to an exclusive food tour of Trastevere. We wandered the cobbled streets of the quartiere down the hill, discovering the sweet and savory tastes and smells like true trasteverini.

On Saturday, we were delighted by President Richard Hodges on a trip to the Basilica of San Clemente. In an inspiring tour of three levels of history, President Hodges eloquently explained the history of the site and the multi-layered nature of the Eternal City.

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LEAVES HAVE FALLEN THIS SEASON AND WITH THEM, THE AUR COMMUNITY SAYS THANKS The AUR Traditions Committee was pivotal in the success of the Thanksgiving decorations for this year’s dinner. They created a beautiful paper tree where dinner guests could attach leaves with messages of thanks and gratitude. Here are only a few of them:

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Upcoming Events you won’t be able to resist...

The Embassy of Italy and Italian Cultural Institute in Washington D.C. and The American University of Rome have the pleasure of presenting a “Conversation with Mary Beard” on Friday, February 23, 2018 at the Embassy of Italy in Washington D.C. The historian and bestselling author of SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome, will discuss why ancient Rome matters to us in 2018 and what we can learn about ourselves and the U.S. by studying its extraordinary rise and fall. Join us!

For info about attendance/sponsorship, contact alumni@aur.edu.

So we’ve decided to shake things up a little next year and hold the AUR Alumni Reunion in New York City. We understand that crossing the Atlantic Ocean is not an option for many, so we decided to bring AUR to you!

Food, wine, awards and good company are all planned for this May night. Mark your calendars, buy your tickets and bring your AUR memories on May 19, 2018. We will have a breathtaking reunion at a private member’s club in the heart of the Big Apple. Stay tuned for more details, but in the meantime, “start spreading the news” and planning your New York weekend in the spring of 2018.

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m a ke y o u r J i n g l e a l l t h e w a y. . . remember MadLibs?

If you don’t know MadLibs you should Google it. If you do, you know what to do. Three rules: fill in the blanks, make it your own song and sing it out loud. And if you are feeling particularly extroverted, send it to us! We would love to hear what comes out of this interactive grammar experiment!

By Laura Estrada Prada

Dashing through the _______

A day or two ago

noun

In a ________ open sleigh

The story I must tell

O’er the fields we ________

I went out ____ the ______

adjective

verb

preposition

noun

Laughing all the way

And on my back I fell

Bells on _______ ring

A gent was riding by

Making spirits bright

In a ______________

noun

noun (rhymes with ‘lie’)

What fun it is to _______and sing

He laughed as there I sprawling lie

verb

A _________ song tonight

But quickly ________ away

Jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle ______, jingle _______

verb (-ing)

verb (past)

noun

noun

_______ all the way

Jingle all the way

Oh what fun it is to ride

Oh what fun it is to _______

verb

verb

In a ______________, hey

In a one-horse open sleigh, hey

noun (rhymes with ‘hey’)

Jingle ______, jingle ______

Jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

__________ all the way

noun

noun

verb

Oh what fun it is to ride

Oh what fun it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh

In a __________ sleigh adjective (4 syllables)

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DID YOU KNOW...

ABOUT

Umbrella Pines and London Plane Trees

When you are on your way home, wherever that may be or whatever that means to you, there is always something that makes you feel at home…that makes you say: “Yes! Finally, I have arrived.”

For many returning home to Rome, that something is the city’s umbrella pine trees -- those stately evergreens that greet you on your way out of Fiumicino airport to the city center, by train or by car along Via Cristoforo Colombo. But what do you really know about them? Or about Rome’s other famous tree, The London Plane?

Italian Landscape with Umbrella Pines (Villa Borghese), Hendrik Voogd, 1807 oil on canvas, courtesy of Rijksmuseum (Netherlands)

Don’t touch that pine!

The umbrella pine can be found throughout its native

If fact, they are so special, they are protected under Italy’s

Mediterranean region, as well as in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon,

national landscaping laws or “leggi paesaggistiche.” So be

northern Israel, Northern Africa, the Canary Islands, South

prepared for some bureaucracy if you want to cut one down.

Africa and New South Wales. And here in Rome, they offer

Just ask Alessio Marchei, AUR’s very own Physical Plant

beauty and history, gracing the entrance to Via dei Fori

Coordinator (“plant” meaning all of AUR’s buildings and

Imperiali and Piazza Venezia and giving us shade from the

ground maintenance, not just shrubs).

scorching summer sun, just as they did for Roman soldiers About two years ago, the university had a problem with

along the ancient Appian Way leading down to Brindisi in

a dangerous umbrella pine in the library’s garden (yes,

southeast Italy.

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umbrella pines can be quite dangerous…we’ll explain later).

