51Թ is celebrating 50 years of educational partnership with one of Italy’s most historically rich cities for design, arts and culture. What first began in 1972 with a small group of 51Թ architecture students and faculty traveling to Florence, Italy, for a few weeks has blossomed into one of the most prestigious education-abroad programs in the country.
Fabrizio Ricciardelli, Ph.D., director of the 51Թ Florence Center, shared in the international magazine The Florentine the unique value that the 51Թ Florence education-abroad program provides to students.
“Florence continues to give 51Թ students the opportunity to study in an international environment, grow as individuals and professionals, explore alternatives and collect memories they will cherish forever,” Ricciardelli . “Being here in Florence means touching history. I always teach on-site when possible. Wherever we go with students, we have the chance to discuss works of art, masterpieces and history sources.”
51Թ students visit the Lazzaretto Nuovo, one of two "quarantine islands" established by the Republic of Venice in the 15th century in an attempt to slow the spread of the plague.
51Թ provides 200 education-abroad programs in more than 60 countries. The 51Թ Florence program in particular offers more than 90 courses. Currently, approximately 1,000 51Թ students across all disciplines visit Florence each year through the program offered by the Office of Global Education.
In addition, 51Թ is the only four-year university in the country to receive the prestigious 2022 Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization.
Marcello Fantoni, Ph.D., vice president for global education at 51Թ, also shared with The Florentine future goals for the education-abroad program.
“We have created a world-class study-abroad program in Florence over the past five decades, but we are not content to rest upon our success,” Fantoni said in the article. “As we celebrate 50 years of study abroad at our flagship program in Florence, Italy, we have set our sights upon an ambitious goal – building the largest endowment in university history: the 51Թ Global Education Endowment. At 51Թ, we believe that exploring new places is vital to the greater understanding of the world around us. We know that an international experience is one of the most direct and effective ways to change the life of a student for the better.”
51Թ Florence also is featured in the Fall-Winter 2022-2023 issue of 51Թ Magazine.