{"id":14138,"date":"2026-01-27T16:40:54","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T15:40:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/suabroad.syr.edu\/florence\/?p=14138"},"modified":"2026-01-27T17:56:36","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T16:56:36","slug":"a-new-more-accessible-welcome-at-villa-rossa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/suabroad.syr.edu\/florence\/2026\/01\/27\/a-new-more-accessible-welcome-at-villa-rossa\/","title":{"rendered":"A New, More Accessible Welcome at Villa Rossa\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Syracuse University Florence celebrated\u00a0an important step\u00a0forward for campus accessibility on January 19, inaugurating the new entrance to Villa Rossa at its Piazza Savonarola location. The ceremony marked the completion of renovations that significantly reduce architectural barriers and improve access for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The work was made possible through the exceptional generosity of Daniel D\u2019Aniello and his wife, Gayle, whose major gift in 2022 supported the participation of disadvantaged students and contributed to making the Florence center\u2019s facilities more accessible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For Daniel D\u2019Aniello, the initiative carries special meaning. A Syracuse University\u00a0alumnus\u00a0who studied in Florence in fall 1966, he\u00a0witnessed\u00a0one of the city\u2019s most dramatic moments in modern history: the Great Flood of November 4, 1966. During that emergency, he joined the ranks of the \u201cAngeli del\u00a0Fango\u201d (mud angels), volunteers who worked tirelessly to help protect Florence\u2019s artistic and cultural heritage. In recognition of that enduring connection, the City of Florence awarded him the Keys to the City in 2023\u2014a bond that now takes a tangible form for today\u2019s university community, in the 60th anniversary year of the Flood.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI express our profound gratitude to Daniel and Gayle D\u2019Aniello,\u201d said Sasha Perugini, Director of Syracuse University Florence. \u201cThis work enhances the heritage of Villa Rossa and will make the experience of our students even more welcoming and inclusive. D\u2019Aniello perfectly embodies what we believe in: study abroad creates authentic, meaningful bonds that endure across decades, enriching both students and the communities that host them.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
From left: \u00a0Bernard Dika, Undersecretary to the President of the Tuscan Region, Dario Danti, Florence City Councillor for Universities and Research, Michele Pierguidi, President of District 2, and Sasha Perugini, Director of Syracuse Florence<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The inauguration was attended by representatives of local and regional institutions, reflecting the broader value of Syracuse University Florence\u2019s presence and partnership in the city. Guests included Dario Danti, City Councilor for University and Research, Bernard Dika, Undersecretary to the President of the Tuscany Region, and Michele Pierguidi, President of District 2. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSince 1959, Syracuse University in Florence has been an authoritative presence in our city,\u201d said Dario Danti, noting the campus\u2019s growth over the years while remaining rooted in its founding purpose: helping students deepen their understanding of Italian art and society and building lasting intercultural relationships with Florence. He emphasized confidence that the campus will continue serving as a cultural link between communities through the exchange of ideas and perspectives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dario Nardella, Member of the European Parliament and former Mayor of Florence at the time of the D\u2019Aniello donation and the presentation of the Keys to the City, was unable to attend due to unexpected commitments. In a message shared for the occasion, he expressed satisfaction at seeing the project completed and recalled D\u2019Aniello\u2019s contribution\u2014then and now\u2014to Florence\u2019s community and cultural heritage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

More than an architectural upgrade, the new entrance stands as a practical expression of Syracuse University Florence\u2019s values: a campus that welcomes people more fully, supports participation, and remains open to the Florentine and international community. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Syracuse University Florence celebrated\u00a0an important step\u00a0forward for campus accessibility on January 19, inaugurating the new entrance to Villa Rossa at its Piazza Savonarola location. The ceremony marked the completion of renovations that significantly reduce architectural barriers and improve access for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.\u00a0 The work was made possible through the exceptional generosity of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":14151,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"wds_primary_category":1,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14138","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/suabroad.syr.edu\/florence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14138","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/suabroad.syr.edu\/florence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/suabroad.syr.edu\/florence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/suabroad.syr.edu\/florence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/suabroad.syr.edu\/florence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14138"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/suabroad.syr.edu\/florence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14138\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14153,"href":"https:\/\/suabroad.syr.edu\/florence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14138\/revisions\/14153"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/suabroad.syr.edu\/florence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14151"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/suabroad.syr.edu\/florence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14138"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/suabroad.syr.edu\/florence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14138"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/suabroad.syr.edu\/florence\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14138"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}