Sacred Heart University sophomore Lauren Celentano began a journey last year that took her to places she never imagined, and it’s not over yet. Celentano, a member of SHU’s dance company, left the U.S. in the summer of 2017 for Italy, where she auditioned to compete on that country’s popular talent show, Amici.

After eight hard months of work, passion and persistence, she emerged as the winner of the show’s dance portion and fourth-place winner overall.Now, wherever she goes in Italy, she’s greeted by frantic crowds and paparazzi. She recently bought sunglasses to keep from being recognized. “It’s crazy,” Celentano, 19, said from Imperia, Italy, in late July. “I really didn’t expect this to happen.”