L'Italo-Americano

mation was begun in the late 1930s by Benito Mussolini to showcase a 1942 world expo. When World War II erupted, construction was halted, and the imposing structures were not completed until many years later. One of the EUR's most iconic buildings is the Palaz- zo della Civiltà Italiana. With its arcaded windows and classically rendered stat- ues, it's easy to see why the structure bears the nickname "the square colosseum." The group also toured sev- eral floors of the Palazzo dei Congressi, a conference cen- ter and exhibition space that opened in 1960 during the Rome Olympics. Although its theater-like façade is not as dramatic as the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, its entrance hall, interior staircases and a n d l a n g u a g e i n s t r u c t o r Valentina Mariani. Mastrogiacomo provided guided visits to the ruins of the Palatine, a walk through the newly inaugurated Piazza Pia, and art-history tours of Palazzo Barberini and Villa d'Este in Tivoli. Also included was a half-day tour of the non-Catholic cemetery – a lush contemplative space that was the final resting spot for many writers and artists, i n c l u d i n g R o m a n t i c p o e t John Keats and contempo- rary mystery writer Andrea Camilleri. Lo Pinto accompanied the group south of the city for a close-up look at the EUR dis- trict (Esposizione Universale Roma), a neighborhood of grand buildings and stately boulevards seldom visited by tourists. The area's transfor- rooftop deck achieved anoth- er kind of fame: they were s h o w c a s e d i n B e r n a r d o Bertolucci's 1970 political d r a m a , T h e C o n f o r m i s t , which the group had viewed the evening before. The EUR is also home to several excellent museums on science, culture and the history of Rome. But the program was not just about tours and classes. There was also a hands-on Renaissance-inspired cook- i n g c l a s s h e l d a t E n o t e c a Corsi and designed by Clau- dia Paiella, owner of 3Inch- Fat, whose family has owned the enoteca for several gener- a t i o n s . T o a d d t o t h e evening's ambience, Paiella w e l c o m e d t h e g r o u p i n a beautiful dusky-blue silk and brocade gown reminiscent of the era. At individual cooking sta- tions, the students eagerly began prepping the meal. First up was carabaccia, a centuries-old Tuscan onion soup – a simple dish served with grated cheese and toast- ed bread. Legend suggests it was a favorite of Leonardo DaVinci. This was followed by rolling out tortellini filled with squash and for dessert, a n a l m o n d b l a n c m a n g e . Before long the group was settled at tables, enjoying the meal with a glass of wine. At week's end, Neumeis- ter, Agostinelli and the teach- ing team were thrilled with t h e i n a u g u r a l S c h o l a r s Abroad program. "It was a fabulous group of adventur- ous people," said Neumeis- ter. "Everyone was curious, engaged and genuinely excit- ed to explore Rome through a different lens than what the typical tourist experience offers. We'll keep this model for the future." In fact, plans are already underway to design four new Scholars Abroad programs for 2026: two in June (gar- dens of Rome and opera) and two in December (topics as yet unconfirmed). The pair of summer and winter sessions will be scheduled back-to- back so it's possible to extend the learning journey, delving deeper into the history, cul- ture and contemporary life of Rome. independently explore the city during their free time. Scholars Abroad was two years in the making, created b y A m i t y N e u m e i s t e r , who is also the Rome Cen- ter's resident director, and Virginia Agostinelli. The two not only wanted to use the Eternal City itself as a vibrant classroom but also to grow and strengthen ties to the community and maxi- m i z e u s e o f t h e b u i l d i n g w h e n s t u d e n t s w e r e o n break. Three instructors partici- pated in the weeklong pro- gram: Mariella Mastro- g i a c o m o , a Rome-based scholar who specializes in a r c h i t e c t u r e a n d u r b a n transformation; Alberto Lo Pinto, an expert in history and cinema with a doctoral degree from Notre Dame; I t was a diverse group in both age and pro- fession. They ranged f r o m t h e i r 3 0 s t o their 80s, and repre- sented careers in aviation, social work, artificial intelli- gence and finance, to name a f e w . M o s t w e r e f r o m t h e Seattle region, although a few had flown in from Phoenix, Los Angeles and Florida. What was the bond that brought these 21 individuals t o R o m e t h e w e e k b e f o r e C h r i s t m a s ? I n a p h r a s e , their passion for Italy – its history, culture, language and food. The group was part of an inaugural weeklong adult- education program called S c h o l a r s A b r o a d , launched by the University of Washington last year. Using the Eternal City as a base, the program enables adult learners to explore Ital- ian art, architecture and cul- ture; engage with UW schol- ars and local experts; and enjoy the liveliness of the city's streets and neighbor- hoods. The holiday lights, Christmas markets and other year-end festivities were an added bonus. The Rome Center has been the UW's classroom in Italy since the early 1980s and hosts about 400 students a year. It occupies three floors in Palazzo Pio, a 15 th -century building located on Campo de' Fiori, a lively marketplace in the center of the ancient city. Palazzo Pio was built on the foundations of Pompey the Great's theater and the building is rich in historical significance. The center's classrooms, meeting spaces, library and outside terrace were exten- sively renovated a few years ago. The building also houses a handful of spacious apart- ments for VIP and faculty use. The December program was chockablock with in- classroom presentations, site visits, lively discussions and immersive experiences such as a Renaissance cooking class and film screenings. Each day included an hour of beginner language instruc- t i o n f o c u s e d o n p r a c t i c a l s k i l l s – l i k e o r d e r i n g a n espresso! More advanced Italian speakers took part in a facilitated conversation class during that time. Each scholar was given a one-week m e t r o p a s s t o h e l p t h e m A cooking class with a Renaissance-inspired three-course menu, designed by Claudia Paiella, was held in her family's enoteca in central Rome (Photo: Rita Cipalla) UW's Scholars Abroad: a program rich in cultural experiences RITA CIPALLA THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2026 www.italoamericano.org 26 L'Italo-Americano Ruffalo in a scene of "Task" (Photo: Peter Kramer/HBO) SEATTLE ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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