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2024 Summer Italian Intensive Program for Early College Credit (July 8-18)

Welcome to the 2024 edition of the Summer Italian Intensive Program for Early College Credit, a unique opportunity to improve your knowledge of Italian language and culture to advance your studies at both the high school and university levels, while experiencing campus life through a short-term residential experience.

This one-of-a-kind program designed for high school students on a university campus is available at Montclair State in an intensive summer format, including guest speakers and off-campus tours. In just a short summer session, it prepares students to move with confidence from Italian 3 to an AP or advanced Italian class, while granting 3 college credits at a very affordable price. Now in its seventh edition, the program represents a continuous service for high school students as well as recent graduates of New Jersey and the Tri-State Area interested in consolidating their learning from the past year and getting ready for their future university experience.

SLIDESHOW: 2017-23 PHOTOS VIDEO FLYERARTICLE ON 2023 EDITION

DATES: July 8-18, 2024 (classes run from Monday through Thursday; residential students live on campus Sun night through Thur afternoon) NOTE: Residential students move in on Sunday July 7 in the late pm AFTER DINNER ON THEIR OWN,  and start the second week on Sun July 14 at the same time after dinner on their own.
TIME: 9:00am-3:00pm
9:00-11:00 class and 11:15-12:15 presentation/conversation between guests and instructor, both in in Schmitt Hall 110
12:15-1:00 lunch break in class or outdoors (on your own)
1:00-3:00 afternoon activity with guest.
On the off-campus tour days, the time frame is 9:00am-3:00pm excluding travel, unless some of the long travel time is used as class time with language-based games and activities on the bus/train.
LOCATION: Schmitt Hall 110
COST:

  • Residential students (tuition $825*, shared room in Machuga Heights dorm $288, full board $204) = $1,317 (includes pillow and bed linen)
  • Non-residential 1 (tuition $825*, lunches $44): $869
    Non-residential 2 (tuition only): $825*

* This tuition cost is a unique offer as an undergrad course at MSU is usually $1,476 during the regular semester.

Note: Residential students will have breakfast at 7:45am and dinner together at 6:30pm as a group at Sam’s Place, and will carry a lunch box to class after breakfast.

PARKING: Free. Please send an email to Steven Jacobs jacobss@montclair.edu with the info listed in the FAQ PAGE (point 2)
ACCESS TO SPORTS FACILITIES (Rec Center with pool, gym, etc.): Free with student ID card

APPLY HERE BY FRI JUNE 28
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION Not accepted after Wed. July 3
Scholarships are generously offered by our main donor, Mr. Inserra, as well as Mr. Picolli and Mr. Tripicchio.

WERE YOU ACCEPTED TO THE PROGRAM AND ARE WONDERING HOW TO REGISTER?
Please look in your Inbox for the acceptance letter sent from earlycollege@montclair.edu with the subject “Montclair State Status Update” followed by an email saying “Activate Your Montclair State University NETID.”  Once you do that, you can login to NEST to register for the course through Students Account. FOR MORE INFO SEE THE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE.

IMPORTANT: Please look at the check-list for the various steps required to be fully registered and pay the bills. Note that Step 4 and 7 do not apply to the Summer Italian Program. Do you have any questions? Please visit our FAQ PAGE, and for further inquiries or technical issues, please contact Steven Jacobs at jacobss@montclair.edu and cc’ Teresa Fiore at fiorete@montclair.edu 

Taught in the target language by an experienced native speaker, the course immerses students in the language and culture with an emphasis on verbal skills which allows students to break the communication barrier. Students will be empowered to express emotions and personal opinions more comfortably while preparing for upper-level Italian courses, including the Italian AP exam. The course ITAL 240 (Intensive Italian Bridge Course) includes thematically-structured units on such topics as: immigration and Italian identity; Made in Italy (food, fashion) and sustainability, and draws from authentic materials including films, advertising, YouTube videos, music, news, etc. Overall, students benefit from an engaging college experience on a campus that boasts a dynamic Italian program and proximity to New York City for enriching cultural activities and tours. Upon completion, they earn college credits that are valid at Montclair and cooperating universities.

