The Matthew Online

The Big Read Rome

By Will Gruy

           

In 2004 the National Endowment for the Arts issued a report called Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America.  The report found that literary reading in the United States was on a steep decline, especially among youth.  In order to counteract this trend the NEA created an initiative called The Big Read.  The NEA says that, “The Big Read gives communities the opportunity to come together to read, discuss, and celebrate one of 30 selections from American and world literature.”  The NEA has sponsored over 500 Big Reads.

John Cabot University is the first overseas American University to receive a National Endowment for the Arts grant for a Big Read.  According to John Cabot the Big Read Rome is, “a series of events to take place in October 2009 that will encourage English language speakers in Rome to read and discuss Harper Lee's novel “To Kill a Mockingbird.” 

Some of the events include: a keynote address from Professor Charles J. Shields, author of “Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee,” film screenings in the Aula Magna, a Rome English Theater performance of their own adaptation of the text, book groups and teacher workshops. In addition there is also a class being taught this semester by Professor Carlos Dews specifically on the life and work of Harper Lee. The Big Read Rome is sponsored in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts with assistance from Arts Midwest and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

To Kill a Mockingbird was chosen because it is an American classic with themes that apply directly to many issues in contemporary society: both American and European. Big Read Rome Program Coordinator Graziella Zabatta said, “Harper Lee’s novel is about racism, but more specifically about racism though the eyes of an innocent child, Scout.”  The book was chosen with the hope that returning to race issues of the past will cause readers to re-evaluate racial issues of today.

The Big Read will be stretching its arms far beyond the JCU community. Involvement includes the American Overseas School of Rome, St. Georges, The Swiss School of Rome, The International School of Naples, a handful of Italian high schools and several English speaking book groups. JCU students who participate will have the opportunity to lead discussion groups at the university or even at an Italian high school.

 

“So As Not To Forget. So As To Understand. So As To Build.”

By Giorgia Chillè

 

John Cabot University on September 9 opened and exhibition and panel discussion dedicated to the emigration of Italians from Trieste, Venezia Giulia, Istria, Fiume and Dalmatia.

Called  “So As Not To Forget. So As To Understand. So As To Build,” the event was organized in collaboration with Fabio Ziberna, director of the Associazione Giuliani nel Mondo di Trieste, Roberto Sancin, president of the Associazione Triestini e Goriziani in Roma and with the patronage of the Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia.It underlined the importance of cultural dialogue, ethnic cohabitation and respect for minority rights.

Ziberna, Sancin and Senator Carlo Giovanardi spoke openly about the past and the present. They pointed out how the massive waves of migration from and to the North East regions of Italy carried a political and discriminatory connotation that were caused by WWI and WWII.

JCU Professors VandaWilcox and Steven Colatrella and American University of  Professor Bjorn Thomassen provided a thorough explanation of historical background of the Istrian, Giulian and Dalmatian regions.  

They said that the present is built on the understanding of the past. The experience of thousands emigrants, the death of people during both World Wars and the Foibe killings during and shortly after WWII, cannot be forgotten.

 “The exhibition is about stories within stories,” said Professor Thomassen.  He added that these stories show that we have to think about peoples’ experiences in order to abandon the habit of labeling and assigning ethnic based stereotypes. The historical tension and insecurity that surrounded Trieste, Fiume, Zara, Istria and Dalmatia has to be overcome by social and cultural curiosity, he said. 

First Voyage Sets Sail

By Ben Rosenberg

 

John Cabot University’s new orientation program First Voyage is off to a good start.

 

The program, which was adopted by JCU in the Spring 2009, was designed to keep students enrolled in the university by helping them to adjust and assimilate to their new environment. This means learning about the local culture and traditions, as well as JCU’s educational system.   

 

Carmen Scarpati, of the Registrar’s Office, came up with the program while working towards her PHD in business administration in higher education management at the University of Bath. She wanted to develop a program that would foster a sense of community among students while at the same time enable them to feel comfortable and independent in their new environment. 

 

This sense of community is especially needed at a diverse university such as JCU, she said.

 

The program is made up of a number of workshops that cover a wide range of topics including but not limited to money management, time and study management, student counseling and career services. 

