Three professors received Dean鈥檚 Awards for Excellence in Teaching: , , and . Two staff members received the Distinguished Service Staff Award: Lanah Koelle and Courtney Feldman. (SFS’95) received the Cond茅 Nast Award and received the Farr Faculty Excellence Award.

“Every year, I am delighted to take this time 鈥� just as spring is beginning 鈥� to congratulate and celebrate important contributions made by our faculty and staff,” said Rosario Ceballo, dean of the 桔子视频 & Sciences. “These seven awards recognize our incredible colleagues whose work in the classroom, the office, and the wider world contribute to the vitality and richness of our academic community.”

Charles McNelis

Charles McNelis, the faculty director of Graduate Liberal Studies and a professor in the , received the Dean鈥檚 Awards for Excellence in Teaching. 

鈥淚 am deeply humbled by this award, and grateful to my colleagues in Classics and beyond for their support,鈥� said McNelis. 鈥淢ost of all, I am thankful to the students at Georgetown for their energetic curiosity and willingness to think about human experiences from a variety of perspectives, both ancient and modern.鈥�

McNelis, who came to the Hilltop in 2002, is well-loved by students who consistently rave about his courses, in which he introduces budding classicists to the great poetry and literature of antiquity. 

鈥淚n his more than twenty years on the Hilltop, Professor Charles McNelis has revolutionized the teaching of both Greek and Latin language and literature,鈥� said Andrew Sobanet, vice dean for faculty affairs in the 桔子视频 & Sciences. 鈥淗is courses explore the ancient world in ways that allow students to expand their horizons and to deepen their understanding of contemporary notions of literature, religion, sexuality and gender. Consistently highly enrolled and highly rated, Professor McNelis鈥� courses are rigorous, challenging, stimulating and fast paced.鈥�

McNelis researches the connections between Greek and Latin literatures, particularly in the genre of epic poetry. He has published extensively on the 1st-century poet Statius. McNelis鈥� book, Statius鈥� Thebaid and the Poetics of Civil War, argues that aspects of modern civil war are manifest in the poet鈥檚 re-telling of the battle between the sons of Oedipus for the throne of Thebes. His soon-to-be published version of Statius鈥� Achilleid extensively examines and develops both ancient and modern notions about sexuality and gender.

鈥淧rofessor McNelis鈥檚 work with our students represents the best of Georgetown鈥檚 桔子视频 & Sciences: he consistently focuses on his students鈥� intellectual growth; he has been an active and generous mentor; and his classes have a long-lasting impact on his students鈥� lives,鈥� said Sobanet. 鈥淲e are most fortunate to count Professor Charles McNelis among our faculty.鈥� 

Donatella Melucci 

Donatella Melucci, a teaching professor in the , received the Dean鈥檚 Award for Excellence in Teaching. 

鈥淚 am overflowing with gratitude upon receiving the 2023 Dean鈥檚 Excellence In Teaching Award,鈥� said Melucci. 鈥淭his recognition reflects the incredible support, collaboration and inspiration I have received from my colleagues, the Department of Italian Studies and the 桔子视频 and Sciences.鈥�

Melucci鈥檚 in-demand course on Italian translation invites advanced students to put their skills to the test by translating Italian books into English for publication. Their coursework, once completed, is reviewed by the original authors and publishers before the printed and bound copies hit bookstore shelves with their names attached. 

鈥淚n her fifteen years of teaching in Georgetown University鈥檚 桔子视频 & Sciences, Professor Donatella Melucci has been an inspiration to our students,鈥� said Sobanet. 鈥淗er courses in the Department of Italian have been wide-ranging, dynamic and rigorous. Experiential learning is a signature element of Professor Melucci鈥檚 teaching.鈥�  

Melucci has authored, co-authored and edited numerous textbooks on the teaching of Italian as a foreign language.

鈥淢ost recently, Professor Melucci has brought her passion and innovative spirit to her position as one of our inaugural co-directors of the International Business, Language, and Culture program,鈥� said Sobanet. 鈥淭hroughout the years, Professor Melucci鈥檚 attention to our students鈥� personal and intellectual growth and her commitment to Georgetown鈥檚 ideal of cura personalis have been nothing short of exemplary.鈥�

鈥淎 special thanks goes to my wonderful students, who are the heartbeat of my teaching practice,鈥� Melucci said. 鈥淭heir enthusiasm, curiosity and unwavering determination inspire me every day. It is a privilege to be a part of their educational journey, and I am honored to play a role in shaping their future.鈥�

Joseph McCartin

Joseph McCartin, a professor in the Department of History, received a Dean鈥檚 Award for Excellence in Teaching. 

“I consider it the highest honor of my teaching career to be recognized by colleagues and administrators whose passionate commitments to education inspire me and by an institution that has taught me to see teaching as an act of cura personalis,鈥� said McCartin. 鈥淚 feel so lucky to teach here.”

