The semester has come to an end as quickly as it has begun. With our final exhibition a huge success, it seems as though all of our hard work has paid off. As we pack our suitcases, wrap up our works, and say our final goodbyes, we can’t help but miss everyone and everything. This semester has proven to be incredibly inspiring, informative, and unforgettable. With our long trips we went to places like Venice, Naples, and Berlin, while day trips were reserved for locations like Bomarzo and Hadrian’s Villa. Regardless of whether we were in Torino or Napoli, we always had fun.
Besides our adventures outside the city, being in Rome was a great experience as well, an aspect of our semester that was largely due to the hard work and enthusiasm by everyone involved in the program.
I would like to extend a warm thank you to everyone who has taught and helped us throughout the semester:
Anna Rita: Thank you for everything! Whether it was Gnocchi Night or Thanksgiving, Anna Rita always managed to make some of the most delicious treats that always made us coming back for more. When safety concerns became an issue, she pulled us together and made sure that we knew that we would be taken care of. Anna Rita, we will miss you!
Annalisa: Thank you for helping solve all of our problems always.
Whether it was an apartment issue or a technical issue, Annalisa was always there to fix it. Without her, our exhibition wouldn’t have been successful. Annalisa, thank you so much for being so patient and friendly with all of us! We will miss you dearly!
Jeffrey: Thank you for being such a great professor and organizing such wonderful field trips. Each trip, just like each class session, was always informative, fascinating, and enjoyable. Jeffrey is undeniably a wealth of knowledge and can answer any question that one can ever have. Jeffrey, thank you for showing us the treasures of Rome! We will miss you!
Luana: Thank you for being such a wonderful studio professor and organizing a collaboration between the art students of Cornell and of the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome! We were able to publish a book of our work by Nero magazine- an opportunity that we thought we would never have. Thank you for bringing amazing artists to lecture us! Thank you for always caring about your students and ensuring the best for us! We will miss you greatly!
Carolina: Thank you for being such a wonderful film professor and introducing us to so many incredible Italian films. Thank you for taking us to Cinecitta, Kino, and introducing us to Matteo Garrone. We have been so privileged to have screened his film and meet him. Thank you for spreading your enthusiasm of Italian cinema to us! You will be sorely missed!
Costanza: Thank you for teaching us Italian! Our experience in Rome wouldn’t have been the same if it weren’t for you. Each class was both amusing and informative. Pretty soon, we were able to maintain a conversation or order coffee without hesitation. Constanza, thank you for always being so happy and enthusiastic about teaching us! We will miss you!
Shara: Thank you for introducing us to the contemporary art world in Rome and for finding such great internships. This has been such an eye-opening semester and we have learned so much about galleries, curators, and art. Thank you for showing us around Napoli and making it a great trip. You will be missed!
George: As an artist, I haven’t had the ability to spend much time with George, but with the times I did, I would like to thank both you and Sabina for always being interested in our trips and our work. See you in Ithaca!
Davide: Thank you for being so passionate about architecture and answering our artist questions when we wanted to learn more about architecture! We will miss you!
Jan: Thank you for addressing history in a more relatable way! I’ve only had you for one class, but I had never laughed so hard in my entire life. Thank you for brightening everyone’s day!
Paul: Thank you for leading our field trip in Torino and being so helpful whenever we had any questions!
Thank you to everyone who has made this program possible and unforgettable! We will miss all of you dearly and hope to return someday!
Arrivederci!
-Veronica