AUR Summer students hosted at The American Academy

MKT 303 students with Rosa Lowinger, Prix di Rome winner, 6th from the right

11 June 2009: Students in Prof. Fitzsimmons' "Special Topics in Marketing and Organizational Communications in Italy" summer course enjoyed an exclusive visit at The American Academy, with Prix di Rome winner Rosa Lowinger. The focus of Ms. Lowinger's research proposal, for which she was awarded the 2009 Booth Family fellowship in Conservation, is the history of art vandalism. Because the students are working on their course project, an anti-graffiti campaign for Rome, they were intrigued to hear that the phenomenon of graffiti is far from modern: Ms. Lowinger's exhibit, in her studio at the Academy, not far from the AUR campus, includes evidence of graffiti in Pompei, in ancient Rome, and throughout history. She has also assembled an array of graffiti artefacts from all over Europe, and talked with the group about the motivation that has driven the expansion of the phenomenon and the aesthetic and historical value graffiti can have. The students were even able to provide some new information for the scholar, having done research to ascertain the graffiti phenomenon and efforts to curb it in seven different cities in Europe and North America.

Ms. Lowinger is the director and chief conservator of Rosa Lowinger & Associates, a Los Angeles-based conservation studio specializing in 20th century sculpture and architecture. Primarily a hands-on conservator working in Los Angeles, Miami, and Honolulu, she also serves as a consultant to public art agencies throughout the U.S. and lectures frequently on issues of modern media, outdoor sculpture and public art.

The MKT 303 Special Topics course was originally created by Dr. Marlene Fine, Professor of Communication at Simmons College, who taught it at AUR for eight summers as a visiting professor. The course provides an overview of cultural, marketing and communication issues as applied in Italy, and brings an array of experts in to talk with the students about various issues: branding, advertising, pr, sales, economics, diplomacy, press relations, entrepreneurship and management. Through discussion, research, a field trip and the course project, students have ample opportunity to hone their skills at analysing cultural differences as well as communicating and managing relationships across cultures.