McCartin, who has taught on the Hilltop for some 25 years, is an expert on U.S. labor, social and political history

鈥淧rofessor Joseph McCartin has taught thousands of students across a wide array of courses and levels,鈥� said Elena Silva, vice dean for faculty affairs. 鈥淗is pedagogy focuses not only on sharing his deep understanding of American and global labor history but on connecting classroom learning to the development of informed and self-reflective modes of social and political engagement.鈥� 

McCartin鈥檚 research has focused on the politics of labor, organizing and the working class in America throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. His book Collision Course investigates the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) illegal strike in 1981 and its subsequent decertification by the Reagan Administration, situating the event and its handling as one of the most pivotal moments in the history of American labor. 

鈥淎s the founder and director of the Kalmanovitz Initiative for the Labor and Working Poor, he has supervised students in hands-on, socially engaged work that complements what they have learned in his classes and prepared them for internships with community organizations, social-justice initiatives, think tanks and labor unions,鈥� said Silva. 鈥淗umble to his core, Professor McCartin exemplifies the ideal of social engaged pedagogy. We are delighted to recognize his commitment to advancing knowledge and fostering a dynamic learning environment for all students.鈥� 

Lanah Koelle

Lanah Koelle, who serves as the manager of academic records in the 桔子视频 & Sciences, received the Distinguished Service Staff Award. 

“This award is such an honor! I’m grateful to collaborate with such excellent colleagues in the Dean’s Office,鈥� said Koelle. 鈥淭hough I’ve been at Georgetown for a little more than two years, I’m excited to have made an impact and to receive recognition for my work supporting CAS programs and students.”

鈥淢s. Koelle is widely appreciated for a calming and unflappable presence, her ability to organize and her unfailing collegiality,鈥� said Woods. 鈥淟anah has become expert in the many and complex database systems that produce reports relied on by deans, departments and programs across the College. She is also known for anticipating problems and choke points, and for devising and implementing solutions.鈥�

Before coming to the Hilltop, Koelle worked as a program manager and librarian at Harvard University鈥檚 Center for Hellenic Studies. At Georgetown, Koelle balances numerous responsibilities related to the oversight and record keeping for more than 3,400 undergraduate students. 

鈥淢s. Koelle鈥檚 many responsibilities include management of degree audits for the approximately 50 major and 50 minors pursued by students in the 桔子视频 and Sciences; managing behind-the-scenes work to make CAS Commencement run smoothly via accurate graduation lists used in the Commencement program book and to order diplomas; managing the production of myriad departmental reports; as well as accurate processing of all student academic forms,鈥� said Woods. 鈥淢s. Koelle was an essential member of the CAS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force and the Main-Med Sciences at Georgetown Task Force鈥�

Off campus, Koelle is a jazz musician and vocalist who frequently performs in the wider Washington, DC area. 

Courtney Feldman

Courtney Feldman, an administrative officer in the Department of German, received a Distinguished Service Staff Award. 

鈥淚 am truly touched to receive this award,鈥� said Feldman. 鈥淚 feel very fortunate to have worked with such a wonderful group of people during my time at Georgetown and their support means so much to me.鈥� 

鈥淢s. Courtney Feldman has served as the administrative officer for the German Department since 2015, demonstrating dedication, creativity and precision in her role,鈥� said Mary Helen Dupree, interim chair of the Department of German. 鈥淪he meticulously tends to all administrative and organizational tasks, offering equal attention not only to the department’s degree programs but to all its activities, with a sharp eye for how they combine to create a full experience.鈥�

Prior to arriving on the Hilltop, Feldman worked as a projectionist and manager for many years for several cinemas in Detroit, Chicago and Baltimore. She holds a bachelor’s degree in German from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI.  

鈥淚n addition to her work for the German Department, Ms. Feldman has generously stepped in to fill in administrative gaps in other Departments, especially during and since the pandemic without seeking additional compensation,鈥� said Dupree. 鈥淔or her exceptional and tireless contributions, we are honored to recognize Ms. Courtney Feldman with the 桔子视频 & Sciences鈥� 2024 Distinguished Staff Service Award.鈥�

Shweta Bansal

Shweta Bansal, a professor in the Department of Biology, received the Farr Faculty Excellence Award. 

The Farr Faculty Excellence Award honors excellent faculty research, effective mentoring of student research and/or innovative dissemination of scientific knowledge in the natural sciences, computer science, mathematics and statistics and psychology.

Bansal, who holds a slew of positions across campus in addition to her role as a professor, is a sought-after expert in the fields of public health and infectious disease. 