 

One of the major components in the First Voyage program are the library workshops.  The library workshops explain what resources are available to students in the library from the online catalogue to the skills necessary to track down a specific title. 

 

“It is necessary for students to take a hands-on approach in learning about library resources,” said Livia Piotto, JCU’s reference librarian, about the workshops that will run from the 21 – 24 September. “Just sitting there listening to someone talk won’t do.  In the workshops, students will collaborate with each other to learn about the practical applications of the library’s facilities.”  She also stressed the importance of approaching the experienced library workers whenever a student needs help. 

 

The other program of interest is First Mates. In this program a current student is teamed up with a staff member and a group of 10-12 new students to help them through their first year.  This is a way for students to have a small “support group” to turn to for assistance and guidance.   

Career Service "Interns at Work" series kick off

By Sonia Malpeso

ROME, Feb 27- Eugénie Bisulco, director of the Clinton Climate Initiative’s Rome office, kicked off the “Interns at Work” series organized by JCU’s Career Services.

Bisulco, who participated in the workshop called “Interns at Work” shared her stirring, personal experience as an intern in the White House during the first Clinton Administration. She said her work as an intern opened up her future career path working for the Clinton Foundation.

After her experience at the White House, Bisulco went on to become Director of Correspondence and Director of the Intern Program for the Clinton Foundation. “The committed, brave, smart and flexible interns who offered their free service to the Foundation are the core of what it is today,” she said, noting that many of the Foundation’s current employees are former interns.

Bisulco said that one of the most important qualities interns must have is flexibility. “You must be able to wear more than one hat,” said Bisulco, who added that interns must also show “openness to new ideas and make themselves constantly available to more than what is written on paper.”

JCU student Rose Jeremie, who interned with Bisulco during the Fall 2008 semester shared her personal experiences. She explained how she landed her internship and thanked Bisulco and Business Professor Susan Fuller for their help and guidance during the internship. 

 “This opportunity has not only given me a taste of what life will be like once I enter the workforce, but has also helped me to realize what field of work I want to enter when I graduate,” Jeremie said. 

The Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), one of several initiatives undertaken by the Clinton Foundation, was launched in 2006 and focuses on taking practical and measurable steps to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. Bisulco’s current position as Rome City Director of the CCI involves mobilizing technical, business and finance expertise in order to assist the city in developing and implementing energy efficiency programs. 

Jump For Africa

By Gianluca Pesce

Jump for a noble cause. Jump for Africa, a student organized foundation (sponsored by JCU Student Government) is raising money for the Buduburam Liberian Refugee Camp in Ghana.

  This past January, five JCU students spent two weeks on the American University of Rome trip to Ghana, administered by Professor Alessandro Signorini, where they had the unique opportunity to study social marketing while experiencing life in a developing country.

  While in Africa, the students were inspired to undertake Jump for Africa, a project that will help give JCU students the opportunity to use the concepts and theories they learned and directly apply them to real life situations.

      Jump for Africa will be hosting two fundraising events: The Rock Concert on March 3, featuring last semester’s Battle of the Bands winner and a photo exposition on March 12, which will be held at Casa delle Donne, on Via san Francesco di Sales 1/a. This event will spotlight some of the wonders and realities of the situation in Ghana, accompanied with a live African performance.

  For more information, contact Gianluca Pesce at stugov@johncabot.edu.  

Battle of the Bands: for a good cause

JCU Matthew Online correspondents Christiana Rein and Maryann Klucevsek report on last week's Battle of the Bands, an event to raise awareness and money for some Haitian kids in need.

Bobby socks, poodle dresses and swing dance? All part of '50s Night'

By Tyler Flanagan 

ROME, Nov. 11 2008 - John Cabot University students ate and danced the night away at the first 1950s night hosted by Student Government on Monday night.

The Aula Magna auditorium was filled with 50s-inspired decorations, food and swing music. The event, hosted by Student Government was organized to engage American students studying at JCU in an American classic themed night of fun and festivities.

Last week, Student Government held International Night, and Treasurer of Student Government, MaiAda Carpano, thought this American-themed night could cater to the big population of American study-abroad students at JCU. Food was provided by nearby steak-and-burgers restaurant, T-Bone Station.

