Save the Dates – Alumni Events
The Art of Rome in Washington DC, New York City and Boston
Lecture and Walking Tour by Art Historian Professor Terry Kirk
Washington DC – October 11-12
New York – October 18-19
Boston – October 25-26

Campus News
New president appointed
Having directed the prestigious Bologna Center for the School of Advanced International Studies, Dr. Robert H. Evans has experience ranging from university administration both in the US and Italy as well as academic research in American and European institutions. He speaks fluent Italian and has studied and written extensively on modern Italian politics.

After earning his PhD from the University of Denver in 1966, Dr. Evans taught political science at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Virginia. He specialized in modern Italy and taught at the Foreign Service Institute for the US Department of State. His academic expertise ranges from Italian terrorism to local Italian politics.

The appointment came as Dr. Margaret Melady ends her 6-year term as president. During her tenure, Dr. Melady has steered the university through a period of rapid expansion in the number of students and faculty and the size the physical plant. Dr. Melady will be leaving her post at the end of June to return to her Washington DC home and will continue to be active in the university as a visiting professor.

New chair of board of trustees
Joseph Del Raso, partner in the Philadelphia-based law firm Pepper Hamilton LLP, became new chair of the Board of Trustees in December 2002. Mr. Del Raso is active in numerous Italian American organizations and will be helping the new president plan for AUR’s future. Congratulations!

Dr. Giannini 2003 commencement speaker
The speaker and honoree at the 2003 American University of Rome commencement ceremonies was Dr. Margaret J. Giannini. Formerly chair of The American University of Rome Board of Trustees, Dr. Giannini now oversees the coordination, development and implementation of programs and special initiatives for the new Office on Disability inside the Department of Health and Human Services.

New business faculty chair
The business administration faculty have a new area chair. Professor Kathleen Fitzsimmons joined AUR’s business faculty in 1998 and brings to her new assignment 15 years’ of business experience in organizational management and consumer marketing. A graduate of Duquesne University, Prof. Fitzsimmons received a Master in Business Administration from the Harvard Business School. She worked for Time Warner as TV marketing manager for Sports Illustrated and was marketing director of Playtex Italia SpA before starting her own consulting practice.

Scholarship award
Alba Lupia won the 2003-2004 National Leadership Grant from The Sons of Italy Foundation. The grant covers her tuition and living expenses for a year. Currently a junior, Alba is an Italian Studies major, works as a student assistant and is active on the AUR Student Government. A native of New Jersey, her parents were born in Salerno and Cosenza.

Murder 101
In April AUR student government organized a murder-themed treasure hunt around Rome for students. Armed with clues, teams of students swarmed Rome as amateur detectives. The winning team won €600 ($550). The script was written by Nathan Feuerberg, directed by Shirley Mustafa and produced by TV & Film professor Stu Rosen.

Student art show
The Master of Fine Arts program organized an art show of student work in April. The 12 American University MFA students studied last semester in the Umbrian countryside before moving to the urban rooftop splendor of Rome and sharing new studio space in the San Saba neighborhood. The art show, titled Strati Incrociati (crossed strata), featured sculptures, drawings and paintings by students who have shared experiences as fellow artists and foreigners in Italy.

Food for the world
Rome houses several international organizations. The largest is the Food and Agricultural Organization. Marketing professor Robert Sonnabend brought his students to the FAO to learn about the complex and difficult project the organization develops and implements around the world. Students learned about the food policy projects as well as the APO program that brings young professionals from around the world to its Rome headquarters.

Masterful critiques
Maestro Franco Mulas from the San Luca Academy visited the MFA students in studio art professor Breda Ennis’ class to critique student artwork. The students found the critic’s comments constructive and appreciated his interest in their work.

Montenegrin on-site case study
Professors Radoslava Stefanova and James Walston organized a student trip to Montenegro in March. Eleven students from the US, Mexico, Chile and Belgium met the prime minister of Montenegro, the local mayor and numerous diplomats on a trip designed to increase awareness and understanding of the Balkans. “The trip brought me a more precise, and in some aspects different, vision of the region and its people,” reflected business major Patrick Jorens.

Wine as business and pleasure
The spring business field trip took students to the Fontana dei Papi winery, where students heard about the wine market as well as the tradition of wine-making in Italy. Everyone looked forward to the wine tasting that wrapped up the excursion outside Rome.

New campus facilities
In order to accommodate the nearly 500 students who came to AUR in the spring semester, the university opened a new computer center, several new classrooms, a new art studio and new faculty offices. AUR opened class rooms and faculty offices in the 3rd and 4th floors of the second building on campus. Other faculty members and the finance office moved around the corner to a new office space. The art studio moved to a neighborhood near the Porta San Paolo and the Aventine. The George A. Tesoro Auditorium now houses 49 high-speed computers.

Fall 2003

In October 2003, the alumni association hosted a series of special events for graduates and study abroad alumni in DC, New York City, and Boston. Alumni from the 1970’s to 2003 joined former classmates and friends to share memories of their time in Rome and renew their support for the university. Professor of Art History Terry Kirk offered guests the opportunity to discover the influence of Roman traditions on the art and architecture of American cities and the following day, led alumni on a walking tour through artistic collections in the Roman tradition

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