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Rob Mariottini

Born to an American mother and an Italian father, Rob was born in NY and raised in New Rochelle. With his father originating from Rome, Rob has always felt a strong connection with his American and Italian roots and is a very passionate fan of calcio, specifically Italian calcio. A graduate of Binghamton University and Rome City Institute, Rob is currently residing in Rome as the Head of Strategic Content for Rome City Institute, and is eager to continue connecting Italian and American culture.

Born into a family rich in Italian heritage, Luca Krasnow's upbringing was a journey woven with the traditions, language, and flavors of Italy. Born and raised in Irvine, California, by a mother fully immersed in her Italian roots, Luca's childhood was infused with the sights and sounds of his Italian homeland. From the cadence of Italian spoken at...

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Born and raised in Norwalk, Connecticut, Julia Sferlazza embodies the rich tapestry of her Italian American heritage. A proud descendant of both Ischia, an island in the Gulf of Naples, and the towns of Lercara Friddi, Messina, and Potenza in Sicily and Basilicata, Julia's roots run deep into Italian culture and heritage. Now residing in Rome, Ital...

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Mia Nicole Clavelli's rich American-Italian heritage and her close connection to her Italian roots have significantly shaped her life and experiences. Now she finds herself in Rome, embracing the true meaning of embracing her Italian roots, and living out a dream her Grandfather had for her. Born into a family with a deep Italian heritage, she enjo...

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Current Rome City Institute Graduate-Assistant JoeMack Leonardo is a pure representation of the generational relationship between Italy and America. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California to his parents Mark and Jeanie, Joe has his roots strongly planted in America, but none of this would have been possible without the immigration that his Grea...

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In this month’s edition of “An Italian American in Rome”, we’re going to do something a little bit different. For this article, I am going to be writing about myself. My name is Rob Mariottini and I have been the author of all of the previous publications of this series. Typically I will dive into the story of student-athletes who study at Rome Cit...

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Born in New York and raised in Florida, Gianna Merigliano's journey from the United States to the streets of Rome, is not only a testament to her soccer talent but also a celebration of her determination and rich Italian heritage. In terms of family history, Gianna was raised with roots tracing back to Italy (father’s heritage) as well as Columbia...

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Born and raised in South New Jersey, Christian Rafter is a young-man who wears the Italian-American flag of his heritage, proud on his chest. In January of 2022, Christian made the decision to move half-way around the world, to walk in the footsteps of his ancestors, and make a life for himself in Rome. Almost 17 months later, as his initial time s...

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Gianna Betti, referred to as Gigi, is a young Italian American soccer player who is making a name for herself in the competitive world of Italian soccer. Gigi was born and raised right outside of San Francisco, California, to an Italian American father and an American mother. Gigi's passion for soccer has been a constant throughout her life, and th...

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At Rome City Institute, the strength between Italian and American culture is ever growing. While Rome City has students from all over the world with different backgrounds, it’s not surprising to find many student-athletes who arrive in Rome hold pre-existing Italian American roots. An example of this, lies in Rome City’s second year student-athlete...

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Two flags, one heart….Lead the game. These two quotes might seem unconnected but after a closer look, they represent the same visions and goals. Rome City Institute is an International University located in Rome, Italy, that has built a culture of bringing Americans and other International students to Italy, focusing on the combination of sports an...

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