Welcome to Syracuse Florence! The Student Services team is here to support you throughout your time in Italy – from housing and health to activities, events, and anything in between. Whether it’s a question about your apartment, a concern about a class, or just needing someone to talk to, we’re your first point of contact.
Florence is a small city with an extraordinary ability to surprise you. You’ll wander through streets that have barely changed in five centuries, stumble upon a hidden piazza, find your favourite gelateria, and have conversations in a language you’re still learning – and somehow it all works. It’s the kind of place that rewards curiosity, and the more you put in, the more you get back.
That’s what makes study abroad here so special. Yes, you’ll visit the Uffizi and stand in front of Brunelleschi’s dome – but it’s the everyday moments that will stay with you the longest. A dinner with a local family, an afternoon volunteering in the community, a morning spent chatting with your neighbourhood barista in Italian. These are the experiences that will shape the way you see the world, and yourself.
Our job is to make sure you feel supported, connected, and ready to make the most of this experience. We’re here every step of the way – and we genuinely love what we do.
We can’t wait to meet you. This is going to be a great semester.
Mario Russo
Contact Information
- Location: Villa Rossa RM 21
- Email: mrusso22@syr.edu
- Work Phone: +39 055-503-1358
Mario Russo oversees the Student Services team, housing, orientation, and student wellbeing at Syracuse Florence. His firsthand knowledge of Florentine culture and institutions brings a focus on authentic engagement with the local community to the program.