鈥淧rofessor Bansal is a trailblazing scholar renowned for her groundbreaking work on the interplay between social behavior and infectious disease dynamics, revolutionizing traditional approaches with innovative socio-ecological mathematical models,鈥� said Silva. 鈥淧rofessor Bansal has been particularly active in disseminating scientific knowledge in an effort to combat misinformation, particularly regarding viral diseases like COVID-19 and influenza.鈥�

On the Hilltop, Bansal serves as graduate faculty in both the Global Infectious Diseases Ph.D. Program and the Biology Ph.D. Program. She is also affiliate faculty for the Massive Data Institute, the Global Health Institute and Earth Commons.

鈥淧rofessor Bansal demonstrates exceptional dedication to mentoring, guiding numerous scholars at various stages of their academic journey mentoring over 30 undergraduates with many co-authoring peer-reviewed research articles and receiving prestigious fellowships, including the Rhodes, Fulbright and Churchill scholarships,鈥� said Silva. 鈥淧rofessor Bansal’s multifaceted contributions underscore her as an exemplary recipient for the Farr Faculty Excellence Award, embodying the essence of scholarly excellence and societal impact.鈥�

Sabrina Wesley-Nero

Sabrina Wesley-Nero (SFS’95), a teaching professor in the Program in Education, Inquiry, and Justice, received the Cond茅 Nast Award. 

First awarded in 1966 by the College Student Council to honor the memory of the first President of the Yard, the Cond茅 Nast Award is awarded annually by the 桔子视频 & Sciences to a faculty member who has served the College with distinguished teaching, research and service or leadership.

鈥淭hrough my work at Georgetown, I help undergraduate and graduate students imagine and work toward an education system that centers the needs of those furthest from opportunity, lead and develop programs in collaboration with brilliant and dedicated colleagues and partner with educators in schools and communities to move us toward a more just society through equity-oriented education,鈥� said Wesley-Nero. 鈥淚t is a privilege to do this work, and I am grateful.鈥�

Wesley-Nero鈥檚 research focuses on the experiences of marginalized students and the factors that contribute to their success or failure in the education system.

鈥淚n her decade at Georgetown, Professor Sabrina Wesley-Nero has demonstrated both success in the classroom and dedication to the larger community,鈥� said Dean Ceballo. 鈥淪he has left an indelible mark on two Georgetown programs 鈥� the Education, Inquiry, and Justice Program and the MA in Educational Transformation.鈥� 

In addition to serving as a leader on campus in numerous roles, including as the director of the Program in Education, Inquiry and Justice, she has taken her scholarship into the wider world. Wesley-Nero received national acclaim for developing the curriculum for the 1619 Freedom School in Waterloo, Iowa, a collaboration with Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones. 

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鈥淚 was very surprised and at the same time elated by this honor,鈥� said De Fina, a professor in the . 鈥淚 was surprised because I did not expect it and elated because it was such an important recognition of my work.鈥� 

The Order of Merit, which is bestowed by decree of the President of the Italian Republic, recognizes contributions in the fields of literature, the economy, public service and social, philanthropic and humanitarian activities. De Fina received the commendation of Cavaliere della Reppubblica Italiana, or Knight of the Italian Republic, in a ceremony at the Italian Embassy this fall. 

鈥淭his award means a great deal to me because this recognition signifies that the Italian government is paying attention to the efforts that are made by Italians abroad to disseminate our culture,鈥� said De Fina. 鈥淭his gives me hope that Italian institutions will continue to support the kind of work that we do.鈥�

The Order of Merit was established in 1951 by President Luigi Einuadi but follows in the lineage of Italian orders of merit dating back to the 14th century. 

鈥淢y academic work has contributed to highlighting the role of language in the every-day life and in the culture of populations of Italian origins abroad,鈥� said De Fina. 

De Fina, who received her Ph.D. from Georgetown, has taught in the 桔子视频 & Sciences since 2004. She has published a dozen books, curated six special issues of academic journals, and authored more than 80 articles in peer-reviewed journals and chapters in edited volumes. 

鈥淲e are so proud of Professor De Fina鈥檚 accomplishments and are delighted that they have been recognized in this way by the Italian government,鈥� said Vice Dean Andrew Sobanet upon learning of the recent honor.  

A polyglot, De Fina began learning French, English, Latin and Greek at a young age. In addition to her native Italian, this early education in languages sparked an interest in linguistic structure and functionality. De Fina鈥檚 research focuses on linguistic variations and the evolution of language among the Italian diaspora, the construction and negotiation of cultural identities, the study of migrant communities and the analysis of narratives. 

鈥淚 am interested in the permanence and strength of ethnic identity among Italian Americans even in the face of the massive loss of the Italian language among them and their efforts to maintain some symbolic elements of that language,鈥� said De Fina. 鈥淚 appreciate the contributions that Italian Americans have made to many fields of social life in the US and the very unique intermingling of Italian and American traditions in their food, arts and culture in general.鈥� 

De Fina is one of four linguists at Georgetown who are among the world鈥檚 top 2% most-cited researchers in the field according to recently updated statistics compiled by Stanford University. Her next book, tentatively titled Analyzing Online Narratives will explore online stories published on social media platforms, how those contrast with face-to-face narratives and the constraints and freedoms of digital storytelling environments. 

