Mattern to preside over Arcolians
While growing up, pediatric dentist Dr. Jessica Mattern watched her father, a general dentist, open several dental practices and enjoy the autonomy and flexibility of running his own businesses. She initially was set on a career working with children with special needs, but eventually veered toward her father’s profession after going with him on de...
This University of Michigan Fulbright Scholar is studying food in Italy
Is there such a thing as Italian food? The answer, Samantha Dell’Imperio said, is a little complicated. Italian food, like many traditional cuisines is a fusion of cultures, she said, partly due influences from the number of Italy’s conquerors, from Muslims in the 800s to the Normans from western Europe through the 1100s. This is one slice of a who...
Notre Dame confers honorary degrees at academic convocation in Rome
At an academic convocation on Monday (Jan. 29) at its Rome Global Gateway, the University of Notre Dame conferred honorary degrees on three distinguished leaders: Barbara Jatta, director of the Vatican Museums; Bishop Brian Farrell, L.C., secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity; and Roberto Benigni, an internationally acclaimed act...
Cooperation in classroom is key for Suraci
Italian teacher Francesca Tinnirello Suraci says the key to being an effective educator is to let your passion show. “You have to show how passionate you are about something, through your energy and your love for the subject,” Suraci says. “Those are the teachers that made the most impact on me.” Her Italian high school teacher, Dorina Spiering, wa...
Fate guides Pezzella-Bonasera toward Italian
If not for a pair of fateful coincidences, Mariangela Pezzella-Bonasera might be working in the corporate world rather than pursuing a flourishing career teaching Italian 1, 2, 3 and AP at Wheeling High School. During her undergraduate years at Dominican University, she was studying international business and Italian when she took part in a marketi...
Michigan State University Partners with Italian Team in Indy Autonomous Challenge
Michigan State University in East Lansing is teaming with Politecnico di Milano in Italy to field a car in the Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) next year. MSU is the first and only team from Michigan to race in the IAC series, which officially launched in 2019 and brings together academic institutions and public-private partnerships to challenge uni...
Guttilla finds her voice by teaching Italian
On the first day of class, high school teacher Roberta Guttilla asks her new students why they want to learn Italian, and loves to hear their answers. “They tell me all these different stories,” Guttilla says. “They fell in love with the culture, they visited Italy once, they want to major in Italian in college. Or they say, ‘My great grandparents...
"Quantum Garage," the new and innovative Laboratory in Batavia (IL) directed by Italian Anna Grassellino
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on November 6, at the FermiLab in Batavia, near Chicago, for the "Quantum Garage," the new and innovative Laboratory of the Super Conducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center (SQMS) directed by Italian Anna Grassellino. The ceremony, which was attended by more than 300 scientists from the FermiLab's partner cou...
Prof. Marcello Alecci is the new Science Attaché in Chicago
Marcello Alecci joined the staff of the Scientific Attaché at the Consulate General of Italy in Chicago in May 2023. Alecci holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from “La Sapienza” University of Rome and a PhD in Biomedical Physics and Bio-Engineering from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland (1998). A full professor at the University of L’Aquila, h...
Italian American Heritage Month: Suburban high schools immerse students in Italian culture
Two northwest suburban high schools are showcasing exclusive programs during Italian American Heritage Month. The exclusive programs will help students grasp the impact of the culture on their everyday lives. This week, Rolling Meadows High School is taking students on a trip to Italy, without the airfare. Italian language students have charted a j...
DePauw Students Unearth Italian History
In the heat of an Italian summer, collegiate archeologists stand knee-deep in the dusted stone of half-buried ruins, unearthing fragments of ancient civilizations. DePauw students and faculty alike peer into the past through technology both old and new, digging into structures once thought lost. While investigating a brand new site, this group of D...
Campo event in Steubenville exceeds expectations
The Italian American Cultural Club held its annual Campo Italiano June 19-23 at the Italian Village in Steubenville. This year’s event marked 15 years for the special gathering known as, “Festa dei 15 anni.” Yearly, it brings campers together to learn about the Italian heritage and culture. It is financially supported by the IACC and community spon...