Calendar of activities (conversations with guest speakers, afternoon workshops and off-campus guided tours)

Week 1
Mon July 8:
Emilia D’Albero, alumna of the Italian Program at MSU and Italian cheese expert (followed by cheese tasting)
Afternoon activity: Campus tour
Tue July 9: Giulia Baldini, Afro-Italian fashion blogger teaching in New York
Afternoon activity: Workshop “An attire for a trip to Italy”
Wed July 10: Francesca Oliveri, alumna of the Italian Program at MSU and
Afternoon activity: Visit of the Botto House Museum of Labor in Haledon and Paterson Great Falls.
Thur July 11: The Met Museum (Italian painting and sculpture) and iconic Italian monuments of NYC – guided tour led by Francesca Zambon, CIMA Fellow

Week 2
Mon July 15: Maria D. Rapicavoli, Italian multi-media artist based in New York
Afternoon activity: Collage with Italian images and words
Tue July 16: Pasta making workshop with chef Albano Ballerini
Afternoon activity: Guided tour of Tenement Museum and visit to Triangle Fire Memorial in NYC
Wed July 17: Mila Tenaglia, journalist and documentary producer
Afternoon activity: Creation of videos in Italian documenting the summer program’s content
Thur July 18: Final video presentations and pizza lunch
Afternoon activity: Italy-focused treasure hunt on campus

FACULTY AND STAFF

Program director and instructor for 2024: Teresa Fiore 

Teresa Fiore (Inserra Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies and Professor of Italian) is a widely published scholar; coordinator of interdisciplinary cultural programming; and the recipient of awards and grants. As a faculty member, she is strongly committed to curriculum innovation and pedagogical experimentation in dialogue with the high school system. Since 2017, for the summer program she has served as the supervisor for content and activities, the active liaison with a variety of offices on campus as well as with supporting institutions and individuals off campus. To learn about the projects she has spearheaded and coordinated over the years (and continues to support via the Inserra Endowed Chair) in order to strengthen the relationships between the HS and university systems, see here.

This program was originally designed by Patricia Grunther who served as coordinator between 2017 and 2023 before retiring. Marisa Trubiano served as co-director of the first three editions of the program.

Coordinator and RA for 2024: Steven Jacobs

Ciao! I’m a Ph.D. student in the Italian Department at Rutgers University. I have a wide range of experience in summer programs: I have worked as a camp counselor, a site monitor for the City of New York’s Summer Youth Employment Program, and an Italian instructor for the Rutgers in Rome program. By day, I guide eager minds through the intricacies of grammar, vocabulary, and texts, trying to ignite a spark of curiosity and appreciation for the Italian language and culture. But when the sun sets, I trade my books for basketballs and hiking boots. In my free time, I enjoy shooting hoops, experimenting with new Italian dishes in the kitchen, and exploring the great outdoors. Join us this summer for an enriching experience that combines academic rigor with cultural exploration and a sense of community!

Intern for 2024: Nick Sardina (Watchung Hills Regional High School)

Nick, an alumnus of Montclair’s Summer Italian Intensive Program, is a seventeen-year-old Italian-American from Watchung, NJ. In high school he achieved the Seal of Biliteracy in Italian and is a proud member of the National Honor Society for Italian. Nick’s passion for the Italian language is present in almost every facet of his life as he speaks it at home, work, and school. He is currently employed at the Stirling Hotel in Stirling, NJ, as an expediter, aiding his coworkers to success by helping them learn better customer service, communication, and efficiency.

Guest speakers and tour guides

Emilia D’Albero

ACS Certified Cheese Professional, Emilia is a nationally awarded cheesemonger and educator with 10 years of experience in cheese & specialty grocery, culinary education, catering, and event management. After her BA in Italian Studies from Montclair State University, Emilia managed Eataly’s cooking school to then work behind some of NYC’s largest and most reputable cheese counters. She also teaches cheese and pairing classes all over NYC and NJ for brands, publications, high schools & universities, breweries, cooking schools, and corporate and private clients. A Cheesemonger Invitational champion, she has an impressive presence on social media as an educator with hundreds of thousand of followers on Tik Tok and IG. She is currently the National Sales & Marketing Manager for Formaticum, and in her free time, volunteers with the Cheese Culture Coalition.


