Mary Jane, May, and Wallis have always cherished their lifechanging experience in Florence together and have returned several times over the years, including a reunion trip last fall during which they revisited the Villa Rossa. We asked them to share some of their memories.
News
D’Aniello Scholarship Helps Air National Guardsman Spend Final Semester in Florence
The shadow of Florence’s cathedral dome is a far cry from the inner-city neighborhood where Syracuse senior Jean Castilla got his start. Raised by Panamanian parents in East New York, Brooklyn, Jean became the first member of his family to go to college thanks to a feisty, determined spirit that emerged early on.
Professor Patricia Lurati Helps Select Pieces for Pitti Fashion Museum
Professor Patricia Lurati, who teaches our History of Fashion class, served on the committee that selected pieces to display at Florence’s newly reopened Museum of Costume and Fashion, located on the 2nd floor of the Pitti Palace.
Architecture Student Photographs Study Abroad Experience for Home Campus
During the Fall 24 semester, Syracuse student Qianzhen Li was assigned to take photographs of the student experience at the Syracuse Abroad center in Florence. Read more about Li and his photography internship at the home campus in this article on the Syracuse University website.
Student Intern Teaches English to Kids
Syracuse University anthropology major Ella Roerden came to Florence on the Discovery Program, meaning it was her first-ever college semester. She reflects here on her internship teaching English at a local elementary school called Madre Mazzarello in a neighborhood north-east of downtown about a 20-minute walk from SU Florence.
Students Play Soccer in Fiorenza School Cup
In a spirited display of camaraderie and athletic prowess, Syracuse Florence participated in the 34th edition of the Fiorenza School Cup, a calcetto (5-a-side soccer) tournament held at the iconic Lion’s Fountain in the heart of Florence. This annual event brought together students from various U.S. colleges in Florence spending a semester abroad, turning the historical city into a bustling hub of friendly competition.
Student Tianyi Zheng Stages Captivating Solo Show at the Villa Rossa
Every once in a while a Syracuse Florence student leaves an indelible mark on staff and faculty alike. Chinese-born Tianyi Zheng is one of those students. Tianyi studied in Florence in Fall 2023 and crowned her semester with a spell-binding art exhibition, “Giligulu,” that even attracted media attention from abroad.
Engineering Professor Ridolfi Works on Reopening of Arno River Tunnel
Professor Alessandro Ridolfi, who teaches a class on Dynamics for our engineering students, has collaborated on an exciting plan to reopen a pedestrian tunnel beneath Florence’s Arno River as a researcher with the University of Florence’s Department of Industrial Engineering (UNIFI DIEF), working on an underwater robot used to monitor the flooded tunnel (pictured above).
Students Welcomed by Florence Mayor
On February 7 four of our students attended Welcome Day 2024 in the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence’s city hall. The event took place in the grandiose Salone dei Cinquecento which is decorated with 16th-century frescoes and Renaissance marble statues. “It was a great event, and I was able to speak to the mayor!” enthused Jean Castilla, who took the photos published here.
Professor Jonathan Nelson Publishes Free-to-Download Book
Art history professor Jonathan Nelson has co-authored a book that is free to download from here until January 25. Prof. Nelson wrote Risks in Renaissance Art: Production, Purchase and Reception with Harvard economist Richard Zeckhauser, weaving insights from their two disciplines to produce this study. The two also co-wrote The Patron’s Payoff published by Princeton University Press in 2014.