From a classroom to the city: Alondra’s story

At a time when most of us are sheltering in place because of the pandemic and our worlds can feel rather small, we wanted to connect with some of the wonderful students who have studied at the UW Rome Center.

On that note, we’re pleased to introduce you to Alondra Rodriguez. She’s a UW junior from Federal Way, WA, and is double majoring in archaeological sciences and history. Last summer, Alondra studied at the UW Rome Center with the support of a UW Study Abroad Scholarship. Her program, Staging the City: Performance, Power, and Identity from Empire to Mussolini, convinced her that it is essential to evaluate history and the present day from multiple perspectives. We caught up with Alondra to ask a few questions about her experience, and wanted to share her responses with you.

Why did you choose your study abroad program?

Throughout my time here at the UW I have taken many courses, among them classical archaeology and history courses, including a year of introductory Latin. I wanted to apply the knowledge of Rome that I had gained through coursework to the actual city itself. By selecting this program I also hoped to grow my understanding of the city in its classical context in addition to gaining new perspectives of Rome through other eras. I looked forward to becoming more observational of the art and infrastructure of a city so I can apply that to view the evolution of the identity and culture of a city. This program provided me the opportunity to expand my previous education, learn more about the relationships and interactions between people and the Eternal City, and most importantly, allowed me to share my knowledge with others during and after the experience.

What was your program like? How did you learn?

We looked at how Rome has continuously evolved its identity and created power through art and architecture. The program also explored how the city’s power and charisma connects to our present and has shaped modern living in Rome today as well as how visitors identify with and interact with the Eternal City. Through interactive and interdisciplinary activities such as studying Italian language, immersion in cultural activities, reading about Rome’s past, and embarking on tours of Rome’s art and architecture, it offered many different perspectives and methods to view the identity of Rome.

What was something unexpected that you got out of the experience

New friendships. This was unexpected for me as I am a bit timid and thus was unsure if I would make friends during the program. However, the memories I created with the friends I made were the most memorable part of studying abroad. It was these experiences that illustrated to me that the most unexpected thing that comes with studying abroad is connecting with others which in turn can help one personally grow from such interactions. I am thankful that I met remarkable people during this experience and that we still keep in touch today.

Did you have any concerns about studying abroad?

Before studying abroad I had numerous worries, however, those concerning searching for and selecting a program that would be the best fit for me were alleviated by the support and advice of my friends and family members. Having little knowledge as to how to finance my study abroad opportunity was also a concern. With this in mind I decided to visit UW Study Abroad. There I spoke to the scholarships adviser, who was very helpful in explaining how I can finance and budget for my trip. I learned that once I had submitted my study abroad application I would automatically be considered for a UW Study Abroad Scholarship. I later received the UW Study Abroad Scholarship, which greatly helped covering expenses for my study abroad program.

How was it helpful to have a scholarship?

Without a scholarship, participating in a study abroad program would have been difficult. I am a first-generation college student, meaning that my parents did not have the opportunity to continue their education past high school. I am grateful for my parents’ support of my academic pursuits, and having a scholarship helped lift a financial burden. I am very thankful to have received it.

How will study abroad help you in your future career?

Studying abroad through this program gave me additional tools to view history and culture through a distinct lens. I can now tackle issues that were created when we viewed history from limited perspectives. Additionally, gaining the skills to picture not only the history, but the identity and culture of a city allowed me to expand my knowledge of how a city like Rome can be viewed in relation to the rest of the world. It gave me a global perspective, a significant tool and a point of view that I apply when studying other cities and cultures in other courses. The skills I have learned and applied from my experience abroad has helped me and will continue to be fruitful in my educational career and beyond.

UW Rome Center & COVID-19

Dear friends,

In these extraordinary times, community and human connection are more important than ever. In that spirit, I wanted to reach out to you, our UW Rome Center community, to share an update from the Palazzo Pio.

As you well know, Italy was among the first nations affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Over the past month we watched the virus spread, the government’s response, and the impact on the people. As it now is in many parts of the U.S. and across the world, life here in Rome has been put on hold, with schools and universities, museums, archaeological sites, restaurants, cafes, stores, theatres and cinemas all closed, as well as public events cancelled. There is not a soul in Campo de’ Fiori or on the streets.

On February 29th, we made the difficult decision to suspend our winter quarter study abroad programs, with students heading home two weeks early and finishing up their classes remotely. A few days later, we decided to also cancel our spring break programs. These decisions were heartbreaking, as our students have planned and looked forward to their study abroad experiences for so long.

