Jewelry Design Study Abroad Programs in Italy

My experience studying abroad in Molise Italy was absolutely life-changing. I learned so much about culture, made lifetime, friendships, and endless memories. Getting to experience the culture and beauty of Molise was the absolute highlight of my summer.

Molise Italian Studies responded to this reviewJuly 21, 2026

Grazie, Breanna! Colli really is beautiful and it's such a great partnership!

The Molise Italian Studies program was a wonderful way to be immersed in the Molise region, some of the Puglia region, and Rome. By visiting some of the smaller, lesser-known areas in these regions, I got to see firsthand how people live, work, and support their communities through the activities and social work experiences. I can say I grew as a person and have a new outlook on my everyday life at home. It was evident that Italians in these regions value community and connection. I appreciated the opportunities to participate in activities at some of the agencies, such as at LAI and in Capracotta, rather than simply observing the activity. Our tour leader, Andrea, was kind, patient, organized, and knowledgeable throughout the entire trip.

Molise Italian Studies responded to this reviewJuly 05, 2026

Grazie, Maggie! We are so glad to hear this trip made such an impact on you, and we can't wait to hear about your plans moving forward!

I had an absolutely amazing time; I made so many incredible memories that I truly won't ever forget. The friendships I made were so awesome, and the opportunities to experience true culture were life-changing. Both of my professors were absolutely wonderful, and our guide was incredible. Everyone was so amazing and truly tried their best to give us the most rewarding experience possible, and they exceeded my dreams.

Molise Italian Studies responded to this reviewJuly 05, 2026

Grazie, Alex!

Myself and my colleague brought a group of ten university students on a trip with Molise, and we could not be happier! Our guides were knowledgeable and kind. Every single person we encountered along the way as we traveled was welcoming and gracious. So many laughs were shared amongst our students and the Italian community, and we never once felt as if we were not in steady, capable hands with the company. Upon returning home from Italy, we immediately arranged our next trip with Scott and Megan, and plan to continue this trip regularly to allow students to continue to experience all the amazing things our first group did.

Molise Italian Studies responded to this reviewJuly 05, 2026

Thank you, Jen! Looking forward to working with Wilkes again in 2027!

As a student who dreamed of going abroad for years, I never considered a trip like this would be at my fingertips. Many know that traveling abroad is a big decision because it involves location costs return of investment and with being in school of the timeline of when it’s going to happen. I decided to make my minor Hotel restaurant management sophomore year of college, but wasn’t sure of how I was still going to make my broad dream come true. Fall semester of 2024 when I was in one of my HRM studies I wondered what options there could be to study the subject abroad. That’s when I discovered the Molise Italian Studies program NAU in Italy: Economics of Gastronomy. After promptly siding up, I was introduced to a fully guided program with pre-arrival meetings that fully explained the details and necessary precautions of going abroad. Which included an itinerary of the daily activities the lessons that would be focused on and places of accommodation. All details, which transferred extremely well into the actual trip. Each lesson was fully in depth and offered different opportunities. My favorite day was probably the day we visited Di Iorio Tartufi - Italian Truffle where we learned how truffles were safely found and made into a meal. I came home with at least 5 jars!! I highly enjoyed the environment, the greenery, and absolutely the delicious assortment of truffle products. At the end of the day, this program offered me a week of excitement and verity of locations across molise. I couldn’t have asked for a better program to introduce me to the world of traveling.

Molise Italian Studies responded to this reviewJuly 05, 2026

Grazie, Cialyn! So glad to be a part of your HRM journey (& we dream of truffles too)!

A year abroad is something everyone should have the opportunity to do. It was a beautiful experience and I met a lot of great people and Firenze is a wonderful city. The staff at SRISA made all the difference, they were wonderful people; teachers and admins both. For anyone debating to do a year or a semester, a year allows you a bit more time to settle in, however there is a feeling of rebuilding at the semester change as few other students (about 6 during my term) stay. Most people in the city will speak english. SRISA is flexible about studying with a few partner universities as well. The planned trips are fun, and weekends are left pretty clear to have more travel time.

I studied in the fall of 2021. The campus itself was spread all around Florence, which sometimes made it tough to make it from class to class in time. That is really my only complaint, though! They had free cooking classes (outside of classes for credit) and free mental health services which was a huge bonus. Overall, I had a really great experience!

Staff was amazing, Florence was amazing, I took friendships and lessons away that I will always cherish and remember. My professors, Martina and Yuko. The best ladies and so wonderful and caring. I also really enjoyed their classes, Exploring Florence and Jewelry.

I would definitely return to SRISA if given the opportunity! Not only do I LOVE Florence, but the courses and staff have made this experience so worthwhile! I think that SRISA provides the perfect balance for heir students of learning and exploring the city around them! The most memorable experience/course at SRISA was my Discovering Florence course with Angelo! Angelo puts forth 110% effort in making his classes amazing for his students, and provides all of us with really cool experiences to enhance our semester studying abroad. I learned and have found myself to be much more independent than I was when I first came to Florence! The encouragement from SRISA's staff to step out of our comfort zones and explore the city around us for sure allowed me to branch out and not take a moment for granted! I have really enjoyed my semester at SRISA and will miss Florence a TON! I am so grateful that I have had this experience, and I will ALWAYS be jealous of future SRISA students and anybody that gets to spend substantial time in the best city in the world!