Three professors received Dean鈥檚 Awards for Excellence in Teaching: , and . Senior Associate Dean and Director of Advising Thom Chiarolanzio received the Distinguished Service Staff Award and Professor received the Cond茅 Nast Award.聽

Abigail Marsh

Marsh, a professor in the and the , received one of the Dean鈥檚 Awards for Excellence in Teaching. An internationally-recognized scholar whose work probes the intersection of neuroscience and empathy, Marsh makes a habit of mentoring student researchers both in her lab and in the classroom. 

鈥淧rofessor Marsh is a highly accomplished and dedicated teacher-scholar whose contributions have had a significant impact on the field of psychology and the university community,鈥� said Vice Dean of Faculty Elena Silva. 鈥淲e are honored to recognize Professor Marsh as an outstanding teacher-scholar, and we look forward to her continued success in inspiring and educating the next generation of scholars.鈥�

Beloved by students and colleagues, Marsh has been nominated five times for honors in the 桔子视频 & Sciences. Last spring, Marsh received the prestigious Bunn Award for Faculty Excellence, which is chosen by a vote of the graduating class and presented to the member of the 桔子视频 & Sciences faculty who 鈥渋s admired and respected by all students for their service to Georgetown in the classroom and on the campus community.鈥�

Natsu Onoda Power

Onoda Power, the artistic director of the Davis Performing Arts Center and a professor in the , received one of the Dean鈥檚 Awards for Excellence in Teaching. A playwright, director and set designer, Onoda Power has taught in the 桔子视频 & Sciences since 2005. 

As the onset of the coronavirus pandemic upended the traditional in-person classroom, Onoda Power pursued novel applications of virtual instruction. In March 2021, she directed a virtual show, Okinawa Field Trip, which was produced by students in one of her classes. Each night of its run, the production invited two dozen audience members to join a virtual field trip. Led by a Dugong 鈥� a vulnerable marine mammal related to manatees 鈥� audience members traversed from the front gates of Georgetown to their final destination of Okinawa, Japan. The show explored the relationship between themes of environmental justice, social justice and the legacies of war.  

鈥淒eveloping this piece was a rigorous exercise in the theatrical application of Zoom and community-building, intercultural exchange and facilitating difficult conversations through performance,鈥� said Ben Harbert, chair of the Department of Performing Arts. 

In all of her classes, Onoda Power weaves together theory and practice, giving students a chance to go deep in courses on special topics, such as Performing Madness, wherein students investigate the intersection between theater and mental illness, with a broad interdisciplinary focus that relies on a wide array of readings. 

Iris Smorodinsky

Smorodinsky, a teaching professor in the , received one of the Dean鈥檚 Awards for Excellence in Teaching. She is well-known amongst colleagues, alumni and students as a dedicated, thoughtful and transformative instructor. 

Throughout more than 15 years in the 桔子视频 & Sciences, Smorodinsky has taught and contributed to the design of nearly all of the French language courses taught at Georgetown. In 2015, Smorodinsky created a popular class in French phonetics, the first of its kind offered by the department in decades. 

Beyond the classroom, Smorodinsky has been a boon to her colleagues as a course coordinator, pulling together a treasure trove of pedagogical tools to improve French language instruction on the Hilltop. For 13 years, Smorodinsky implemented and oversaw the departmental placement test and confirmation exam, both of which are essential to the French language curriculum and together have been taken by thousands of incoming students. l 

鈥淚n many ways, Professor Smorodinsky is the ideal teacher: rigorous and at the same time supportive and approachable,鈥� said Vice Dean of Faculty Andrew Sobanet. 鈥淪he has been extraordinarily generous with her talents and her time, and she represents what is best about Georgetown. Her teaching evaluations are consistently exemplary, her sections oversubscribed; she is trusted and sought out by students for her clarity, warmth and acumen.鈥� 

Thom Chiarolanzio

Senior Associate Dean Chiarolanzio, who serves as the College鈥檚 Director of Advising, received the Distinguished Service Staff Award. Chiarolanzio has called the Hilltop home for more than 27 years, advising generations of Hoyas and helping thousands of students discover their potential. 

The award is presented to a member of the staff of the 桔子视频 & Science who has distinguished themselves through extraordinary service to the ideals of the school, including selflessness as a person for others, cura personalis, commitment to community in diversity and creative leadership and service in support of academic excellence. 

