For decades, Seattle and the University of Washington have had a long and mutually beneficial relationship with Rome and the Umbrian city of Perugia. UW has run its Rome Center just off the lively Campo de’ Fiori for decades; Seattle and Perugia have been sister cities for 30 years. I’ve written numerous stories about this cross-cultural friendship, many of the articles appearing in the Italian-American newspaper L’Italo Americano.
The UW Rome Center welcomes about 400 students annually. Looking to expand its impact, Rome Center staff are developing a new program targeting older learners who have the time, money and inclination to spend a week — or a month — studying in Italy. Called Scholars Abroad, the new program is expected to debut in spring 2025.
Some 85 miles away, in the Umbrian capital of Perugia, UW’s Italian Studies program is co-launching a new summer program in 2024 that explores the art and food of Umbria. “Italian Studies Perugia: Art & Food in the Green Heart of Italy” is a joint effort between Perugia’s Universita per Stranieri and the UW. Read more here.