News Archive

Photos by Sasha Laurenzo.

Food Studies professor Olivier De Maret led ten days of immersive learning across the island

This May a group of Syracuse Florence students traded the familiar cobblestones of Tuscany for the sun-drenched markets and volcanic hillsides of Sicily. From April 30 to May 9, they traveled the length of the island as part of Culinary Crossings, a Signature Seminar designed and led by food studies professor Olivier De Maret that used cuisine as a window onto centuries of Mediterranean history, culture, and exchange.

The seminar was exclusively food-focused unlike a previous travel seminar led by De Maret in collaboration with retired photography professor Stefania Talini. “This time around we focused on getting to know the people that make up the island’s food system,” he said.

Markets, Farms, and Family Tables

The ten-day itinerary moved students through some of Sicily’s most distinctive culinary landscapes. In Palermo, they dove headfirst into the city’s legendary street food culture with a guided tour of the Ballarò market — one of the oldest and most vibrant outdoor markets in southern Italy — complete with tastings. De Maret remarked on the contrast to Florence: “Especially the energy we witnessed in Palermo’s outdoor markets, as well as the kindness, openness and hospitality Sicilians showed us.”

From Palermo, the group traveled east to the island’s rolling interior, stopping at the Azienda Agricola Fiumefreddo near Troina before continuing to the Baroque city of Siracusa, where they were based for four nights. Days out of Siracusa brought visits to the Bonajuto chocolate factory in Modica — Sicily’s legendary chocolate-making center, where the ancient Aztec-influenced method of cold-processing cacao has been practiced since the 1700s — as well as a cooking class in Noto and a visit to Il Biviere, an organic citrus farm in Lentini.

The seminar concluded near Etna, where students visited the Fattorie Romeo del Castello in Randazzo, a historic wine and farming estate on the volcano’s northern slopes, before a final dinner together in Taormina.

“Transformed by These Experiences”

The highlights of the trip were the two farm visits: Fiumefreddo and Romeo del Castello. “In both places, we were warmly welcomed into family homes and involved in daily activities,” said De Maret. “Besides learning new skills such as gardening, we felt the care and joy put into the production, preparation and sharing of food in very intimate contexts. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that most of us were transformed by these experiences — including the families hosting us.”

Why Sicily?

The choice of Sicily as a destination was itself pedagogically significant. De Maret sees the island’s cuisine as a kind of living archive of the Mediterranean world — layered with the influences of Greek, Arab, Norman, Spanish, and Italian cultures that have passed through over millennia. “Sicily and its cuisine provide a fascinating lens through which to approach these exchanges,” he explained, “and reflect on what makes Italian cuisine Italian, if anything.”

That question — deceptively simple, endlessly complex — was central to what he hoped students would take away. “The multiplicity of meanings associated with Sicilian cuisine, and how the history of the island and contemporary interests shape it,” De Maret said of the seminar’s core lessons. Beyond the specifics of Sicilian food, he hopes the experience planted a more lasting habit of mind: “I hope that students now see the value of thinking through food in order to understand the world and their place in it — and that they will keep thinking critically about broader social and cultural processes at play in kitchens and beyond.”

Culinary Crossings: Food Culture, Identity and the Mediterranean is offered as part of the university’s Signature Seminars initiative, which supports faculty-led travel courses that extend classroom learning into the field.

We are proud to share that Professor Laura Fenelli, SU Florence’s Teaching and Learning Manager and instructor of the class Walking Florence, recently took the stage at this year’s Salone Internazionale del Libro di Torino — Italy’s largest and most celebrated international book fair — where she presented a talk entitled Art Saved by Girls: Education, Exclusion, and Empowerment of Women Artists from the Renaissance to the Modern Era. Her title was a play on this year’s theme “Il mondo salvato dai ragazzini” (The world saved by kids).

