ITALengAMERICA
The ITALengAMERICA program connects students from Italian high schools and universities with their counterparts at partner institutions in the United States. These students meet virtually once a week, on Sundays, from 11:20 am to 12:30 pm ET (5:20 pm to 6:30 pm GMT), for a total of up to 10 hours. The meetings take place in virtual breakout rooms on the ZOOM platform, with discussions conducted in Italian for the first half hour and in English for the second half.
During these sessions, the program coordinator and the professors will not be present, as the students will take on the role of "tutors," guiding each other in correcting grammar and vocabulary errors while supporting language practice. This peer tutoring approach allows for mutual learning and engagement. However, the program coordinator and professors will have the ability to join the breakout rooms at any time to monitor progress and provide assistance if needed.
Weekly conversation topics will be assigned at the start of each week and will focus on practical, everyday subjects. These range from simple discussions on family, daily routines, and hobbies to more in-depth comparisons of Italian and American holidays, traditions, and popular culture, such as TV series or movies. Students are expected to prepare thoroughly in advance to ensure that conversations are structured, thoughtful, and linguistically precise.
The program will conclude with a final evaluation session. Professors from the American partner universities will assess the Italian students' proficiency in English, while professors from the Italian institutions will evaluate the American students' command of Italian. This final assessment will also include a review of the program's strengths and areas for improvement.
Students who maintain an active attendance rate of at least 80% (equivalent to 8 hours) will be awarded a Certificate of Attendance. Continuous monitoring will be conducted not only through live online participation but also through the administration of interim and final questionnaires via Google Forms.
PARTNER INSTITUTIONS
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
University of California Riverside, CA
Brunswick School, MA
Rochester Institute of Technology, NY
Nazareth University, NY
Montclair State University, NJ
Proctor High School (Utica), NY
Oberlin College, OH
Fordham University, NY
Marist College, NY
Arizona State University, AZ
Emory University, GA
Syracuse University, NY
Walt Whitman High School in South Huntington, NY
Williams College, MA
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA
Bristol Central High School Bristol, CT
Oakland Community College, MI
Brandeis University, MA
University of Nevada Las Vegas (Spring 2025)
Maria Regina High School, NY
City University of New York (CUNY) College of Staten Island, NY
Purdue University, IN
University of Arkansas, AR
Francis T. Maloney High School, CT
CANADA
University of British Columbia, BC
Carleton University, ON
University of Toronto, ON
ITALY
Università di Foggia (Puglia)
ITC Tito Acerbo di Pescara (Abruzzo)
ITT Mazzotti di Treviso (Veneto)
Università di Chieti-Pescara (Abruzzo)
ITT Marco Polo di Firenze (Toscana)
Liceo Scientifico Statale Gramsci di Firenze (Toscana)
Liceo Banfi di Milano (Lombardia)
Istituto Fabio Besta di Milano (Lombardia)
Liceo Scientifico e delle Scienze Umane "Laurana-Baldi" di Urbino (Marche)
Liceo Scientifico "L.B. Alberti" di Cagliari (Sardegna)
Istituto di Istruzione Superiore "Gregorio da Catino" Poggio Mirteto - Rieti (Lazio)
Liceo Classico e Scientifico Statale "Francesco de Sanctis" Salerno (Campania)
Liceo Scientifico "Seguenza" Messina (Sicilia)
Liceo Scientifico "Leonardo da Vinci" Pescara (Abruzzo)
I.I. Peano-Rosa di Nereto (Abruzzo)
Calendar Spring 2025
The program, from February to April 2024, will involve students who will be put in contact with as many Italian/American students with whom they will meet once a week, on Sunday afternoon, according to the following schedule, for a total of 10 hours:
February 2nd: Welcome session
February 9th
February 16th
February 23rd
March 2nd
March 9th
March 16th
March 23rd
March 30th
April 6th
April 13th: Final session
Make it fun!