鈥淭hom鈥檚 leadership of our advising operation is rooted in a love for our students, for the liberal arts in the Jesuit tradition, for Georgetown and for his colleagues,鈥� said Dean Rosario Ceballo. 鈥淭hom鈥檚 colleagues describe him as 鈥榯he epitome of cura personalis,鈥� as 鈥榯he spiritual center of the academic center of the student experience鈥� and the essence of 鈥榞enerosity and selflessness despite his overflowing plate.鈥欌��

In addition to leading the advising team of the 桔子视频 & Sciences, Chiarolanzio serves on a slew of committees and initiatives across campus, including the Honor Council, Athletics, Admissions and Enrollment Management. He has also launched two celebrated initiatives: the Sophomore Success Series and the Social Responsibility Network. 

Nicoletta Pireddu

Pireddu, a professor in the and the inaugural director of the , received the Cond茅 Nast Award. Founded by the College Student Council in 1966, the award honors the memory of the first President of the Yard. It is awarded annually by the 桔子视频 & Sciences to a faculty member who has served the College with distinguished teaching, research and service or leadership. 

鈥淚 have had the distinct pleasure of witnessing Professor Pireddu鈥檚 leadership, especially in her dynamic and creative work launching and sustaining the Humanities Institute,鈥� said Dean Ceballo. 鈥淭hanks to Nicoletta, Georgetown鈥檚 enduring strengths in the humanities now enjoy a bigger platform and an engine for innovation and collaboration.鈥�

A specialist in comparative literature, Pireddu has left an indelible mark on the Hilltop. Under her leadership, the Georgetown Humanities Initiative has breathed new life into the humanities on campus. Recently, the initiative received a $750,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to create a humanities hub on campus.聽聽

A well-respected scholar, Pireddu鈥檚 most recent book Migrating Minds: Theories and Practices of Cultural Cosmopolitanism was recently awarded the Ren茅 Welleck Prize. Conferred by the American Comparative Literature Association, it is the field鈥檚 most prestigious accolade. In addition, Pireddu recently launched an open-access journal bearing the same name. The first issue of Migrating Minds is set to be published in the fall.

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鈥淢y co-editors and I are deeply honored to have received this iconic prize in comparative literary and cultural studies,鈥� said , a professor in the Department of Italian. 鈥淭he selection committee appreciated not only the theoretical innovations of our project but also the ethical and pedagogical implications, and this is particularly rewarding to us.鈥�  

Publishing Across the Disciplines

Published in 2022, the book brings together 20 essays from scholars around the globe and was co-edited by Pireddu and two French scholars, Didier Coste and Christina Kkona. Pireddu penned the book’s sixteenth chapter, Euroglottogonia, or Exercises in Continental Cosmopolitanism. 

鈥淚n a world torn between the leveling effects of globalization and divisive ideological polarizations, our book explores what it means to be world citizens and how the humanities can offer a new understanding of cosmopolitanism through a constructive critique of its various iterations,鈥� said Pireddu. 鈥淥ur contributors from different scholarly traditions, languages and locations help us interpret cosmopolitanism as much more than a condition of mobility, rootlessness, or hybridity. Migrating Minds articulates ways of inhabiting the world that entail constant self-interrogation, creative interaction with other peoples, cultures and languages, a鈥� sense of justice and of responsibility.”

Named after the renowned literary critic, the Ren茅 Wellek Prize counts among its awardees luminaries like Umberto Eco and Edward Said. Founded in 1960, for more than half a century the ACLA has created a space and platform for scholars whose work spans cultures, languages and academic fields. In 2019, Pireddu organized the ACLA鈥檚 annual conference, which was held at Georgetown. 

On the Hilltop, Pireddu鈥檚 work in the 桔子视频 & Sciences emphasizes interdisciplinarity. The inaugural director of the Georgetown Humanities Initiative and the current director of the Global and Comparative Literature program, Pireddu is a champion of students who pursue research that breaks outside of traditional academic silos. 

Volume to Volumes 

Building on the work of Migrating Minds, Pireddu and her co-editors have launched a new open-access journal bearing the same name 鈥� . 

The peer-reviewed journal will provide a 鈥渦nique, international forum for innovative critical approaches to cosmopolitanism emerging from literatures, cultures, media and the arts in dialogue with other areas of the humanities and social sciences, across temporal, spatial, and linguistic boundaries.鈥�

 鈥淲e are really excited to have been able to create the first scholarly journal devoted to this quite specific but multifaceted area of research, with particular attention to new voices, especially from peripheral and less discussed cosmopolitan traditions,鈥� said Pireddu. 鈥淲e look forward to this editorial adventure, through which we also hope to offer experiential learning opportunities to our students.鈥� 

Supported by the and , the first issue of Migrating Minds is scheduled to be published in the fall and the journal is open to submissions for the following issue. 

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Melucci, a teaching professor in the , has authored, co-authored and edited numerous textbooks on the teaching of Italian as a foreign language. Outside of the classroom, she鈥檚 also worked extensively as a translator. When the opportunity arose, Melucci fought to give students a firsthand, real-world work experience inside the classroom. 