“In 1971, Linda Nochlin asked: why have there been no great women artists? The answer lies not in a lack of talent but in the denial of access to art academies. This event is dedicated to the young women who, from the Renaissance through the modern era, sought — and sometimes found — a place in art education, thereby safeguarding the right to create art for themselves and for future generations.”

The Salone del Libro, now in its 38th edition, welcomed over 254,000 visitors across five days, bringing together readers, authors, and publishers from around the world in Turin. It was Professor Fenelli’s first appearance at the fair — and her first time presenting publicly from a project she has been developing, before an audience that turned out to be larger than expected.

Reflecting on the experience, Professor Fenelli shared:

“It’s been a week since my trip to Turin, but the excitement is still very much alive. My first time at the book fair, my first time as a speaker, the first time I spoke out loud — in front of a larger-than-expected audience — about the project I’m working on. Above all, thanks to everyone who came to listen, because there’s nothing better than sharing your passions with an attentive audience.”

Professor Fenelli’s talk is part of a broader research project for a high school textbook that she is working on with Loescher, one that bridges her deep expertise in Italian art history with a commitment to amplifying overlooked voices — themes that enrich her teaching here at Syracuse Florence.

We congratulate Laura on this wonderful milestone and look forward to following her work as it continues to grow.

Far more than a mere academic exhibition, our Final Art Show is a truly special moment in which our entire community comes together to celebrate the culmination of months of dedication, growth, and creative exploration.

As guests wander through the gallery, the atmosphere comes alive with shared curiosity. Visitors lean in closely, carefully examining the intricate details of portraits, evocative sketches, and striking illustrations that immediately capture the eye. The true highlight of the evening, however, lies in the dialogue the exhibition inspires. Our student artists have the unique opportunity to stand alongside their work and guide the audience through their creative process. They share the inspirations behind their pieces and explain the deliberate choices that shaped their vision: from the emotional weight of a particular color palette and the subtle storytelling held within a delicate gradient, to the structural meaning conveyed through a bold form or line.

Every piece on display serves as a window into a student’s inner world, revealing each artist’s highly individual way of perceiving and interpreting the reality around them. Driven by a profound need for self-expression, our students channel their experiences, ideas, and emotions into tangible forms.

For spectators, the experience becomes deeply immersive. As the senses are awakened, each artwork invites us on a meaningful journey, one that challenges our own perceptions and leaves us inspired long after the exhibition ends.

An Environmental Design alumna from the class of 1989 reflects on navigating Italian life without Google Translate, a meaningful return to Villa Rossa, and how a semester abroad planted the seeds for a 27-year career in art education.

What was your home school and major when you studied here in 1989?

Home school was the College of Human Development at Syracuse University. I was majoring in Environmental Design (Interiors). 

Why did you choose to come to Syracuse Florence?

I had many friends who had done the program abroad the year before and wanted to experience the same. I was so interested in the architecture and Italian culture since I am 1/2 Italian. Sad story is a had 2 friends on the Pan Am 103 flight. Those friends were returning from abroad in London just months before. 

Do you have any funny/touching stories about adjusting to Italian culture when you lived here?

Trying to fumble our way through the language with no Google Translate was hysterical. Learning how to grocery shop. Something about how you lined up with your carts in alternating directions?  Exchanging Lira for Francs, deutsche marks and Schillings when traveling. Getting to see mass with Pope John Paul II on Father’s Day. 

You married past and present during your recent return to Florence, painting around sketches you had created while a student here. How did your study abroad experience influence your career and life afterward?

I did work as an Interior Designer for 12 years but was being pushed away from the creative process and more into project management. I switched to being an art teacher 27 years ago. The best thing that is still with me is the importance of my sketchbook. I use the term “visual notetaking” with my students even to this day. 

What was it like returning to Villa Rossa?

Returning was amazing. I had all sorts of happy feels. I was so young, had barely traveled, and was in awe of Florence and Italy in general. I am very eager to return. Would love to teach there if you ever needed someone! 