The fare was typically Yank; hamburgers, cheeseburgers, veggie burgers, chicken fingers and hot dogs were on the menu. For dessert, there was make your own milkshakes, apple pie and coke floats.

In addition to dinner, Student Government hired a professional swing dancer to come in and give lessons. Kristen Mapes, president of JCU Student Government, said, “this is the first year we have done 1950s night and so far it has been a success! We sold about 50 tickets which is a great outcome. We aren’t sure if we are going to make it an annual event or not but it turned out really well!”

 Maria Stengel, 20, a JCU study-abroad student, said, “this was the first Student Government event I have attended at JCU and it was so much fun! The 7 euros was totally worth it and I want to make sure I go to the next events they host like 'Battle of the bands.'” Although the money for 50s night went towards the food and swing dance lessons, the money from International Night went straight to donations for Haiti. The Battle of the Bands event will be scheduled for next week in conjunction with JCU's Business Club and STAND; all proceeds will also be donated to Haiti;

For more information, students can access Student Government’s Internal website at www.jcustugov.co.nr.

Kicks, Melodies Fly at JCU Talent Show

By Adam Hembree

ROME Nov. 7 – Wednesday night marked John Cabot University’s first ever talent show, “JCU’s Got Talent,” inviting students and faculty to show their skills and sending all donations to aid against refugees of the civil unrest in Darfur. 

As a crowd of students, faculty and families looked on, participants sang, danced and even fought their way to well-deserved applause. Between Bach concertos, opera solos and a staged karate routine, a wide range of entertainment greeted the audience of the Aula Magna auditorium.  

At one point, host and English Professor Peter Alfano claimed that University President Franco Pavoncello had been scheduled to perform.  As he was “unable to make it,” however, the audience was treated to an “off-the-cuff” performance from Giorgio Silva di Bella of the Housing Department. His powerful rendition of “Balla mia Esmeralda” from Notre Dame de Paris was certainly a pleasant surprise.  

Jessica Taylor, a JCU student who performed two solo numbers on guitar, including one of her own composition, played with her band at “Good Café” down the street directly after the talent show.  

The headlining performance of the evening, however, was most certainly the final performance by the faculty band (pictured below), including six professors and one “future professor.”  The audience loudly enjoyed a set including “Stand By Me” and a rendition of “Sympathy for the Devil” that Mick Jagger would be proud of.  

The coordination of all of this fell to Students Taking Action Now Darfur, John Cabot’s largest student-run organization. STAND is a student division of the Genocide Intervention Network, and encourage international defense against violence targeting civilians.  

STAND will also have a donation table set up at “Battle of the Bands,” to be held on November 18.  All proceeds go to the Refugee Center on Via Nazionale.  

The organization put on a good show, in addition to providing free pizza and drinks, as well as snacks at every table. Student reaction was certainly favorable. 

“It was better than chocolate-covered election,” said Theology major Joseph Bramanti, 20.  

The responsive audience certainly shared his sentiments, providing boisterous support and even successfully calling for an encore, on one occasion. All left with the knowledge that John Cabot University does indeed have some talent to show off.

Do Republicans care about young voters?

By Maryann Klucevsek

ROME Oct. 4, 2008 - As you looked around at the American presidential debate viewing hosted at John Cabot University last Monday night everything appeared to be going well. But something was missing, or rather someone.

The house was packed; over American university 300 students studying in Rome this semester to JCU's Lemon Tree Courtyard. Students were scrambling for pizzas, and the presidential debate footage was right on point. And, in the back there was a little table set up by representatives of Democrats Abroad who took student questions during the night. And their political opponents? Republicans Abroad was a no-show, a source of some confusion throughout the evening.

So what happened to the Republicans?

Lord Giddens at JCU to chair climate change panel

By Brooke Payne

ROME, Sept. 25 - Britain's Lord Anthony Giddens, a world-renowned sociologist, will be at John Cabot University on Friday to chair a lecture titled “The Politics of Climate Change.” The Giddens lecture, postponed from March, is one of the most anticipated events of the semester.   

The Guarini Institute, a JCU organization focusing on awareness of key geo-political issues and current challenges facing the world, invited Giddens to JCU as part of a lecture series leading up to the U.S. election.