I don’t know if I have a single one experience that stood out. I enjoyed the program, the course, and the instructors as a whole! Thank you for such an amazing semester! SRISA truly made my time abroad in Florence so incredibly and memorable.

Loved the staff, the friends I met and most of the teachers. Field trips were awesome and overall it was the best time of my life. Best 4 months ever. Thank you to the staff (behind-the-scenes staff especially!) Shoutout Lynn, Tamara, Anna Maria, Seba, Alessia, Kitija, Angelo, Dasha) My most memorable experience was Angelo--without a doubt. I know Angelo probably gets so much love but he really deserves it. He does so much for everyone and is understanding, compassionate, and not only a teacher but a friend. He really really cares about his students. This man should be the highest-paid teacher. He made my experience a 5/5 and I can't say it would be that without him. SRISA needs to make sure they keep this man and GET THIS MAN A RAISE because SRISA would not be the same. You guys rock! Thank you for everything and for accepting feedback! The end-of-year gala was beautiful-- thank you! <3

I really like how kind and helpful all of the faculty is. It is also very convenient in location and that motivates me into wanting to be in the Italian culture via interacting/going to events/meeting people. My most memorable experience were Chiara, Angelo, Enriqua.

I enjoyed every minute here and if I could stay longer I would. This program is not like any American university program in Florence. This is a unique high level school that anyone can go to. There are many classes to offer and the professors are very good and are locals. Touring around during class to walk around the city and learn where we live was my favorite. I learned how to emerge myself into the culture where I am foreign to the language. I was able to cook and grocery shop for the freshest foods. I got to speak to locals and hangout with them as well.

I would definitely say that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity! There are so many things that we were able to do on this trip that I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to if I had just gone on vacation to Italy. We got to meet so many new individuals and build strong connections with them. We were also able to see so many wonderful sights and learn so much about the culture! Would 100% recommend!

In the moment, this experience felt like A LOT. A lot was happening all the time and it can be really overwhelming at times. But I think this goes back to something we learned while there. That is putting yourself in your panic zone so that you can get to your learning zone. Since returning, I would not change a single thing about this trip. Every hardship was a learning experience and I will have these lessons and memories forever. It's so cliche but I really feel like this trip opened my eyes to new perspectives and different ways of life and honestly made me care more about people with different backgrounds and worldwide issues.

Going abroad with Florence API and studying at Lorenzo D'Medici was the best decision I've ever made. I met amazing new people, saw some of the greatest sights I've ever seen, and learned so much more about my family's heritage. I've made friendships that will last a lifetime. Going abroad has also led me to API ambassadors, a leadership program where I get to talk and inspire others to follow in my footsteps. Going abroad gave me everything I didn't know I needed until I experienced it first hand.

As a fashion major, it made most sense to do a program where I could get credit for a fashion class. I took a fashion illustration class and I feel as though my skills have definitely improved greatly from the course. I made so many new friendships and I have a new desire to do way more traveling. I had a great time getting to know people in the program and everything went very smoothly!!

I had always wanted to go to Italy and being able to take a cooking class there is what really sold me. I didn't go to study a specific subject, but I enjoyed the classes I did take, Social Psychology and Current Trends in Italian Cuisine, very much. I had a great experience! I loved my professors and felt very well taken care of by LdM. I learned how to communicate with people and get around a country where I didn't speak the language. I also learned a lot about Italian and European culture.

Anytime away from home is a time for personal growth because it allows you to figure out how to do things on your own. It also allows you to figure out how to manage your time well in terms of academics in order to earn the grades that you want. In essence, studying abroad gives the student time to live life independently compared to home and therefore learn how to balance their social and academic lives all while trying to make the best of their time in a different country. I attended to take classes that would count for my humanities credits. I had taken AP European History class in high school and I loved learning about the Renaissance. When I found out I could study in the birthplace of the Renaissance, I decided that I wanted to go! I learned many things during my time abroad at LdM. Some of them were more technical like learning to read maps or learning to navigate the train stations, and others were more personal, like dealing with the highs and lows that studying abroad brings. My experience was one that allowed me to figure out who I was away from the influences of my day to day life back at home. I got to try new things and meet new people as well as explore new places. There are many moments that I will remember for a long time. From participating in the Soccer Club every Monday night to meeting new people throughout the semester and exploring Florence as well as Europe, it will be a long time before I forget these events. But the most important memory of my time abroad was just getting to hang out with my roommates while we played cards and listened to music on full blast in our kitchen. It was a relaxing time where, despite everything going on in our lives, we could come together and just enjoy ourselves while playing a game of Spades or Idiot.

I felt very supported throughout my experience through all of these resources. I loved the class schedule - I had afternoons free. I did intend to take fashion courses for my major, but they were not being offered for winter so I did end up taking a culinary course which I loved! I have also made life-long friends and we will always share those memories. I learned that traveling alone is okay and that you will make your way. I gained a wonderful experience that I will never forget.