Cornell University

I learned more about myself during my one semester in Rome than I did any any of my semesters in Ithaca. From career aspirations to cooking, I realized what is important to me. It is amazing what a few months in an unfamiliar environment can do for you. I would recommend a semester in Rome to anyone who is interested in personal development. The sheer beauty of the city cannot help but inspire you to do something great in whatever you are passionate about.

Many of the classes offered at Cornell in Rome offered a way of learning that was entirely new and eye-opening to me. They combine minimal classroom lectures with on-the-go, on-site experiential lessons at fascinating Roman places that range from the world-famous to restricted-access. Being able to actually see and experience the monuments we studied and to trace entire sections of the cityscape over time added an entirely new layer to my understanding of Roman history, society, art, and architecture, and to the way we learn things in general. The professors' enthusiasm and passion for their focus areas made these classes truly exciting with each week and each excursion we took to a new area or monument. To spend a semester with Cornell in Rome, the hands-on classes provide invaluable insight into the city and formed an essential part of my appreciation for Rome. The Cornell in Rome staff are truly some of the warmest and most helpful people I have ever met. Anna Rita and Pamela would always provide advice and recommendations on travel, shopping, daily life in Rome, or anything else we had questions about, and Professor Blanchard's gentle care for the facilities, the students, and our studies was apparent from the beginning, whether he was helping us find library books, directing field trips, or taking us to concerts. The staff always kept us up-to-date on city events and activities to round out our Roman experience and made sure our apartments were stocked with necessities. And of course, I'll never forget Anna Rita's cooking workshops, where she showed us how to make authentic and delicious Italian food!

Cornell in Rome provided me with an extremely unique experience that cannot be matched. I felt it was the perfect blend between substance and pleasure. Cornell has truly sought out the best faculty and program directors. We have multiple opportunities to not only learn about a new country but to engage with the surroundings and people. For our college this is also an unprecedented opportunity because the three disciplines finally come together and share viewpoints. I have learned much from my peers and have made great friends as a result. Cornell in Rome is a program I will always cherish and support.

My Cornell in Rome experience has been a highlight of my college experience. It's something I will never forget because of the rich art and architectural history present in Rome and the amount of new materials I learned during the program. It's not everyday you get the chance to live right in the centre of Rome or beside the Pantheon or ten minutes away from the Colosseum and having all these historical monuments within just a walking distance was a city planner's dream come true. The support I received from Margherita and her Cornell in Rome office was fantastic and she was extremely helpful in getting all my documents and financial situation ready for the new semester in Rome. The program itself was so rich and diverse in terms of the content and material the professors put together and it was very refreshing to be able to actually visit landmarks and museums in Rome and across Italy. Most of the projects involved fieldwork and off-site visits and it was incredible to work together with my classmates and professors very closely. Another exciting part of the program was also working with the architecture and art students on different projects which allowed me to solve problems and issues from different perspectives. The close relationship I built with my professors during my time with Cornell in Rome allowed me to find a summer internship in Rome after the semester was over. Many of the Cornell professors based in Rome have a wide array of networks and contacts throughout Italy and they were extremely helpful when I expressed to them I wanted to pursue a summer internship in Italy.

I had a great semester and really enjoyed the experience of going to another school, where the classes were taught in a slightly different style from what I'm accustomed to. I made close friends with Cornell and other non-Cornell students, learned a lot from my classes, had exciting adventures on all the field trips, improved my Italian, and learned to live independently in an apartment with other students.

I felt very welcomed by the other students in my apartment. They were extremely friendly and welcoming to me from the moment I arrived, and we stayed friends throughout the semester. Everyone was interested in my life at my home school and I loved hearing about their college experience at Cornell. By the end, it was like we went to each other's schools.

There were so many highlights. Probably the field trips, when we had time to explore new cities and see hundreds of incredible things everyday were the best. I also loved just walking around Rome at night with my friends, discovering little trattorias and gelaterias, seeing the monuments lit up. I liked going on runs throughout the city, either to Villa Borghese, the Gianiculum or the Aventine. I loved sitting in cool, quiet churches and standing in the orange grove on the Aventine, looking out at the whole city. Living right next to the Jewish ghetto was also very special-walking on that main street, with its bakeries and outdoor seating and lack of cars, really felt like time travelling. I think the whole program had a great time at the wine tasting event with Renato e Luisa, as well as the evenings when Anna Rita taught us how to make gnocchi and fettuccine.