Still, we are looking ahead to a bright future for the UW Rome Center. Renovation work on the Palazzo Pio will continue as soon as is feasible, and we look forward to welcoming students back to the UW Rome Center when circumstances allow. The renovation project has the potential to cement the UW Rome Center’s future as a home for our students, faculty, alumni and friends in the Eternal City. With your deep connection to Rome, you know first-hand the transformative power of time spent in Italy. We will keep in touch with you in the coming months to keep you informed about the project.

At this time, and always, I am deeply grateful for our wonderful UW Rome Center community. I know that the COVID-19 outbreak is deeply affecting Seattle and other places around the U.S. and the world. I hope that you and your loved ones are healthy, and I look forward to seeing you in Rome again sometime soon.

Sincerely,

Amity Neumeister, Resident Director
UW Rome Center

Study abroad “straightens my path to success”

Thomas Le is a Civil Engineering student from Seattle. He studied abroad at the UW Rome Center last summer. We wanted to hear more about his experiences and how he made it all happen, with the help of great support from UW Study Abroad and the UW Rome Center. Here’s what he had to say.

Want to help more students like Thomas study at the UW Rome Center? Make a gift.

Why did you choose the Engineering Rome study abroad program?

The desire to obtain more knowledge and take in different perspectives motivated me to explore different branches within the civil engineering department. I choose the Engineering Rome study abroad program to refine my professional focus and explore 3000 years of history of all Roman Engineering accomplishments. In addition, I wanted to experience what it feels like to live in Rome for 3+weeks as a local, not a tourist.

Describe your program in a few sentences

Engineering Rome is an eye-opening experience to many great adventures and a way to gain more perspective on engineering thinking, culture, and the world. It was a trip of a lifetime and I’m very happy to have experienced it with my peers.

What was something unexpected that you got out of the experience?

I never thought that I would be able to write a professional article related to engineering, but I did it. And now it is published! I also learned how to make Italian food with Chef Andrea Consoli at Cooking Classes in Rome.

Did you have any concerns about studying abroad?

As much as I am passionate about civil engineering and was ecstatic to be offered a spot on a very competitive program, the program fee devastated me when I saw the cost. A huge shout out to UW Study Abroad Adviser Kiana Parker for helping me with applying for scholarships and finding funds to cover the cost of the trip. Aside from that, I had an internship over the summer which helped a lot with covering the cost of the trip.

How will study abroad help you in your future career?

The program expands my knowledge toward different branches in civil. The skills that I gained from Engineering Rome helps shape me to become an ideal civil engineer. It was a factor that straightens my path to success, and I can apply things that I learned during the trip to help me with my future career.

A terrace for all!

We are making progress! We reconfigured and swapped some classroom and apartment spaces in order to create quieter bedrooms (many complained about the Campo de’ Fiori noise levels in the bedroom of faculty apartment C). Walls for the new bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom of faculty apartment have been built, and the living room will be located in a former classroom space.

The apartment’s former bedroom is now a seminar room with a nice terrace. We’re especially excited about this change because it provides access to the terrace for the entire UW Rome Center community (rather than just for the occupant of the apartment, as it was before).

There are some delays to the completion of the 1st floor. We expected it to be complete in December, but we are now anticipating that it will be done in May.

However, our fire safety plans have been approved by the fire department and work on electrical (for lighting, sockets and internet) and HVAC systems is underway!

Next up for construction after the 1st floor is complete is the 3rd floor. Construction documents are being developed so that we are ready to go when the first phase is complete.

UW Magazine highlights our renovation

Featuring memories from alums and a great interview with Professor Alain Gowing, this month’s article gives nice background on the birth of the UW Rome Center and why renovations are necessary.

Read the article

Our first-ever distinguished lecture

Tonight we were delighted to host the first-ever UW Rome Center Distinguished Lecture on the UW campus in Seattle. Kane Hall was packed, with over 240 people in attendance. Professor Alain Gowing shared his fascinating talk, “Ghosts of the Palazzo Pio”, and then Professor Steve Muench gave an update on the renovation project. Afterwards, we gathered for a Prosecco toast by Seattle chef and UW Rome Center alum Renee Erickson. The toast kicked off a great party!

Watch a video of the lecture

Historical grace… and paperwork

We have been enjoying the work of selecting flooring and lighting for our updated classrooms. These features of course must be complementary to the existing design (e.g., marble doorways) and decorative features, as well as to the historical grace of the building. They also need to stand up to heavy use by our study abroad students and other visitors.

The next steps for us are very paperwork heavy! We are submitting designs for the 3^rd floor work to the Ministry of Cultural Heritage for approval, as all plans must maintain the history and prestige of the building. And finally, our fire safety consultant will be submitting our fire safety plans to the local fire department next week to ensure that all plans meet or exceed fire safety regulations.

