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Back to school
Day two saw alumni attending class, both on campus and out in the city’s streets and museums, through Alumni University. Options were rich and varied: an early morning photography class on Ponte Vecchio with Professor Nick Kraczyna, an Italian language class with Professor Loredana Tarini, sketching the city with Larry Davis, Coordinator of the School of Architecture, a lecture about the history of the Mafia with Professor Natalia Piombino, a private visit of the Duomo and Baptistry with Professor Alick McLean and Rocky Ruggiero, a walk in the Oltrarno neighborhood with Rocky Ruggiero, and a tour tracing the life of Michelangelo with Professor Rab Hatfield, alumni were on the go from sunup to sundown. Said one alumna, “I have never been so exhausted in my life—and I couldn’t be happier about it! It was an absolutely perfect day.” Participants had a chance to relax afterwards with a reception in the Studio Arts building before being whisked off to dinner in local trattoria or with Italian host families, accompanied by members of SUF staff and faculty.

Alumni University continued on day three. Alumni were hard-pressed to choose between Masterpieces of the Uffizi and a Private Visit to the Vasari Corridor with Elaine Ruffolo and Professor Jane Zaloga, an early-morning walk around San Lorenzo with SUF Fine Arts graduate students, a private visit to the most important art restoration laboratory in the world with Professor Diane Kunzelman, and a round table on modern Italy with SUF Professors Simone Anselmi, Matteo Duni, and Debora Spini. Professor Jonathan Nelson took alumni through the Accademia for an in-depth analysis of Michelangelo’s David and Unfinished Prisoners, as well as gave a curator’s insight to the current Robert Mapplethorpe exhibit, which he co-curated. Alumna Nora Lavori noted, "Nearly forty years have passed since I attended SUF but once again I was impressed, not only with the warm welcome we received but also with the rigor of the teaching we experienced this week and the extraordinary access SUF has to the riches of Florence."

Celebrating the rapport with the city
At 5pm of the third day the closing ceremony began in the historic Orsanmichele building, with Vice Mayor Dario Nardella and Vice President of the Region of Tuscany Federico Gelli. SUF has a warm relationship with the Florence city government, which has evolved over years of cooperation and has been enhanced by SUF internship and volunteer programs. Both Nardella and Gelli paid tribute to the institution, praising SUF for its commitment to creating a long-term relationship between the SUF community and the inhabitants of the host city. Nardella and Gelli both commented that the city and the university have benefited hugely from this relationship.

Deimling spoke about the important role study abroad plays in advancing the awareness of the global citizen, noting that “SUF formed a goal of community engagement well before it became a catch phrase used by other study abroad institutions.” The list of achievements in community engagement and academic excellence can be attributed in large part to a genuine commitment to intercultural communication. Deimling pledged SUF’s intent to continue with this commitment.

The conclusion of the salutations saw yet another extraordinary opportunity for SUF festa participants: guests made their way to the second floor of Orsanmichele where the original statues which once adorned the niches of the outside of the church are on display, breathtakingly close to the viewer. In this amazing setting three groups were formed and Hatfield, Ruffolo, and Ruggiero treated the SUF party to a brief history of each sculpture.

The official celebration ended with a farewell dinner hosted by Mary Ellen Countryman, U.S. Consul General for Florence, in the U.S. Consulate, an elegant palazzo on the banks of the Arno. Alumni were delighted to be welcomed by Countryman to the reception in their honor. Said Michael Anzivina, SUF 1960, I enjoyed every bit of the 50th celebration. It was one of the most intense experiences I've had in a long time: the visits to key monuments and museums in Florence with Syracuse's superb staff and faculty were fantastic, not to mention the wonderful receptions hosted in our honor. Of course, it was also a special privilege to be received by local officials and by the US Consul General. The trip to Southern Tuscany on a beautiful autumn day also reminded me what a privilege it was to have participated in the SUF program many years ago.”

Jon Booth, Executive Director of SU Abroad, attended the celebration and had this to say: “The Florence 50th Festa was a wonderful series of events for SUF alums, faculty and staff. The alums could re-experience Florence with others with a shared past, and celebrate the profound impact of study abroad on their lives. They got to be students again and see our talented faculty and staff in action. The faculty and staff did a superb job and enjoyed the opportunity to celebrate the years of continuous quality and accomplishment of SUF and be affirmed by the alums for the important work all are doing. It was a privilege to be here for the celebration.”