Chapman Italian Studies News

Emily Quinn is a native Southern Californian with a passion for art and everything Italian. She is currently working towards a major in Journalism and a minor in Italian Studies. Among her future plans, she hopes to complete part of her studies abroad in Italy. Emily has enthusiastically embraced the collaboration with the oldest Italian-American newspaper in California, and has already published two articles revealing new facets of the Italian community in Orange County. In Emily’s words: “writing for L’Italo-Americano has improved my knowledge of the journalistic world as well as my knowledge of Italian culture. I am very excited to continue learning in both areas.”

The Marisa Antonini award has been established to honor passion for the Italian language, culture, or art. Danielle is planning to develop a partnership between her sorority and a local elementary school, with the aim of exposing the children to Italian authors and other aspects of Italian culture. Danielle writes about how her schooling experience has influenced her relationship with Italy:

“When I came to Chapman, I chose to take Italian for my language requirement to both challenge myself academically and to learn more about my heritage. My great-grandmother on my mother’s side was from Castiglione di Carovilli, and I grew up learning family recipes that had been passed down from generation to generation, such as my Nana’s pizzelles, but that was the extent of my knowledge of my Italian heritage. After taking a trip to Italy in ninth grade, I became fascinated with the culture and language, but unfortunately, Italian wasn’t offered at my high school. When I discovered that Chapman offered Italian, I jumped at the new learning opportunity. The extra-curricular opportunities offered through both the Italian department and the Italian Club, in addition to the Italian classes I have taken, have really allowed me to immerse myself in the Italian culture, and my time in the program has sparked my interest to study abroad on the Semester at Sea next fall, which is set to stop at several cities in Italy.”

In the photograph Danielle James.

Student Melissa Marino reports from the recent day trip organized by Chapman Italian Club to the Pompeii Exhibition at the California Science Museum in Los Angeles.

“The exhibit was very interactive and thorough, covering all aspects of ancient life near Mt. Vesuvius. It was fascinating to me how much information anthropologists have been able to gather on a city that was destroyed nearly 2000 years ago. Walking through guided corridors, viewers are able to see intricate marble carvings of table legs, fountains, and sections of floor tiles, all recovered in virtually the same condition they were originally used. Citizens of Pompeii had bathhouses, gardens, frescos, and some even had temperature-controlled running water. Even small items, like counterweights and jewelry, were preserved due to the sudden and violent way in which the town was buried. Ancient health care, theater, sex life, homes, and status are all covered as you travel through the labyrinth of artifacts, and an interactive video demonstrates how it would have been to be in Pompeii on the day of the Mt. Vesuvius eruption. Accompanying the exhibit was an hour-long IMAX movie talking about the deadly forms of nature (including volcanoes) and the effects they have on current populations around the world. Pompeii, the Exhibit was overall extremely interesting and well worth the trip into LA.”

In the photograph students of the club and professor Francesca Paduano at the California Science Museum.