Rapper鈥檚 Delight, Rapper鈥檚 Rewrite

In the spring of 2019, the department hosted an event with Amir Issaa, a rapper and artist from Rome. Issaa read from, and answered questions about, his autobiography Vivo per questo (This Is What I Live For).

鈥淒uring the presentation, Issaa mentioned that he鈥檇 like to have the book translated into English for an American audience,鈥� Melucci remembers. 鈥淲e, my students and I, laughed and said 鈥榳ell we can do that.鈥� The conversation didn鈥檛 stop there.鈥�

For advanced students, the work of translating represents the culmination of their studies, pulling on the linguistic and cultural skills they鈥檝e assembled over years of tutelage, exams and practice.

鈥淭he Italian translation course brought the Italian language to life in a way that I had not experienced before,鈥� said Natalie Bazata (C鈥�21). 鈥淭he challenge of translating an entire book required a completely new application of my knowledge of the English and Italian languages.鈥� 

鈥淚t was a very ambitious project and a big responsibility, but I knew it was a great opportunity for my students to learn in a meaningful way and to experience the connection between academic and professional work,鈥� Melucci wrote in an article for the magazine Words Without Borders. 鈥淲hile they were acquiring the skills to translate texts from Italian to English, they would have the unique opportunity of translating a contemporary author鈥檚 book and potentially seeing it published.鈥� 

The translation of Vivo per questo was published in a volume edited by Clarissa Clo of San Diego State University alongside essays from scholars, including Melucci, discussing Issaa鈥檚 rap within the context of Italian hip-hop and placing his work in a transnational context. The volume won an award last year from Italy鈥檚 Department of Cultural Heritage. 

A Transformative Model for Language Education

In the classroom, Melucci witnessed her students grow by leaps and bounds through the project. Invigorated by that experience, she set out to make it a recurring phenomena 鈥� each semester students in her class would work in tandem to translate a book for publication. 

“Throughout the project, it was incredible to see the growth in my students鈥� language competence,鈥� Melucci wrote. 鈥淭hey learned that translation is not just about words 鈥� nouns, adjectives, verbs 鈥� but rather about transferring cultural content from one language to another so that the reader of the target language can read it and appreciate it.”

With every passing year, an increasing number of Italian majors and minors have translated a book by the time they earn their degrees. Laura Benedetti鈥檚 Un Paese di Carta (A Country of Paper) and Lorenza Pieri鈥檚 Isole Minori (Lesser Islands), to name just a few. Additionally, students have gone on to work as translators after graduation. 

During the summer of 2021, Melucci worked with two former students to finalize a contract to translate Giorgio A. Chiarva鈥檚 Il Banchiere Galantuomo (The Gentleman Banker), a biographical novel following Amadeo Peter Giannini, the Italian-American founder of the Bank of America. 

For students still in the classroom, translation isn鈥檛 just barebones work. To fully understand the work they鈥檙e translating, students must immerse themselves in culture, traditions and nuances. These deep dives, Melucci explains, offer incredible opportunities for lectures and discovery on new and interesting topics. 

鈥淏eing a translator means being an intermediary who holds the tools to remove linguistic and cultural barriers and make literature and art accessible to a greater audience,鈥� Bazata said. 鈥淚 finished the course with an enriched understanding of and appreciation for both languages and a commitment to continue this work in the future.鈥�

To help guide the students, Melucci makes a habit of inviting one professional translator to lecture, including Leonardo Rizzi, the translator of the My Brilliant Friend series Ann Goldstein and Prof. Sergio Portelli, who heads the Department of Translation, Terminology and Interpreting Studies at the University of Malta.

鈥淚 noticed that her career as a translator is inextricably connected to her literary career as an editor and a writer,鈥� said (C鈥�20), speaking of Ann Goldstein鈥檚 virtual visit to the class. 鈥淚t seems equally important to develop your own personal written voice in your native language in addition to having a solid knowledge of Italian in order to be a good translator. 

For students studying Italian in the 桔子视频 & Sciences, Melucci鈥檚 course offers an unparalleled real-world experience that should be a model for classrooms around the world. 

A Year Cut Short

Guida, who is a double major in Economics and Italian, decided to study abroad to fully immerse herself in the local culture.

 鈥淚 know my Economics major might seem more practical, but Italian is something that I am passionate about,鈥� says Guida. 鈥淚 have been studying Italian since I was in high school, and I have fallen in love with the country and culture.鈥�

The junior said that she decided to do a full year of study abroad in Bologna, Italy so that she could feel like a true Italian instead of just an American tourist. Though she was fortunate to have been there since August of 2019, Guida said it was very difficult to leave the new home she had found in Italy.

