By Marielle Lunde Berntsen

After a weekend filled with laughter, learning, and visiting businesses, cultural and historical sites and politicians, AUR students returned from the Business Field Trip to Sicily. Prof Aldo Patania and Department Chair Prof Kathleen Fitzsimmons organized the trip, packed full of adventures, as we wound our way through many of the beautiful cities on the island and a great deal of learning. Many of the students were taking the related course one-credit elective course BUS 381 “The Economic and Political Environment of Sicily.”

Participants included students from a variety of different majors, and were about evenly split between resident and study abroad students, which brought a great diversity to the group, as well as to the questions asked at the numerous businesses that hosted us. Key to our understanding and appreciation of the visits was Prof. Patania’s encyclopedia knowledge of the economic, political, historical and cultural aspects of this oft-misunderstood region of Italy, as well as his boundless energy, enthusiasm and intellectual curiosity. The trip started off with a bang. After arriving in Catania, Prof. Patania, who is from Sicily and studied in the city, wasted no time in informing us all about everything from social issues, the best restaurants, the history, and the various businesses in the area. He answered all our questions and shared loads of fun facts.

After a great (but early!) breakfast at our hotel in the heart of Catania, we launched our packed and eventful day. First stop: the SASOL chemical plant in Augusta. The managers there offered snacks and coffee and a great deal of information about the plant and the industry, which is thriving, despite the economic recession. After the presentation we toured the plant, which was interesting and something most of us had never experienced before. After this we were once again on the Sicilian road, astonished by the mesmerizing beauty and history of Sicily. Our next stop was Oranfresh; a company that creates machines to supply freshly squeezed orange juice, for companies and households alike! The company let us drink as much freshly squeezed orange juice as we could consume, which all the students (and professors) took full advantage of! After a short presentation, we were shown around the factory, and saw from start to finish the production of their newest line – vending machines. After the tour, we all agreed, we need one of those vending machines on the AUR campus!

Back on the road we headed to Oro d’Etna, a small firm that specializes in “apicultura” (bee keeping), managing 900 “families” of honey bees. They then produce and distribute an array of honey-related products and other typical Sicilian food products. Walking around the factory and being able to see the different foods specific to the area made us all hungry, so our next stop was lunch, where we had a typical Sicilian meal. Then it was off to the dairy company “Latte Sole,” a unit of the Parmalat multinational corporation, where we saw how milk is processed and packaged for delivery. We had to put on hairnets and coats, which provided for one of the funniest moments of the day, and some of the best photos! We all left with some milk, souvenirs, and lots of great pictures! Our last stop on the agenda was Palazzo dell’Elefante, which is the location of Catania’s City Hall. When we arrived there, the Major of Catania, Raffaele Stancanelli, welcomed us enthusiastically, offered some advice on where to get the best food, allowed us to step out onto the balcony used only on special occasions, overlooking the piazza, and sent us off with best wishes for the rest of our trip. For the rest of the night we all explored Catania, ate great food, and basked in the magic the city of Catania had to offer.

The next morning we went inland to Sortino to visit the Colleroni Company, part of a cooperative of orange producing and packing companies. We enjoyed a walk through the beautiful country side, saw the orange fields, watched the local workers picking the fruit (and tried to understand a little of the Sicilian dialect they all spoke!) and were told to pick we could pick as many oranges as we pleased. We then went to the Colleroni facility where the oranges are delivered, inspected, sorted, washed, waxed and packaged on an automatic assembly line, and from which they are sent to grocery stores throughout Italy. The owner shared with us his marketing and distribution strategy and discussed the unique strategic alliance the cooperative has formed with Conad Supermarkets that provides incentives for small orange farmers to stay in business despite their lack of the kind of economies of scale normally required in the agricultural sector. The day was glorious, and we headed up into the rocky hills to Buccheri, where we had lunch at a beautiful restaurant. The only thing that outshone the spectacular view, was the food! After a great meal and good company, we headed to Noto for the afternoon. Noto is UNESCO’s world heritage list for its unique baroque architecture.

Our last day in Sicily was featured what became perhaps the highlights for many of the students – visits to Mt. Etna and Taormina. Mt. Etna is the largest active volcano in Europe. We hiked up the black hills to peer into the smaller craters (not the active one, which was still emitting smoke!) picked up some lava rocks, and enjoyed the cool refreshing air. Back on the bus, we headed to Taomina, one of the most beautiful cities in Sicily! We strolled, ate lunch, enjoyed a tour of the ancient Greek theater towering over the sea, and ate that most classic of Sicilian sweets, cannoli. Until, sadly, our trip was at an end and we once again boarded a plane, headed for Rome. But I am sure I speak for everyone on the trip, it was an amazing trip, filled with experiences and sites most of us had only seen in books.

Additional Resources

• View our photo album on Facebook
• Get more information on the course BUS 381 “The Economic and Political Environment of Sicily.”

Professors Patania (left) and Fitzsimmons (right) with AUR students and Catania Mayor Raffaele Stancanelli (center).

• Date: April 11th, 2012
• Time: 6:30 pm
• Location: Auriana Auditorium

Emilia A. Puma, Cultural Affairs Officer of the United States Embassy to Rome, will be featured for the third lecture in the “Women in Leadership” Series co-hosted by AUR’s Business Studies Department and USA Girl Scouts Overseas. Ms. Puma will talk about lessons learned during her 20-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service, in a lecture entitled “Women in Leadership in Government – And How to Get There.”

