The Italian Studies Program just wrapped another eventful semester. May brought many occasions to celebrate our students’ success and bid farewell to our wonderful seniors who graduates in 2026.
On May 4th, Italian Studies Minor Olivia Sacco was awarded the prestigious Kugelman Award which celebrates and acknowledges the top academic students within the departments of Art, English, Philosophy, Religious Studies, and World Languages and Cultures. Olivia recalls: “Studying Italian has given me a sense of perseverance and community during my time at Chapman. Pushing myself to learn and speak a foreign language has made me a stronger student in my minor and across all academics.”
Later the same day, three of our Italian Studies Minors had the honor of meeting with H.E. Marco Peronaci, the Ambassador of Italy to the United States, at a special reception organized at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura in Los Angeles. Senior Gianluca Giorgi, sophomore Zach Berkes, and junior Sophia Zonni exchanged a few words with the Ambassador (picture below) and meet faculty and students from Pepperdine University, USC, and UCLA.
The following week, four Italian minors were inducted into Gamma Kappa Alpha – the National Italian Honor Society: Sophia Zonni, Brody Perkins, Julian Romano, and Keenan Dyrby. The induction is a prestigious honor and a recognition of academic excellence in the study of Italian language and culture.
Finally, the Italian Studies Program concluded the semester with a lovely lunch with students minoring in Italian.