The 50-year-old pine weighed in with a circumference of 3 meters (10 feet) and 20 meters in height (65 feet) or about as high as a 6-story building (if you consider USA housing sizes).

In other words: massive! And it was leaning worse than the Leaning Tower of you-know-where. That’s the problem with umbrella pines; they may be big on top, but they’ve got nothing underneath. The root system is very shallow so in times of drought when the tree is weak, or in high winds,

From the tree tops, looking down onto AUR garden from Building B, 4th floor terrace

they will topple over, not only destroying cars, but injuring and killing people.

The Oriental variety was well known to the Romans, In fact, according to a recent report by the news agency

according to Thomas J. Campanella, author of Republic of

ANSA, Rome’s city council is using a special microchip to

Shade: New England and the American Elm. “Even Pliny

monitor the city’s largest trees (both pine and plane). Some

devoted several pages to it in his Natural History, claiming

82,000 of the city’s 320,000 large trees are being controlled

the tree grew best with wine,” he says in a 2011 Wall Street

by Visual Tree Assistance technology which collects data on

Journal article titled “The Roman Roots of Gotham’s London

the trunk, roots, and leaves.

Plane.” The author also describes how a young American landscape architect, Michael Rapuano, studying at the

The city has also hired 30 more gardeners, in addition to the

American Academy of Rome in 1927, returned to New York

170 on staff, to keep up with pruning and whittling down

with a love for plane trees and incorporated them in his

‘the most wanted.’

designs, at his job with the city’s park landscape firm. And thus, the London plane’s leaf - similar to a maple - is the

In our case at AUR, cutting down “the Big One” in the library garden required filling out more than 20 documents to get city permission and comply with work safety regulations, and hiring a crane and bucket truck, according to Marchei.

After removing the tree, the law says you have to replace it with something equally pretty. In this case, 2 cypress trees were planted on either side of the defunct pine, like grave markers (quite fitting since cypress trees point to heaven and for this reason are used in Italian cemeteries). Now a circle of mushrooms grows in the Big One’s trunk-print.

Planely-speaking A leaf of the London Plane tree in the fall

Those walking from the AUR campus down to Trastevere along viale Trenta Aprile can’t help but notice a dozen tablesize tree trunks lining the sidewalk – all freshly cut plane trees that had outgrown their welcome.

Rome’s love for plane trees began when King Umberto I went on a planting spree after the Unification in 1870. You can see them all along the Tiber River, where they were planted after the wall constructions (muraglioni) to prevent flooding. They are the London plane variety (a cross between the American sycamore “Platanus occidentalis” and the Oriental plane of central Asia “Platanus orientalis.” Apparently the two met in Spain, but some claim it was Vauxhall Gardens in London, where their hybrid offspring was discovered in the mid-17th century.

Still life: Platanus ex-Guiness. The 91 cm (3-foot) diameter of a freshly cut Plane tree compared to bottle cap, leaves and seed cluster balls, near Aur’s library. Photo by C. Valentine

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Detail of the Plane Tree bark

symbol of New York City’s Parks Department.

And if you look closely, the plane is not so plain after all.

In fact, its bark has such a distinct pattern that it is used

by WWII collectors to describe the first dotted camouflage AUR’s oldest tree, the 60-year-old umbrella pine in the garden, measures 320 cm around (10 ft 4 in) and about 20 m high (65 ft). Getting its morning hug from students (left to right): Jeff Avedisian, Max Item, Rachel Babb, and Mercedes Chervony

pattern. The so-called “Platanenmuster” or plane tree pattern was used on German military uniforms from 1937-1942.

A deciduous tree, this time of year its branches are bare and its beige leaves and brown golf- size seed balls crunch under your feet as you walk by.

Probably it is hoping that one of its little tufted seeds will

world – architecture from every period, plus our fantastic

attach to your clothes and you will carry it home to your next

ruins from the ancient world…it’s incredible! And one of the

destination.

things that makes AUR so special is our garden. Not every building in the city has its own private garden.”

“These trees are a symbol of Rome,” said AUR’s Marchei, who was born here. But the trees are only a small part of

So next time you are at AUR, chatting with friends in the

what makes Rome special. In his opinion, “There are many

garden, look up and look around. The trees are listening.

beautiful cities in the world, and Rome is definitely one of the them,” he adds. “But what makes Rome so special – and

By Carla Valentine

a great place to live – is that you have everything here in close

with special thanks to Claudia Paielli (Rome native and Art

proximity. You can go to the sea or the mountains and do all

Historian) and AUR Fine Arts Professor Kristien De Neve

kinds of sports in just an hour from the city center. We have incredible art and museum collections – undisputed in the

J U S T T H E FAC T S Umbrella Pine

Plane Tree

Botanical name: Pinus pinea a.k.a. Italian stone pine; umbrella pine; parasol pine Max. height: 25+m/82+ft Unique feature: Takes 3 years to mature a pine cone, longer than any other pine (8-15 cm/about 3-6 in.)