Giulia Baldini

Giulia was born and raised in Florence (Italy) with an African-Brazilian heritage. Today she lives and works in New York City. While at Hofstra University, she first encountered the fashion industry and the world of journalism which are both central to the work she does today. Giulia holds a Master’s degree in Africana and African American Studies from Lehman College, while also maintaining the legacy of her first book, Fashion On The Beat: The Melodies and Rhythms in Fashion Journalism, 2020, through her digital media hub dedicated to emergent creatives and young journalists interested in covering fashion: Fashion On The Beat (FOTB). She worked as a media educator and guest speaker at several institutions, including Hofstra University (Italian Studies) and Montclair State University (Inserra Chair).


Francesca Zambon

Francesca Zambon is a research fellow at the Center for Italian Modern Art (CIMA) in NYC, where she shares her research on Italian visual art through curated exhibition tours, event organization, and community engagement. She earned her PhD in Italian Studies from Brown University in 2023 with a dissertation on postwar Italian poetry, political activism and gender dynamics. Francesca has extensive experience teaching Italian language and culture at various levels and has worked with study abroad programs in Italy. She believes in the transformative power of teaching, viewing it as a means to empower students and inspire them to enact personal and social change.


Francesca Oliveri

A Communications Specialist, Francesca Oliveri combines a diverse academic background with over 3 years of experience in creative content writing and PR. Holding a BA in Italian with minors in International Studies and Linguistics from Montclair State University, she is currently pursuing an MBA in Marketing at William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ. The opportunities offered by Montclair State as an intern (IACE, Coccia-Inserra, Sally Fisher PR) allowed her to successfully transition to jobs in Italian companies in the U.S. (Buon’Italia Imported Italian Food, Barabino & Partners PR and Communications, and currently Bindi North America, a manufacturer and distributor of premium European frozen goods), which she has supported in their ongoing brand awareness growth.


Maria D. Rapicavoli


Maria D. Rapicavoli is an artist and educator. She was born and studied in Catania (Italy), where she earned her BA in Fine Arts, and received her MFA in London (Goldsmiths University). She now lives and works in New York, where she is an Artist Member at the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts. She has exhibited in several group shows in Italy, Germany, and the U.S. (notably The High Line, Socrates Sculpture Park in New York and Magazzino Italian Art, Cold Spring, NY).  She received several awards and grants (including Residency for Experimental Arts Education, Children’s Museum of the Arts, New York, and the Renaissance Prize Award at the Italian Cultural Institute, London), taught at NYU and Accademia di Brera in Milan, and gave lectures at the University of Catania, CUNY BMCC and Montclair State University


Albano Ballerini


Albano Ballerini is a chef and photographer with established experience in the restaurant business in New York, especially in the hand-made production of pasta. Originally from the Marche region, he has been a creative maker in the fields of gastronomy and art bringing to bustling New York the old traditions of Italian conviviality and respect for nature in the kitchen and at the table.


Mila Tenaglia

A documentary story producer and journalist with a decade of experience in the film industry, Mila Tenaglia specializes in art-focused documentaries, TV segments, and broadcast features. Connecting people and artists through social and cultural conversation and the art of journalistic storytelling is her primary interest as a writer, producer, content creator and photographer. She is also the Film Festival Executive Director of NICE (New Italian Cinema Events) in the US.

Short link: tinyurl.com/MSUmmerITAL2024

USEFUL DOCUMENTS and FORMS

  1. Checklist for the various steps required to be fully registered (skip step 4 and 7)
  2. Step-by-step guide on how to register for ITAL 240 after acceptance
  3. How to upload photo for ID card
  4. Montclair State U media release form
  5. FARE form (for allergies)
  6. Attendee emergency contact and medical history form
  7. Field trip approval form
  8. Liability form
  9. Minor youth participant form
  10. Immunization record to be submitted to the program coordinator Steven Jacobs at jacobss@montclair.edu
    The requirements are: 2 MMR doses (first dose after age 1, 2nd dose at least one month later), 3-doses of HepB (2nd dose at least one month after 1st. 3rd dose at least 2 months after 2nd AND 16 wks after 1st) and 1 dose of Meningitis ACWY (common names: Menactra, Menveo, MedQuafi) given after age 16. For questions, please contact Sharon O’Donnell
    Immunization Coordinator, 973-655-2092 at odonnells@montclair.edu