Advice for current students?

Advice…stay on top of your work. Sketch EVERYWHERE. Experience it all. Sites, food, people. It goes by so fast. It’s an amazing opportunity to be there. Do not take any of it for granted. 

Two students from very different backgrounds found the same thing on the SAB — a genuine way to shape the program they were living.

Study abroad is a shared experience — but rarely a uniform one. The Student Advisory Board at Syracuse Florence exists to bridge that gap, gathering the full range of student perspectives and turning them into real change.

This past semester, Matheus Miziara Brocchi (USC) and Austin Russell (Colby College) did exactly that. Together with SUF administration, the SAB piloted a new campus app, revamped pre-departure materials and orientation, developed video campus tours, and established an anonymous student tip line to keep feedback flowing throughout the year.

I interviewed students from various friend groups at the beginning, middle, and end of the semester — to understand what had to be changed and what worked.
— Matheus Miziara Brocchi

Austin gathered input from friends, classmates, and calcetto teammates, channeling it toward a stronger orientation and more I-Explore events. “Without their input, orientation wouldn’t have changed for the better,” he says. For Matheus, the experience also shifted how he saw the staff. “They care so much more than we’d like to think as independent young adults.”

Both are clear on whether future students should apply. “The time commitment isn’t too much,” says Austin, “and you get to work with people who genuinely want to improve student life.” Matheus puts it plainly: “Apply, apply, apply.”

Applications for the Student Advisory Board open each semester.

“You never know what might happen, the friends you might make, and the incredible community you will join.”

David Higdon’s career has taken him from the courts of professional tennis to the fairways of golf, and now to the cutting edge of competitive gaming. Today, he is serving as pro bono Chief Communications Officer for USA Esports, a new national body pursuing United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee accreditation. This year, USA Esports will field 16 teams representing the country at the inaugural Esports Nations Cup in November. Alongside that work, Higdon is deepening his commitment to the family business — the Higdon Running brand built around his father Hal, who turns 95 this year. The family is expanding their digital offerings, refreshing their brand, and enhancing the widely used “Run with Hal” training app at HalHigdon.com.

But before the boardrooms of Monte Carlo, the press boxes of major sporting events, and the front offices of the NFL, there was Florence. In the interview below, Higdon reflects on how his time with Syracuse Abroad in Firenze first ignited a lifelong passion for global exploration — and set the course for everything that followed.

You’ve had some wild travel experiences, as you told The New York Times in 2009. Did your time in Florence fit into that?

I blame my global wanderlust on my incredible experience in Firenze with Syracuse Abroad. While I traveled as a youngster across the U.S., visiting all 50 states eventually, SU was my first immersion experience in Europe. The program opened my eyes to global opportunities, and I’ve since explored both personal and professional experiences around the world.  

What was your home school and what did you study while you were here at Syracuse Florence?

I matriculated at Kalamazoo College, an OG in academic foreign study, but they didn’t have an Italian track. Some K students and I convinced a French professor to teach us Italian (my mother’s parents were Italian), and we researched collegiate abroad programs and landed on Syracuse University due to its reputation and curriculum. Of course, I studied Art History in Florence.

What was your host family experience like?

Signora Tedesco didn’t exactly fit the quintessential home family mode. She was, let’s just say, “frugal,” so spaghetti con burro and pane were our meal staples. But the view from our room of Sante Croce church was incredible. Plus, while we didn’t have any surplus sustenance, we also didn’t have a curfew! 

Do you have any funny/interesting/touching memories of cultural shock/adjustment to living in Italy?

I decided to hitchhike on a Syracuse Abroad field trip rather than travel with the school bus, and I had no problem securing friendly rides and gabbing in Italian while in the Tuscany area. However, as night started to descend when I was in northern Italy, I found myself shivering on the side of a mountain road, wondering where I would spend the night. However, the SU bus came roaring up the hill and I was able to wave it down. A classmate in the back of the bus laughed and shouted: “Higdon told me to look for him en route! I thought he was kidding!!”

