Learning leads to teaching for Tinnirello
A native of Italy, Italian language teacher Cristina Tinnirello believes in providing students with a full immersion experience in the Italian language and culture, with the ultimate goal of helping them become better global citizens. Having learned five languages throughout her education, she understands the challenges and rewards of language lear...
Isabella Ross Named 2025–2026 Patrick Canini Scholar-Athlete Award Winner
The Columbus Piave Club is proud to announce that Isabella Ross has been selected as the 2025–2026 recipient of the Patrick Canini Scholar-Athlete Award. This prestigious honor recognizes a high school student of Italian descent who has demonstrated exceptional achievement in both academics and athletics. Isabella, who will be continuing her educat...
Castella helps connect Fermi Scuola to Chicago area
Italian-born Marta Castella recently signed on as Italian programs outreach director at Scuola Italiana Enrico Fermi in Chicago, a job she describes as “equal parts cultural bridge and growth architect.” Founded in 2016, Scuola Fermi is the only full-time Italian immersion school in the Chicago area, offering bilingual education from preschool thro...
Izzo shares her love of Italy with her students
“I always say I was born here, but my heart was truly born in Italy.” Those are the words of Anna Izzo, who studied in Italy, traveled the country extensively, and now teaches Italian at Elk Grove High School in suburban Chicago. Izzo, who calls herself “a student at heart,” holds several degrees. She has undergraduate degrees in Italian, Spanish a...
Protect the Italian and Italian American Studies Program at University of Illinois at Chicago
We, the students of the University of Illinois at Chicago, are coming together to advocate for the preservation of the Italian and Italian American Studies department and minor in response to the recent proposal to eliminate certain languages and LAS departments. Maintaining literature, linguistic, and cultural programs at UIC is essential, as the...
Fiore believes in the power of learning through service
From a young age, Ida Fiore knew she wanted to be a teacher. “I loved school and everything about it, from learning new things to building relationships with my teachers and classmates,” she says. “Teaching felt like a natural path for me, combining my passion for education and my desire to make a difference in the lives of others.” Now 32 years in...
Medieval matches bring ancient Roman history to life
The clash of swords, cheers and jeers of seventh-graders, and the clapped percussion of the 1977 Queen song “We Will Rock You” filled the social studies classroom during the recent Lowell Middle School-style Gladiator Games. Minutes earlier, teacher Drew Struckmeyer had entered the arena, or, to be literal, the space inside a circle of tables at wh...
Spilotro helps Italian students ‘find their fire’
When Enza Spilotro’s family moved from Chicago’s South Side to suburban Addison, she chose to attend the local public high school rather than a private institution because she wanted to take Italian language classes. Nowadays, Spilotro walks the halls of her alma mater, Addison Trail High School, as an Italian teacher, a role she’s held for the las...
Invitation to Apply: Loyola Rubino Italian American Studies Endowed Professorship
The College of Arts and Sciences at Loyola University Chicago seeks qualified candidates, discipline open, for a tenure-track appointment at the assistant professor level for the Paul and Ann Rubino Endowed Professorship of Italian American Studies beginning Fall 2025. We seek candidates with strong research and teaching profiles in Italian America...
A beacon of la bella lingua in Kenosha
Being born in Palermo and growing up in Sicily, Monica Valenti Niespodziany used to gather her friends and play “pretend school,” putting herself in the role of the teacher. When she decided to become a teacher, her family wasn’t the least bit surprised, she says. Valenti Niespodziany has taught Italian at St. Joseph Catholic Academy in Kenosha sin...
Celebrating Italian Space Day: Bridging Italy’s Legacy with Michigan’s Innovation
Tuesday night, the Consulate of Italy in Detroit hosted a momentous Italian Space Day event, marking the 60th anniversary of Italy’s entry into space with the historic launch of San Marco 1 in 1964. Italy’s groundbreaking achievement positioned it as the third nation, after the United States and the Soviet Union, to launch an artificial satellite i...
Witness the Impact of Your Contribution: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Diabetes Research with the Rugiero Promise Foundation
This year, the Rugiero Promise Foundation invites its sponsors to an exclusive opportunity to see “Where the Money Goes.” Although the annual Casino Royale gala is paused for 2024, we are excited to announce a special sponsor-only reception at Michigan Medicine’s North Campus Research Complex on November 6, 2024. This intimate event will allow our...