News - November 20, 2009

Tandem encounters

Italian students visited the Italian Department at SUF and, enchanted by the Villa Rossa and its students, wrote an article for the local newspaper Il Tirreno about their unique experience.

The SUF Italian department collaborates with over thirty schools at the high school and university levels, in Florence and the surrounding province. Each Italian language class is partnered with an English language class at a local school for the SUF Tandem program. The purpose of these encounters is to have American and Italian students work together on different tasks, thereby motivating their interest in learning a foreign language and better understanding a different culture, while improving communication skills in the respective target languages. Says Loredana Tarini, Coordinator of the Italian Department, “We have been organizing Tandem meetings for a few years now and have collaborated with many different schools but the Liceo Enrico Fermi from Cecina is certainly one of our most enthusiastic and loyal partners. This article, written by a group of students who visited us last semester, shows it.”

A new group from the Liceo Enrico Fermi recently participated in yet another Tandem encounter at SUF and, once again, it was a success for both sides. Said Nicole Wageck, SU, “I had so much fun talking with Italian students. It really helped me understand how to use the language with people my age. Getting to know students from Italy, not only American students, was great. They were so nice and we really got know them using the Italian language which is a great skill to have. I loved talking with them!”

Martina Tardioli and Arianna Donati, Italian students and co-authors of the article published in the Italian newspaper, wrote “This is the most interesting project we have participated in during the five years we have been at liceo. After an initial awkwardness the conversation just flowed. It reinforced our belief that intercultural and linguistic exchange are the foundation of any project aimed at cultural integration.”

SUF students agree that the key to the success of the Tandem encounters lies in the fact that they are meeting their Italian peers. Noted Alaina Mallette, SU, “Meeting and talking with the Italian students was one of the best experiences I have had here in Italy. It was wonderful being able to talk to students my age, with whom I can relate, but also with whom I differ so much. I enjoyed learning the differences between our cultures and making new friends on top of that. This experience is not one I will ever forget!” Chandini Pierre, also of SU, agrees, “Getting a chance to speak with the Italian students was absolutely amazing, and it really encompassed everything that we came to Italy for. We were able to practice our speaking skills while interacting with Italians our own age, and we made new friends at the same time. This was truly an important and exciting experience for everyone—we all want to do it again.”

A call for excellence: professors submit selected student nominees for Coluccio Salutati Prize fall 2009

Faculty members have submitted their nominees for SUF’s Coluccio Salutati Prize, a merit award for undergraduate and graduate students intended to recognize those who have aspired to the highest level of integration into the Italian culture, as well as those who have demonstrated academic achievement through their performance in class. Nominated students will then be invited to submit an essay by Thursday, November 26, either in English or Italian, on some aspect of their experience in Italy. Winners will be announced December 2, and the four winning students will be honored at the Academic Excellence Awards Ceremony on Thursday, December 10.


Upcoming SUF events

Lecture
Terragni and his Architectural Research 1926-1943:
A Two-Part Colloquium
Giorgio Ciucci
November 30, 2009
4pm Part 1
6pm Part 2
SUF Gallery, Piazzale Donatello 21