Another memory was walking to Piazza Savonarola from the Piazza Sante Croce area every morning and evening. It offered a tapestry of color, diversity, and beauty, from building architecture to food stands to the local residents. When you peel away from the touristy areas, which SU administration encourages and is reflected in its Villa Rossa home, you really immerse yourself in true Tuscan culture.  

What stands out about returning to Florence and Villa Rossa in 2024?

My nephew asked me to officiate his wedding in Tuscany in 2024, so I made sure to return to Villa Rossa with my wife Sharon when we were there. She loved the old-school Italian vibe and architecture, and I appreciate how Syracuse’s home had evolved while still maintaining its heart and soul. It’s a wonderful place to serve as a base to explore the city, country, and continent.  

You’ve built an impressive career as a communications strategist for sports organizations. Did your time in Florence have any influence on that?

Nearly all stops on my career path reflect my global ambitions triggered by Syracuse Abroad. Tennis, golf, esports, and NFL are all international businesses in which I’ve worked.

Needless to say, I’m a huge advocate for foreign study broadly and Syracuse Abroad specifically. My children Jake and Sophie both studied overseas (South Africa and Denmark), and they also lived in Europe part of one year when I was based out of Monte Carlo working in tennis. I regularly encourage all students, young and old, to consider studying and/or working overseas — and it’s never too late to do so!

By Valentina Brocchi

On April 23 Syracuse Florence opened the doors of Villa Rossa for a full-day training aimed at early-career professionals in the Student Services sector. As part of the professional development opportunities offered by the Forum on Education Abroad – an international association based in the U.S. committed to improving the quality and impact of education abroad – the Florence event gathered professionals in the study abroad sector from all over Italy, offering an invaluable chance to share practices and experiences and foster professional growth.

The workshop was led by two Syracuse Abroad colleagues: Seth Tucker, Director of Global Safety and Support at Syracuse Abroad, and Stewart Clegg, Assistant Director of Student Well-being at Syracuse University London. Drawing on content developed by both the Syracuse University Abroad Learning Institute (SUALI) and the Forum on Education Abroad’s Standards of Good Practice, the sessions offered practical training and insight into supporting U.S. study abroad students across diverse institutional settings. 

They covered topics such as providing quality student life advising, health and wellness programming, risk management, and crisis response. Sessions combined interactive activities, case-based learning, and expert facilitation to help participants develop an understanding of the student services profession in a study abroad context.

The workshop also brought together five Syracuse Florence staff members with colleagues from other Syracuse centers. It was a welcome opportunity to meet people with whom they collaborate closely, albeit at a distance.

“This training was particularly valuable for me,” said Syracuse Florence student advisor Martina Daniele. “It was designed for those who, like me, are taking their first steps in the world of study abroad, providing practical tools for professional growth. From my perspective, hands-on experience is essential, but it is equally important to take the time to pause, reflect, and deepen one’s understanding of best practices and procedures.”

Training participants received a digital badge, issued by the Syracuse University Abroad Learning Institute, to certify skills acquired through the program.

What started as a study abroad experience at Syracuse Florence quickly became something much bigger. Lila Boyle, a sociology student from Syracuse University, transformed her time in Italy into a grassroots fundraising effort—raising over €2,200 to support single mothers across the city. 

Through the I-Engage volunteering program, Lila worked with Fondazione Solidarietà Caritas di Firenze (FS Caritas), where she saw firsthand the hurdles many women face in accessing stable housing, employment, and healthcare. Motivated to act, she launched a personal fundraiser that quickly gained momentum within the campus community. 

The highlight was a vibrant charity raffle held alongside the Women Artists Wikipedia Marathon, transforming an already inspiring event into a moment of collective generosity. With the support of long-standing local partners, the raffle featured unique prizes from Florentine artisans such as Scuola del Cuoio, Museo de’ Medici, and Atelier Essere—offering everything from handcrafted leather goods to local cultural experiences. 