鈥淚 was so excited to begin my second semester because one semester did not feel like enough time to fully adjust to differences in classes and the culture,鈥� Guida says. 鈥淚 was looking forward to a second semester where I was truly comfortable. But the hardest part by far was suddenly having to say goodbye to all of the friends that I made 鈥� I did not know when I would be able to see them next.鈥�

A Canary in the Coal Mine

Italy was the first country in Europe to become overwhelmed by COVID-19. As a result, many people did not understand the severity of the situation.

“My program was through Brown University, and they had merely given us the option to return home that day on February 28, it wasn鈥檛 a mandate yet. But that changed very quickly,鈥� Guida says.

By the evening of that same day, the CDC raised Italy鈥檚 threat level from a Level Two to a Level Three. The next morning, Guida was told that she had until March 7 to come home.

Guida said that one of the most surreal aspects of her journey home was the discrepancy between the city, which was still operating as normal up until she got in her taxi to leave, and the airport on the day she left. When she arrived, every person she encountered was wearing gloves and facemasks, and all of the TV monitors were playing continuous coverage of the virus and the mounting death toll.

鈥淚t was very somber, I remember sitting there surrounded by other college students who were being sent home too,鈥� says Guida. 鈥淲e just couldn鈥檛 stop looking at the screens. I was glad I was going back.鈥�

Adjusting to a New Life

When she first returned to her home in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, Guida was told to self-isolate for two weeks. Initially, she thought that an upside to this experience would be that she could see her friends from back home after quarantining, but sadly, COVID-19 had made its way overseas.

鈥淎s my personal quarantine was ending, the quarantine was just starting in the United States, so I have not really seen my friends or my family,鈥� says Guida. “I don鈥檛 really feel like I am back because I haven鈥檛 really seen it yet.鈥�

Guida was also unsure of how she would continue with her classes as she had returned home before Georgetown had established GUGC, the Georgetown Global Community specifically created for students whose studies were disrupted by COVID-19.

One of the classes that Guida was enrolled in through her Bologna program was very specific and not offered by the GUGC program. However, after speaking with her dean, Guida was given permission to attend the same course through an online community college.

鈥淚 thought initially that I was going to be unable to graduate on time since my classes through the University of Bologna had been cancelled,鈥� Guida says. 鈥淏ut because of GUGC and my dean, I am taking two courses, one of which is a core requirement and I will be ahead of schedule. This was scary experience, but it takes an emergency to see how much Georgetown and my program cared about my safety and well-being before anything else.鈥�

Taking It All in Stride

Though the transition back from Italian to American education has been complicated by the transition to online learning, Guida is grateful for the experiences she had and the support she has received.

鈥淥ne thing I keep in mind during this, particularly in the transition back to being in the United States, is a quote from my Italian professor,鈥� says Guida. 鈥淪he would always say 鈥極ther cultures aren鈥檛 wrong, they are just different.鈥� Right now, I feel like we are all adjusting to a new culture and a new way of life.鈥�

In this new virtual environment, Guida makes time to Zoom with friends and fellow classmates, as well as go on socially distanced picnics. Though she is unable to see many people in person, she does not want to miss out on the experiences she does have available to her.

鈥淢y takeaway from this is that things can happen very quickly, so it is important to do things while you can and take advantage of opportunities when you have them,鈥� Guida says. There were so many things that I still wanted to do in Italy that I pushed off 鈥� I won鈥檛 be making that mistake again.鈥�

Click the links below to view parts two and three of our Returning Home from Abroad series

Returning Home from Abroad Part One: Delaney Corcoran Speaks to the Importance of a Positive Mindset

Helping the Humanities to Flourish

Dean Christopher Celenza comments on the appointment of Prof. Pireddu. 鈥淚 am delighted that Nicoletta Pireddu, a renowned comparatist and much-admired professor in our department of Italian, has agreed to take on the inaugural Directorship of the Georgetown Humanities Initiative. We have been sustained by the leadership of Vice Dean of Faculty David Edelstein, as well as that of our faculty advisory board. Prof. Pireddu’s leadership will allow us to continue that forward momentum and open up new areas of endeavor that will allow the Humanities to flourish robustly at Georgetown.鈥�

鈥淲ith its commitment to an integrated education and its vibrant location, Georgetown University is the ideal institution to foster innovative projects in the humanities that can involve and benefit faculty, students, and the wider community,鈥� comments Pireddu. 鈥淕eorgetown Humanities provides a university-level structure granting more visibility to the research that is already enriching our campus, but also promotes new synergies within the humanities, as well as between the humanities and other disciplines.鈥�

Several Sponsored Projects in the Works

Georgetown Humanities already has several under its purview, including Georgetown University Buddhist and Silk Road Studies Initiative, Global Irish Studies, and the Georgetown Hyperhistory Hub.鈥淪upport from the Georgetown Humanities Initiative has been transformative for our efforts,鈥� says , one of the co-directors of the Hyperhistory Hub; she partners with professors , and on the project. 鈥淭his spring we are offering courses and programming that introduce Georgetown undergraduate and graduate students, DC-area faculty, and the broader public to the ways that historians can broaden their archives by responsibly using the data generated by a suite of methods in the historical sciences鈥攅verything from ancient DNA to ice cores for historical climate reconstruction, to the isotopes embedded in human and animal teeth. These opportunities also enrich our own research; the four of us faculty who are collaborating on this project fully expect to learn alongside our students.鈥�

Through the projects it funds and the programming it develops, Georgetown Humanities strives to support work that has a deep impact in the academy while also engaging the public by demonstrating the continuing value of the humanities for understanding the challenges and opportunities of the human condition. 