PEOPLE
(Faculty Members)
Nicoletta Da Ros
Faculty, Italian Studies Coordinator
University of California, Riverside (USA)
Kathleen LaPenta
Senior Lecturer of Italian
Fordham University (USA)
Jackie Sorci
Part-Time Instructor of Italian
Syracuse University (USA)
Ivana Di Siena
Senior Lecturer of Italian
Oberlin College (USA)
Marina Melita
Senior Lecturer of Italian / A.A.T.I. President
Marist College (USA)
Enza Antenos
Professor of Italian
Montclair State University (USA)
Davide Menga
Professor of English Literature, Language & Culture
Istituto “G. Mazzotti” of Treviso (ITALY)
docentedavide.menga@ittmazzotti.it
Mario Sassi
Visiting Assistant Professor of Romance Languages
Williams College (USA)
Angela Di Staso
Professor of English Literature, Language & Culture
Liceo A.Banfi, Vimercate (MB)
Laura Puccioni
Professor of English Literature, Language & Culture
Liceo Scientifico Statale Gramsci di Firenze
Elisabetta Sanino D'Amanda
Coordinatrice del programma di studi italiani
Modern Languages and Cultures
Rochester Institute of Technology (USA)
Sarah R Lemelin
Instructor of Italian
Oakland Community College (USA)
Alessandra Franzoi
Professor of English Literature, Language & Culture
Liceo Guggenheim, Venice (ITALY)
franzoi.alessandra@liceoguggenheim.edu.it
Tania Liberati
Professor of English Literature, Language & Culture
Istituto Fabio Besta, Milan (ITALY)
Francesca Di Pietro
Professor of English Literature, Language & Culture
Istituto Tecnico "Tito Acerbo"Pescara (ITALY)
Paola Servino
Associate Professor of the Practice of Italian Studies
Brandeis University (USA)
Joëlle Carota
Visiting Assistant Professor of Italian/ Director of Casa Italiana
Nazareth University (USA)
Vincenza Arena
Professor of English Literature, Language & Culture
Liceo Scientifico e Classico "F. de Sanctis"Salerno (ITALY)
arena@liceostataledesanctis.net
Rosy Maria Pitruzzello
Italian Teacher: 1, 2, 3, 4 e ECE UConn (Early College Experience)
Plainville High School, Connecticut (USA)
pitruzzellor@plainvilleschools.org
Rickey Nicholas-Hahn
World Languages Department Chair and Dual-Credit Italian Teacher
Thomas R. Proctor High School (USA)
rnicholas-hahn@uticaschools.org
Manuela Stefanelli
Professor of Italian
Walt Whitman High School, New York (USA)
Emanuela Ettorre
Associate Professor of English Language & Translation
University of Chieti-Pescara (ITALY)
Irene Hatzopoulos
Faculty, Italian
University of California, Riverside (USA)
Teresiana Matarrese
Lecturer, Italian
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA (USA)
Annalisa Mosca
Senior Lecturer, Italian
Purdue University, IN (USA)
mosca@purdue.edu
Silvia Monteleone
Senior Lecturer in Italian Studies
Brandeis University (USA)
Gina Gallo
Professor of Italian
Bristol Central High School Bristol, CT (USA)
Valentina Morello
Instructor of Italian
University of Arkansas (USA)
Laura Ponziani
Professor of Italian
Maria Regina High School, NY
Lucia Sardi
Italian & Spanish Instructor
Brunswick School, Connecticut (USA)
Michela Valmori
Visiting Lecturer of Italian
University of British Columbia (CANADA)
Antonella Dell'Anna
Instructor of Italian
Arizona State University (USA)
Luisa Canuto
Associate Professor of Teaching | Associate Head of Italian Studies | Language Program Director of Italian
University of British Columbia (CANADA)
Lidia Mazza
Professor of English Language, Literature & Culture
ITT Marco Polo di Firenze (ITALY)
Marcella Marceddu
Instructor, Italian
Carleton University (CANADA)
MarcellaMarceddu@cunet.carleton.ca
Chiara Caputi
Ph.D. Student/Instructor of Italian
City University of New York, College of Staten Island (USA)
Simonetta De Angelis
Professor of English Language & Literature
Liceo Laurana-Baldi, Urbino (ITALY)
Michele Russo
Assistant Professor of English Language and Translation
University of Foggia (ITALY)
Miriam Galati
Professor of English Literature, Language & Culture
Istituto Fabio Besta, Milan (ITALY)
Piera Fagnani
Professor of English Literature, Language & Culture
I.I. Peano-Rosa di Nereto (ITALY)
Monia Angelucci
Professor of English Literature, Language & Culture
Liceo Scientifico I.I.S. "Gregorio da Catino"RIETI (ITALY)
Cristina Sturiale
Professor of English Literature, Language & Culture
Liceo Seguenza di Messina (ITALY)
Tiziana Rastelli
Professor of English Literature, Language & Culture
Liceo Scientifico Statale Leonardo Da Vinci, Pescara (ITALY)
Giuseppe Natale
Associate Professor of Italian Studies
University of Nevada, Las Vegas (USA)
Angela Scaccianemici & Gabrielle Ciotto
Teachers of Italian
Francis T. Maloney High School, CT (USA)
Past Faculty
Annavaleria Guazzieri
School Principal/Ex Director of Education Office NY
Liceo Guggenheim, Venice (ITALY)
guazzieri.annavaleria@liceoguggenheim.edu.it
Walter Giorgis-Blessent
Professor of Italian
Bronx Science High School (USA)
Julia Tonelli
Professor of Italian
Pearl River High School (USA)
Steven La Peruta
Professor of Italian
Nutley High School, New Jersey (USA)
M. Rosaria Vitti-Alexander
Professor Emerita and Adjunct in World Languages and Cultures
Nazareth University (USA)
ITALengAMERICA receives the Patronage from