Every dollar raised was donated to FS Caritas to support programs for women in vulnerable situations. During her visit to Casa San Michele, one of the organization’s residential homes, Lila saw exactly how these funds translate into direct aid. “In Florence, it’s incredibly difficult for single mothers to access the resources they need,” Lila noted, pointing to systemic barriers like the lack of job protection during maternity leave and the competitive nature of accessing childcare. 

In a city where these resources can feel out of reach, Lila saw FS Caritas as a vital connection. By providing food, job assistance, and even access to volunteer doctors, the organization’s homes give these women and their children what Lila described as a “real opportunity to get back on their feet.” 

Lila’s initiative is a powerful example of how local action creates real change. In just a few months, she brought together a community, amplified an urgent issue, and delivered tangible support where it’s needed most.

Syracuse Florence Professor Kyle Griffith, who will be teaching Production and Operations Management in the fall, has recently launched an innovative AI-powered application called Formatr. The platform is designed to help students streamline the formatting of academic papers while also supporting researchers and academics in preparing their work for publication.

Professor Griffith says he began developing the concept over a decade ago, drawing on years of teaching, researching, and advising students across the U.S., U.K., and Europe. Through conversations with students and fellow academics, he identified a consistent set of frustrations and recognized the need for a smarter solution.

The response from users has been impressive. Formatr has reached a growth rate of 2,000 downloads per month, a testament to how widely felt those academic frustrations are. For Professor Griffith, the mission is straightforward: to give every scholar — student or researcher — the tools they need to focus on what matters most, their ideas.

On Monday, April 20, Syracuse Florence partnered once again with writer and cultural curator Linda Falcone of Calliope Arts for a Women Artists Wikipedia Editing Marathon — an event that has become one of the most energizing traditions on our academic calendar.

The first edition took place in 2014 and the second was held last year. This third edition proved so successful and so genuinely moving for everyone involved that we have decided to make it a permanent fixture: from now on, we will host the marathon once a semester.

This year’s edition brought together over 40 participants — including five art history graduate students, undergraduates, staff, faculty, and members of the public — in a shared effort to give long-overdue visibility to forgotten women artists. Among our special guests were two members of Wiki Donne, who traveled from Rome to Florence especially for the occasion. We were also deeply honored by the presence of the granddaughter of Lola Costa, one of the artists whose Wikipedia page we worked on that day.

Taking inspiration from Wiki Donne, we titled the event “Before the Selfie” — a reminder of how much harder it was for women artists to publicize their work before the age of social media. An artist like Elena Salvini Pierallini — Florentine embroiderer, photographer, and book artist, also known as ESP — could enjoy a full career with international exhibitions and leave almost no trace of herself online.

In the morning, our five graduate students rose to that challenge by creating a brand-new Wikipedia page for Pierallini, currently under review with Wikipedia editors. The timing proved serendipitous: Linda Falcone was able to share with the group that an exhibition of Pierallini’s work is being planned for this coming summer, making our students’ contribution all the more timely and meaningful.

The afternoon saw two parallel working groups tackle two more overlooked figures. The first created a new page for Flavia Arlotta, a painter of equal talent to her better-known painter husband, but far less recognized by history. The second group expanded the existing entry for Lola Costa, whose Villa Il Palmerino — nestled in the hills above Florence — continues to be a living hub for artists to this day.

The atmosphere throughout was electric. There is something uniquely powerful about pressing “publish” and knowing that, from that moment on, a woman who had been all but invisible to the internet simply… isn’t anymore.

We are proud to be doing our part to close a significant gap: women represent only 17% of biographies on Italian Wikipedia, and 20% on English Wikipedia. With our students, our faculty, and the engaged members of the public who join us for these events, we are committed to making those numbers grow — one page at a time.