Uses: Cultivated for at least 6,000 years for its edible pine nuts, a traded item since early historic times.

Botanical name: Platanus acerifolia a.k.a. London plane; planes; platanus; sycamores Max height: 30-50 m/98-164 ft Unique feature: Tolerant of pollution, diseases and pests, it is the perfect street tree also in London, Paris, and New York Uses: Ornamental, though some varieties are used for timber and may have potential as a biomass crop.

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CUT IT OUT! A gift to you is a gift to us! Cut the Wolfie mask out, take a selfie, post it, and tag us!

Have some fun, the holidays are here! #AURome #WeLoveAUR #TheAmericanUniversity of Rome #AURalumni #FriendsofAUR #AURWolftracks #weareAUR

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AUR GIVES BACK Student Goverment & Vesta Volunteers j o i n f o r c e s !

The warmth and caring enjoyed by our AUR community was especially evident at our Parents Weekend Thanksgiving Dinner, and where AUR Student Government and AUR Vesta volunteers sponsored a raffle to benefit the Miracle for Matteo crowdfunding campaign. Over 325 Euro (roughly 387 USD) was raised, and the Hirschhorn and Brooks families each won a giant box filled with fine wines and foods from Eataly, as well as AUR swag.

Matteo is the infant son of AUR alumna Alba Lupia Vanderlinder (Italian Studies, ‘05, cum laude) and her husband Jeff, and baby brother to their daughter Gilda. Matteo is battling a rare and aggressive form of cancer (CNS-PNET); all prayers and good thoughts on his behalf are gratefully welcomed by Alba and Jeff. If you were not at the dinner but would still like to donate, please got to https://www.gofundme.com/52hmdu-miracle-for-matteo.

By Kathy Bemis

Matteo

Matteo and his family

Kathy Bemis with the raffle winners

The raffle prizes put together by SG and Vesta Club

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GIVE BACK TO AUR

We are AUR Your AUR is changing.

Founded in Rome nearly 50 years ago, we now find ourselves at an inflection point and there’s no turning back. From a single apartment near the Spanish Steps to our campus on the Gianicolo, we are continuing to grow – increasing enrollment, enhancing programs, raising our academic profile, recruiting more faculty and staff, improving innovation, and expanding our footprint.

All of that growth brings with it increased need. Need not only for additional funds to support our mission and vision, but for those closest to us to help us spread the word about AUR and our important programs. We need donors, yes, but we also need champions, ambassadors, and cheerleaders.

How ca n you help ?

By giving m o ney , t i m e o r b ot h .

How to Give Money: • Go to www.aur.edu/giving to instantly give funds to AUR. It’s fast, secure and easy to do! And you can choose where your funds will go.

• Come visit us! Stop by anytime and we will gladly accept your gift in person (and probably send you off with some cool AUR swag)

• Send us a check P.O. BOX for U.S. Postal Service deliveries The American University of Rome c/o Bank of America-Lockbox Services P.O. BOX 841229 Dallas, TX 75284-1229

How to Give your Time: • E-mail Laura Estrada Prada at l.estrada@aur.edu or Amy Baldonieri at a.baldonieri@aur.edu and find out where we could use your help and let us know the types of volunteering you are interested in (events, fundraising, student mentoring, student recruitment).

Or call us! +39 0658330919

• Wire transfer Account name: The American University of Rome Bank: Banca Popolare di Sondrio, Branch 21 Rome Address: Via Famiano Nardini 25, 00162 Rome, Italy Account: 104-0003010-VAR-USD IBAN CODE: IT14 O056 9603 221V ARUS 0003 010 Swift /BIC: POSOIT22

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A special thank you goes out to all of ou r donor s so fa r i n ca le ndar ye ar 2017 (a s of 1 2 / 1 2 / 2 0 1 7 )

Anonymous (2) The Asfari Foundation Amy and Ken Baldonieri Christine Baldonieri Gabriel A. Battista* CAF American Donor Fund Robert E. Carlucci* Oozi and Ruth Cats Cotsen Foundation for the Art of Teaching David Colin, Jr. and Laura L. Hoffman* Peter and Faith C. Coolidge* Noelle S. Demers ‘99 Elizabeth Dibble* Thomas Duesterberg* Guillermo Estrada Fletcher Memorial Bursary Forty-One Foundation Maurizia Garzia Antonio Giordano* Richard and Martha Girard* Joseph Gulino* The Hirschhorn Family Richard Hodges Bliss Holloway ‘03

