L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 32 L'Italo-Americano day the students will travel to t h e n e i g h b o r i n g t o w n o f Assisi, birthplace of Saint Francis, where they will visit the basilica to view frescoes by renowned artists Cimabue and Giotto. The program's last week coincides with the waning days of Umbria Jazz, one of Europe's most impor- tant jazz festivals. This year, Umbria Jazz runs July 12-21. One goal of the new study- abroad program for the Uni- versity of Washington is to i n s p i r e m o r e s t u d e n t s t o declare Italian as a minor (The UW no longer offers Italian as a major). "Learning a foreign language in a class- room setting can be artificial at times," said Arduini, "so we hope this focus on food and art will be fun and provide an incentive for students to stay in the Italian program." She also hopes this is just the first step in a long part- nership between the two uni- versities. "In the future, we may explore an exchange program with Perugia where one of its graduate students, perhaps in Italian pedagogy, travels to Seattle to teach at the classroom to go on field trips where they will meet with chefs and local farmers. There might be a cooking class, a visit to a local choco- late factory – Perugia, after all, is famous for its choco- lates — and a trip to see how sustainable olive oil is pro- duced in nearby Trevi. These expeditions will enable stu- dents to apply their new lan- guage skills while learning about community and sus- tainability through the lens of food. The second course, called Architecture and Art in Italy, is taught by UW Assistant T e a c h i n g P r o f e s s o r I r i n a M a r k i n a . T h i s s e g m e n t brings students out of the c l a s s r o o m a n d o n t o c i t y streets, where they will walk in the footsteps of the great artists, such as Pietro Van- nucci, nicknamed Perugino for the years he studied and w o r k e d i n P e r u g i a , a n d Raphael, who spent his for- mative years in the Umbrian capital. T h i s s e g m e n t i n c l u d e s f i e l d t r i p s t o m u s e u m s , churches and piazzas. One the UW," she said. "We think our study-abroad program is just the beginning." It's a difficult time for col- leges nationwide that offer instruction in traditional Western languages. A 2023 report from the Modern Lan- guage Association notes that enrollment in language class- e s o t h e r t h a n E n g l i s h dropped a record 16.6% from 2 0 1 6 - 2 0 2 1 . A l t h o u g h t h e news is disturbing, it is grati- fying to know that Italian remains among the top 10 foreign languages taught in American colleges and uni- versities. Arduini hopes the new study-abroad program w i l l h e l p g a i n e v e n m o r e ground. "Italian studies con- t i n u e t o s t r u g g l e a m i d a national decline," she said. "This includes the UW which has a very small Italian lan- guage program. We hope our new study-abroad program, and our partnership with P e r u g i a ' s U n i v e r s i t à p e r Stranieri, will inspire current and future students to study the Italian language and stay engaged with its culture and heritage." t h e n , i t s u n i v e r s i t i e s — b o t h U n i v e r s i t à p e r Stranieri and the University of Perugia— have supported the sister city relationships by providing scholarships that encouraged students and adults from Seattle to study Italian and Italian culture in Perugia. This new partner- ship with the University of Washington through the food and culture study-abroad p r o g r a m a d d s v a l u e t o a l o n g - l a s t i n g f r i e n d s h i p between the two cities." The meetings were a suc- cess and led to UW's new study-abroad program, Art & F o o d i n t h e G r e e n Heart of Italy, which will take place June 15 to July 18. The program is split into two courses. The first is an Italian l a n g u a g e c l a s s c a l l e d A Tavola! Italian Food and Conversation, taught by a professor from the Univer- sità per Stranieri. Four days a week, students will inte- grate Italian language classes with readings and conversa- tions revolving around the theme of food. On Fridays, students leave T he Umbrian city of Perugia is a j o y t o e x p l o r e , with centuries of h i s t o r y a n d charm in every stone wall and w i n d i n g a l l e y w a y . W h o wouldn't want to spend June a n d J u l y e x p l o r i n g t h i s vibrant Umbrian capital? On June 15 of this year, 12 University of Washing- ton students will do just that, a s t h e y i n a u g u r a t e a n e w s t u d y - a b r o a d p r o g r a m i n Perugia focused on food, art, and architecture. Nestled around a medieval piazza, perched among the green hills of Umbria, Peru- gia is one of the 12 confeder- ate cities of the ancient Etr- uscans. It is a lively cultural center with several interna- tionally renowned universi- ties, offering the best of Italy without the crushing hordes of summer tourists. These were some of the key reasons why the University of Wash- ington was so receptive to p a r t n e r i n g w i t h P e r u g i a ' s U n i v e r s i t à p e r Stranieri (University for For- eigners). "When students study in Italy, their interest is usually broader than just the lan- guage component," explained Assistant Professor Beatrice Arduini, Chair, French & Italian Studies, University of W a s h i n g t o n . " T h e y a r e attracted by the history, the art, the food. Perugia offers a culturally rich setting that is centrally located within Italy but where, unlike other Ital- ian cities that are so crowded, students can interact with the locals and have more authen- tic experiences. It's a city that warmly welcomes foreigners, following a tradition estab- lished centuries ago. That's part of its heritage." The planning began nearly two years ago when represen- tatives from Perugia's Uni- versità per Stranieri arrived in Seattle to meet with col- leagues at the UW's Italian Studies program. The Italian delegation included Professor Valerio De Cesaris, rector, and Valentina Seri, direc- tor of International Relations, both with the Università per Stranieri. "Perugia and Seattle estab- lished a sister city agreement 31 years ago," said Elisabet- ta Valentini, honorary con- sul of Italy in Seattle. "Since UW launches food and culture study-abroad program in Perugia RITA CIPALLA SEATTLE ITALIAN COMMUNITY Assistant Professor Beatrice Arduini chairs the University of Washington's French & Italian Studies program (Photo courtesy of Beatrice Arduini); bottom left, the University of Washington's new food-and-culture study-abroad program will hold classes in Palazzo Gallenga, an ornate 18th-century building and home to Perugia's University for Foreigners (Photo: Rita Cipalla)

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