Director’s Welcome
Benvenute e benvenuti.
You’re not just stepping into Florence—you’re stepping into a living chapter of your own making. Yes, there will be art, pasta, wine tasting and sunsets over the Arno. But there will also be conversations that unsettle you, ideas that shift your foundations, unexpected halts and choices that will echo long after this semester ends.
Florence is a bit of a paradox. It may seem small, but it contains multitudes. It wears its Renaissance heart on its sleeve, yet pulses with contemporary urgency. It may lure you with postcard-like settings and gelato, but its true treasures lie off the page, in quiet courtyards, unexpected encounters, and the grit beneath the beauty.
Since 2011, I’ve welcomed students who arrive with suitcases, TikTok driven suggestions on what to do and very long to-do lists—wide-eyed, slightly overwhelmed, often unsure of what they’re looking for. And I’ve watched them leave with sharper questions, deeper thinking, and a quiet sense of determination they didn’t have before. That’s the kind of alchemy we cultivate here.
Syracuse Florence is not a break in your education. It’s a pivot. A stretch. A deep breath that expands your intellectual and emotional lungs. Academic rigor here doesn’t mean rigidity—it means intention. Attention. It means showing up fully, not just in class, but in life. Immersion isn’t something that happens to you; it’s something you choose, daily.
You’ll learn from faculty who will demand your best, from classmates who will challenge your assumptions, and from Florentines who remind you that understanding often begins where words fall short. You will get lost—on cobblestone streets, in conversations, even within yourself—and each detour will be a kind of map.
So let this be your season of radical curiosity. Let Florence complicate you. Let it teach you to see sideways, to listen differently to risk complexity over convenience. Let it become not just a setting, but a co-creator of who you’re becoming.
We are here—present, attentive, and unapologetically invested in your growth.
We are ready. The city is waiting. Are you ready to dive in?
Sasha Perugini
Contact Information
- Location: Villa Rossa RM 22
- Work Phone: +39 055-503-1336
A native of Tuscany, Professor Sasha Perugini is a trilingual academic leader (Italian, Serbian, English) with over three decades of experience across U.S., Italian, and Australian higher education. She holds a Laurea Magistrale in English and Russian from the University of Siena and a Ph.D. in History of Performing Arts from Tufts University. As Director of Syracuse University Florence since 2011, she has transformed the center into a flagship model, modernizing academic structures, and forging strategic partnerships with civic, cultural, and academic institutions. She serves as Syracuse’s legal representative in Italy and teaches courses on cross-cultural management and communication. Appointed Director of Global Innovation in 2024, she leads initiatives focused on new learning models, executive education, and alumni engagement, piloting scalable, mission-aligned programs that leverage Syracuse’s international infrastructure. A published author and frequent speaker, Professor Perugini writes on language, cultural narratives, and the evolving role of AI in education. In 2023, she was awarded the Chancellor’s Fellowship for her leadership and innovation. She is also active in advancing women’s leadership and regularly delivers seminars and trainings on inclusive governance and intercultural strategy.