John F. Scarpa Foundation Robert J. Krapf, Esq.* Linda K. Kurfess Dale LeMasters* Joseph Lonardo John J. Medveckis The New York Community Trust Bento Fund* Suzanne F. Nicholson* Mara Nisdeo ‘98 Andrew F. Palmieri Gina Pampena Jonathan Pollack* Matthew Ripsom ‘15 Giulia Rizza ‘06 Anastasia Safarian ‘08 Kiersten Saltwick ‘14 The Seabury Foundation Antoun Sehnauoi Sons of Italy Foundation Neil Boyden Tanner, Esq.* Mary Boyden Teagarden* Tiro A Segno Gregory Varallo* The Viola Foundation

*Members of the David Colin Circle (donors of $5,000 or more annually)

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TO P 5 t h i n g s t o m a ke y o u r h o l i d a y s I t a l i a n . . .

By Ellie Johnson

1

Long before Babbo Natale arrived on the scene, the bestower of gifts to children in Italy was not a portly old man in red, but La Befana, the Christmas witch. Rather than going from house to house delivering gifts in a sleigh on Christmas Eve, La Befana travels by broomstick on the night of the 5th of January. These gifts are opened on the following day as part of the Epiphany celebrations.

Each year on January 5th in Viterbo, a city close to Rome, the world’s longest ‘Calza della Befana’ (witch’s stocking) is paraded through the streets by hundred of Viterbesi, many of whom are dressed as La Befana. So far, Viterbo has claimed the world record for the longest stocking (52 metres long) sixteen years in a row!

2

3

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An Italian Christmas wouldn’t be complete without Il Panettone, the classic Milanese sweet bread loaf. Panettone sits as the centerpiece of the dessert course of an Italian Christmas dinner – the classic recipe combines the flavours of citrus fruits, vanilla, raisins and sultanas. The Panettone is so closely associated with Christmas that when police did a search of an Italian businessman’s car around Easter time in 2015, they smelled a rat when they found a Panettone in the boot of his car.

They followed their noses and cut into the cake – where they found €250,000 stashed inside!

The tradition of La Novena takes its name from nove, the Italian word for nine, and refers to the prayer that is recited over the nine days between December 17th and Christmas Day. Over time, the tradition has transformed and is now celebrated by the singing of Christmas carols and the recital of Christmas passage, usually by children.

4

The tradition of the presepe (nativity scene) is one of the most important elements of an Italian Christmas, supposedly originating in central Italy in 1223, although it now has its true home in Naples. Saint Francis of Assisi decided to create a real-life nativity scene with people and animals on Christmas Eve in 1223 in Greccio (Rieti) was established. The presepe these days is more associated with Naples, where the tradition of creating scenes of everyday life using hand-crafted models flourished in the seventeenth century, and continues to be central to Neapolitan identity. The presepe is usually laid out on December 8th – the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the official start of the holiday period in Italy – but the figure of the Baby Jesus is not added until Christmas Eve.

5

Italy’s answer to eggnog, the Bombardino is a winter-warmer cocktail originating in the mountainous northern Lombardy region, and its name translates as “the little bomb” because of its instant hot kick (and because it is delicious).

Here is the recipe for the explosive drink: 1.5 ounces brandy, such as Vecchia Romagna Brandy 3 ounces egg liqueur, such as Zabov Zabaglione Whipped cream, to taste Cinnamon, to taste Step 1: Warm the egg liqueur in a small saucepan. Pour the brandy in a glass mug.

Step 2: When the egg liqueur is hot (but not yet at boiling point), slowly add it to the brandy. Stir well to combine.

Step 3: Top the cocktail with a generous amount of whipped cream, and finish it with a sprinkling of cinnamon.

Enjoy!

Astro del Ciel, Star of the Sky (same tune as Silent Night) Astro del ciel, Pargol divin, mite Agnello Redentor!

Tu che i Vati da lungi sognar, tu che angeliche voci nunziar, luce dona alle genti, pace infondi nei cuor! luce dona alle genti, pace infondi nei cuor!

Astro del ciel, Pargol divin, mite Agnello Redentor!

Tu di stirpe regale decor, Tu virgineo, mistico fior, luce dona alle genti, pace infondi nei cuor!

Luce dona alle genti, pace infondi nei cuor!

Astro del ciel, Pargol divin, mite Agnello Redentor!

Tu disceso a scontare l’error, Tu sol nato a parlare d’amor, luce dona alle genti, pace infondi nei cuor!

Luce dona alle genti, pace infondi nei cuor!

Now let us sing... or try to!