News - October 10, 2008

Bringing election coverage closer to the SU Florence campus

This is an extraordinary presidential election at an extraordinary time. SU Florence has invited Roberto D’Alimonte, from the University of Florence, to present a lecture on the latest developments in the U.S. presidential elections.

D’Alimonte will speak about the very tight race for the presidency. The outgoing president is highly unpopular, the economy is in serious trouble, an unpopular war is still on. In the past any one of these factors would have been enough to defeat the candidate of the incumbent party. Thus, today there should be no contest between the Democrat and the Republican candidates; the Democrat should be ahead by a wide margin. Yet that is not the case. Though polls show Obama slightly ahead on the current wave of financial crisis, the race is still on. Why?

D’Alimonte teaches a course on the Italian Political System at the University of Florence and a course on Political Science at New York University in Florence. He has been visiting professor at the universities of Yale and Stanford. He was appointed expert advisor to the former government on elections. His research interests are focused on the study of democracy, elections and electoral systems and his publications include books on Italian political elections and party system.

Says SUF Lecture Coordinator Natalia Piombino, “Civic awareness strengthens democracy and, regardless of political affiliation, it's important for students to keep informed about the issues at hand and vote, even if they find themselves far away from America in a study abroad program. Through this lecture we hope to encourage students to reflect on the issues surrounding the upcoming elections and take part in this important aspect of the American political process.”

D’Alimonte’s lecture Obama vs McCain: Why is it still a tight race? will take place on Wednesday, October 15, at 6:20 p.m. in room 13 of the Villa Rossa.

Option II students begin full immersion in language and culture

October marked the beginning of a second, important part of the study-abroad experience for nine SUF students as they began Option II, SUF’s intensive language program at the Centro per Stranieri, a special department of the University of Florence.

Option II is for students who are majoring in Italian or have studied at least four semesters of Italian, and provides them with a full-immersion experience enhancing both speaking and writing skills.

Current Option II student Bobby DeSimone commented, “The Centro offers a process for learning Italian that American-based schooling simply cannot provide. Totally immersing yourself in an atypical environment where the only commonality amongst peoples is the Italian language necessitates that one become more than just familiar with the language.”

The Centro provides a diverse, multinational learning environment that places SUF students among peers from throughout the world, representing over ten different countries. Diana Compito, Option II student currently enrolled in the superiore level, says, “The professor bases the conversations in class on the notion that almost everyone is from a different country, which ensures discussions highlighting the differences and similarities between the myriad of countries represented, ranging from topics such as school systems to types of governments.”

Says Antonella Francini, Coordinator of SUF’s Option II program, “Students typically finish the program having benefited enormously in terms of fluency and vocabulary.” Option II students will finish the ten-week session and take exams at the Centro in time to free them up for finals at the SUF campus.