An exciting message from our department chair, Dr. Howe, on a possible developing opportunity to study abroad near Naples, Italy:TO:
SU Faculty
SU professional staff whose expertise intersects with a potential study abroad program (e.g. NITLE, Study abroad...)
I want to invite any SU community faculty/staff member who thinks they might be interested ideas for a potential SU-lead study abroad program in Italy, to an open salon-like discussion:
-at my house, 1205 Laurel St. (just across the street)
-Friday, Oct. 28
-5:00-6:30 P.M.
If too many people show up we may have to move to the street, but we'll see what happens! Red or white wine (cheap Italian, obviously).
Southwestern is seriously considering establishing a study abroad program at the Institute of the Foundation of which I a "Coordinatore Generale" (The Vesuvian International Institute of the Restoring Ancient Stabiae Foundation, and Italo-American Foundation), and possibly doing it rather quickly. It may be a semester program, it may be an academic year program, or May/Jan. terms, and it will work the NITLE to develop a component of distance learning (this will take more time) which may allow students there to continue taking courses from home campus, and vice versa. The Institute has c. 70/90 rooms with private bath, excellent dining, free internet, several classrooms, theater, auditorium, large secure property, breathtaking view, stands right over the connection to cheap (if bumpy) commuter rail connection to Pompei, Sorrento, Herculaneum and Naples. By spring 2013 there may well be other programs there, including semester programs of Univ Maryland Architecture students, Morningside college IA, lead by a specialist in philosophy of ancient sport; a Mediterranean culinary program by Johnson and Wales Univ.
The mission is to expand study abroad as absolutely essential to this coming generation's liberal education in a global world, and reduce its cost and increase its availability in ever-long academic programs.
We may partner with/lead other liberal arts colleges (e.g. ACS), or advertise our credit-granting program to them, in the manner of many who work through marketers/managers of study abroad like IES or ISA or others.
There could be a wide variety of courses, most likely concentrating on distrib. requirements, as does most study abroad, with rotating faculty from SU, or perhaps partner schools, and some hired locally in the Naples area, through Italian partner institutions of RAS Foundation (local universities) or American expat community.
Core programs would likely initially focus on language (Italian obviously, Latin, maybe Greek, maybe even Spanish or Arabic???) and other humanities, but could be a huge range, considering the resources of the Bay of Naples, and the institutional affiliations of the Restoring Ancient Stabiae Foundation and the Vesuvian Institute.
-volcanic geology
-world geography
-archaeology (duh).
-literature in context: Italian, Latin...et al.
-art history, ancient, medieval, southern baroque, Islamic, etc. History, ditto.
-music history, opera, comedia dell'arte
-performance arts (RAS Foundation has a lecture hall, proscenium theater, concert venues on the actual archaeological sites, relationship with the Ravello Festival/Domenico de Masi.)
-arts management, cultural properties management
-service learning (building websites for local start up entrepreneurs? etc.)
et alii ad infinitum
It's wide open. I will be taking notes.
Vi invito venerdi' p.v.
TNH
Go to the Restoring Ancient Stabiae website for more information.