Beyond the scope of the UW renovation project, but certainly impacting our space and the palazzo overall of course, the building owners have just completed some work on the facade of the Pio. The scaffolding has come down, and the façade facing Campo de’ Fiori is now a beautiful light brown stucco contrasted against marble inlay. Here’s a picture so that you can see what it looks like. We hope you can come and see it in person soon!

An end to Roman holidays…

Thanks for checking in with us! September and the promise of fall weather brings renewed energy to the construction process.

In July, workers were diverted to tackle some emergency repairs on the roof. August holidays meant that we took a break from construction work for a few weeks. Our team of workers is now back from vacation, rested and ready to go!

Despite the brief setback with the roof, we have made some good progress. The demolition phase of the project is done, and the electrical and HVAC projects are also complete. To get ready for the next phase of construction, the UWRC team has further adjusted the classroom, office and common spaces currently being used by visiting students and faculty so that construction workers have the access they need to begin their next projects. Renovations have begun in the common areas, including replacement of the skylight in the main staircase.

We wanted to share some photos here from the Foster Rome program to give you a taste 😉 of what some of our UW students were up to on summer faculty-led study abroad programs.

As usual, the students spent much of their time engaging with the city of Rome and beyond, including a visit to a local olive oil factory (you may have sampled their delicious produce if you buy your EVOO at Costco!). Through this visit, students gained deeper understanding of global supply chain logistics. In other words, what does it take to get products from field to factory to your local store?

The students did not escape classroom time altogether, though. Lectures and group work back at the UWRC helped put their observations into context.

If you’d like to learn more about the UWRC renovation, we hope you can make it to the first-ever UW Rome Center Distinguished Lecture on Friday, November 15th in Kane Hall on the UW campus in Seattle. It’s going to be a fantastic evening, hosted by Seattle chef and UWRC alumna Renee Erickson.

Professor Alain Gowing will give his fascinating history talk, Ghosts of the Palazzo Pio, with tons of fun history on our historic home. Afterwards, Professor Steve Muench – who is in Rome right now leading his amazing faculty-led program – will give an update on the renovations.

Lighting, tiles, AV and more

Work on the 1^st floor continues, with reinforcement of the floors and fire safety measures having been the top priority thus far. A complete overhaul of the HVAC system is also underway to ensure adequate cooling during our hot Roman summers and heating in our chillier months.

We have also been working with Targetti, a premier technical and architectural lighting company with a long history of lighting in Italy. Targetti is designing functional and beautiful lighting solutions for our classrooms, grand conference room, and new exhibit space. The exhibit space is an interesting challenge as it features a centuries-old fresco depicting Juno, Aeolus, god of the winds, and the nymph Deiopea.

Plans for educational technology in all classrooms have also been finalized. Our renovated classrooms and seminar rooms will offer new AV equipment. We are also adding a computer kiosk in hallway leading to the conference room will for use by students and conference attendees alike. New tiles for the classrooms, exhibit space, waiting area, kitchenette, and bathrooms will soon be selected, too.

The first phase of this project is on target to be completed by December 2019. Stay tuned for more updates!

Contractors break ground — or floor, rather — at Palazzo Pio

In January, after many years of planning in coordination with Istituto Tata Giovanni, which owns Palazzo Pio, renovations are now underway at the UW Rome Center. Staged in three phases, the project includes critical updates to the structure, electrical and mechanical works; important fire safety prevention measures; as well as new lighting, flooring and educational technology. The renovation also maximizes educational space so that future generations of UW students can participate in the transformative experience of study abroad in the heart of Rome.

We are currently engaged in phase 1 of the project. Projects include:

Transforming the seminar room into a lovely exhibit space to showcase student work
Creating a waiting room area, common-use kitchenette, and new seminar room
Installing new bathrooms
Reconfiguring a faculty apartment
Opening up access to the terrace overlooking Campo de’ Fiori for students and faculty
Phases 2 (tentatively scheduled for April 2020 – April 2021) and 3 (tentatively scheduled for September 2021 – July 2022) include similar work, all with an eye for improving the usability of the space for our academic programs, conferences and other educational activities.

Classes and programming are in full swing during the renovation. To make room, we have repurposed and consolidated other spaces, including “the Prow” on the 3rd floor, and the library and computer lab on the 4th floor.

While the work is going on, programming will continue and classes are currently in full swing on the third and fourth floors of the UWRC. We will continue to welcome UW programs throughout all three phases the project, and encourage faculty to come see first-hand the transformation that is underway here in Rome. While some flexibility will be required around classroom assignments, programs scheduled at the UWRC this year will be accommodated in existing classroom space. Programs wishing to come in the future are very much encouraged to submit their applications for next year as well, which are due August 31, 2019 for 2020-21 programs (except Early Fall 2020 programs, for which the application deadline is October 31, 2019).