Ms. Puma’s assignment as Cultural Attachè in Rome Rome – which had long been her dream position – is her tenth posting. She has also served in New Delhi, India; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Calcutta, India; Bridgetown, Barbados; Torino, Italy; Ottawa, Canada; and Pristina, Kosovo, in addition to two tours in Washington, DC. A Philadelphia native, Ms PUma received her B.A from the University of Pennsylvania (double major in French and English literatures); an M.A. in English literature from UCLA; and an M.A. in French literature from Columbia University.

The “Women in Leadership” series is one of thousands of events around the world celebrating the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting, and has so far featured UN Agency Ethics Officer Olivia Graham and Author and Former CEO Janice Holly Booth.

This lecture is open to the public.

From rappelling in canyons to rallying in the boardroom with Janice Booth.

The “Women in Leadership” series co-hosted by AUR’s Business Studies Department and USA Girl Scouts Overseas, continues on Monday, March 12, with author, “adventurista” and former CEO Janice Holly Booth.

“Leadership Lessons From the Edge” – based on one of the adventures described in Janice’s book “Only Pack What You Can Carry,” is the story of a woman who sets out on a trip to explore the slot canyons of southern Utah, but once there, can’t overcome her fear of heights, the edge, and the gnawing sense of danger. It would take more than a dozen separate tries before she finally faces her fears, dons a harness and rope, and disappears into the dark unknown of the slots. From that adventure, the former award-winning CEO shares 10 of the most important leadership lessons she learned while being challenged both physically and emotionally over three grueling days: lessons that would transform her leadership style and philosophy for good.

Janice is former CEO of the North Carolina Girl Scout Council, former Executive Director for the arts-in-education organization, Young Audiences of Western New York, and author of “Only Pack What You Can Carry,” published by National Geographic. She has been a leader in the non-profit area, serving in a leadership role in a number of NFP organizations in addition to Girl Scouts, all focusing on enhancing the lives of children.

The talk will be held in the AUR Auditorium (Via P. Roselli No. 16) and is open to the public. We welcome members of the Rome community. Janice Booth’s observations and experience will inspire and motivate students and “real-world warriors” alike!

In addition to being a long-time instructor at AUR, specializing in Accounting, Dr. Luzon is the Finance Manager of Bioversity International, a leading NGO that undertakes research aimed at improving people’s lives through the use and conservation of agricultural biodiversity, and a CPA.

The Tobias Conference brings together scholars and practitioners from the entire spectrum of leadership including corporate leadership, not-for-profit leadership, religious leadership, educational leadership, medical leadership, and political leadership. The Forum featured papers and panels from all academic disciplines. A primary purpose of this conference is to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and facilitate the exchange of ideas on the broad subject of leadership. Congratulations to Dr Luzon on this recognition, and on the opportunity to represent AUR at this international academic conference.

Olivia Graham, JD, will kick off the series, with a lecture focusing on Ethics and the reasons good people often do bad things. In “The Ethics Minefield: The Role of the Ethics Office in Global Organizations,” Olivia will share her experience as Ethics Officer for the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a UN agency headquartered in Rome. A former JAG and member of the National Board of Girl Scouts of the USA, Olivia will discuss real world examples of ethical dilemmas, the reasons for unethical behavior and how organizations operating across cultures can create programs to ensure their members maintain ethical standards.

This event, and other lectures in this series, are open to the public. This series is one of a number of special initiatives being organized in Italy to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of Girl Scouts by Juliette Low. We hope you will join us in celebrating!

Resources:

• Business Speaker Series POSTER Spring 2012

Col. Guptill directs the NATO Regional Cooperation Course, which brings together military leaders from across NATO to study and develop joint strategies, and is the U.S. Senior National Representative. A number of AUR students from various majors have served at the NATO College as Volunteer Education and Outreach Assistants in a program that allows them to see the workings of the College, and its role within NATO.

This special lecture is open to all. Please join us:

• February 14th, 2012
• 3:40 pm
• Room B-304

On June 1, he will provide summer school students with a lesson in Italian history from the foundation of the Republic to present day. The students in the MKT 303 could will be focusing on cultural differences in marketing and organizational communications and will be exploring the cultural, political, historical and economic drivers behind what makes Italy unique.

June 1st, Room 304 at noon
The lecture is open to the public.

The National Council determines the general lines of policy of the Girl Scout Movement and program by 1) considering and acting on proposals aimed at fostering and continuous improvement of Girl Scouting, 2) by receiving and acting upon reports of its National Board of Directors, and 3) by giving guidance to the National Board upon general lines of direction of the Movement and program. The Council also elects the officers and members of the National Board of Directors, and members of the National Nominating Committee.

Prof. Fitzsimmons is Chair of USA Girl Scouts in Rome, heading up the organization that ensures that American girls and girls at international schools have access to the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. She manages the Overseas Management Team responsible for recruiting, training and supporting GS volunteers and building relationships with the international schools and English-speaking community. She is a long time volunteer, and was a recent participant at conferences at the GSUSA Edith Macy Center for Learning and Organizational Excellence in New York, and at the European regional training conference held in Sonthofen Germany. AUR supports the valuable community service efforts of Prof. Fitzsimmons, and has become the home of Girl Scouting in Rome, hosting various training conferences including the annual Girl Scout University every October.

• Girl Scouts Website
• Girl Scouts of Rome on Shutterfly