鈥淚t is an incredible honor for me to contribute to this exciting endeavor, which foregrounds the importance of a humanistic approach to the understanding of our complex and interconnected world.鈥� Pireddu states. 鈥淚 look forward to working with colleagues and students inside and outside Georgetown to render our university a leading humanities hub.鈥�

鈥淲e are honored to have Dr. Marcegaglia with us at Georgetown,鈥� College Dean Chris Celenza said. 鈥淎 highly accomplished business leader, she has also taken an abiding interest in higher education and used it in transformative ways.鈥�

Following opening remarks from Ambassador Armando Varicchio, Celenza framed the conversation as a discussion of the state of the liberal arts education as it relates to the modern world.

Marcegaglia argued that innovation and international cooperation should be at the heart of all policymaking, and that corporations need to take a leading role in progressive issues.

鈥淲e must remain open to the world, first of all within our culture, which must be based on tolerance, open to commerce, and open culturally in redesigning multilateral institutions,鈥� she said. 鈥淐ompanies should assume responsibility, should be part of solutions to problems such as climate change and inequalities, and must invest in training and gender equality.鈥�

Marcegaglia also emphasized the role of the universities to model their educational systems with these values in mind: pursuit of truth, commitment to civility, and knowledge of and respect for other cultures. A liberal arts core with a strong humanities component is, she believes, key to any successful educational model 鈥� and to supplying the global economy with creative minds.

鈥淚 contend that arts and humanities must complement the social and hard sciences in undergraduate and graduate programs,鈥� Marcegaglia said. 鈥淎rts and humanities develop critical thinking, which strongly complements the scientific approach. Humanities offer the playground for creativity and imagination.鈥�

To conclude the event, Marcegaglia and Celenza fielded questions related t the role of the humanities in the formation of future leaders. Their discussion drew positive reviews.

鈥淚 personally learned a great deal and was inspired by the in-depth discussion on the topic of the critical link between the values of a Liberal Education in professional leadership,鈥� said Professor Serafina Hager, Director of the Italian Research Institute.

The program, which is hosted in the College but open to all students, brings to campus representatives from two established Italian companies. Each presents a business challenge and asks the participating students, divided into small groups, to work all day and propose a solution. At the end of the day winning teams are selected and the prize is paid internships with the company.

All 31 students who participated in the Workshop were also invited to visit the Embassy of Italy, where they met with press official Emanuele Manzitti and learned some of the embassy鈥檚 history.

This year’s participating companies were Eni S.p.A., the Italian multinational oil and gas company & Ambrosi Food USA, a division of the Italian dairy company, Ambrosi S.p.A.

Gianni Di Giovanni, Chairman of Eni USA, presented the challenge on 鈥淭he Significance of the US Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.鈥� For each the last four years, Eni has offered paid internships to members of the winning teams.

Di Giovanni has been pleased with Georgetown students鈥� performance.

鈥淚 was really surprised by the great competence, and especially by the resourcefulness and entrepreneurial spirit, of the students who participated in the workshop,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is not only about one鈥檚 character, but is certainly an attitude that they learned at Georgetown University.鈥�

Luigi Ambrosi (B鈥�17), marketing director of his family business, offered to participate in the workshop and presented a challenge on 鈥淢arketing Campaign Supporting Online Sales Programs.鈥�

Ambrosi enjoyed seeing fellow Hoyas鈥� creativity on display.

鈥淎s a recent alum, I was immensely proud to experience, from a different perspective, the great impression that Georgetown students make on employers. All were able to understand real life issues and come up with excellent and applicable solutions.鈥�

Student teams and presentations are available to view on the Italian Institute聽.

The winning team from the Eni challenge included Clara Lacan (C鈥�20), Pietro Candia (F鈥�20), Sam Oswald (F鈥�20), and Jordon DeGroote (F鈥�20). The winning team from the Ambrosi challenge included Chloe Li (F鈥�21), Ben O’Hara (F鈥�21), and Marie Luca (C’21).

鈥淲itnessing the students鈥� enthusiasm and intellectual engagement in the program has been a rewarding experience for me inspiring me to continue to offer this opportunity to our students,鈥� said , Director of the Italian Research Institute.