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A letter on what's new at the Graziadio Center

Dear Friends of Il Postino,

Welcome to the Spring 2024 semester!

It is already March, and things are in full swing here at the Graziadio Center.

On February 7th, the Graziadio Center, in collaboration with the Clorinda Donato Center, RGRLL, and Università Roma3, organized a one-day event on the Telecollaboration program entitled Empowering Language Learners: Multilingualism And Motivation In Telecollaboration Programs. Professors Diego Cortés Velásquez and Elena Nuzzo (Roma3) gave a presentation and a hands-on workshop on telecollaboration. A roundtable with former participants enlightened our audience on the benefits of this pedagogical approach and a second roundtable, led by our instructors, focused on the future of this collaboration that started some six years ago. The event gave us food for thought and a clearer vision for the program’s future iterations. Meanwhile, it has been decided that our students of ITAL 100B, a class taught by Joanna Tatro, will participate in the Spring 2024 Telecollaboration.

On March 7th at 5:00 PM, Dr. Ilaria Tabusso-Marcyan (ASU) gave a talk entitled, “The Feminine Aspect in the Cultural Roots of Slow Food” in LA1-204 and via Zoom.

Dr. Tabusso-Marcyan examined the feminine aspects of Italian farming culture within recent Italian history and their influence in shaping the cultural foundations of the international movement of Slow Food. Ilaria’s presentation covered parts of her recently published book, The Cultural Roots of Slow Food: Peasants, Partisans, and the Landscape of Italian Resistance (Lexington Books, 2024).

Our last event for the semester will be a talk by renowned scholar Serenella Jovino (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) on Italo Calvino’s animals and the Anthropocene, the date and other details will be shared soon.

Last summer, some twenty students took advantage of our summer abroad program in Recanati and spent four full weeks of class in this beautiful, little town in the Marche region. They enjoyed the experience enormously and came back galvanized and ready to continue their studies in Italian at CSULB. The importance of the Recanati program cannot be overstated, as it has historically helped us increase the number of our minors.

Program Assistant Diego Brol Batres is working to ensure that the new cohort will be as numerous and satisfied as the previous ones. He has toured high schools and community colleges to recruit students and has given presentations here at CSULB to prepare students for their time in Italy. It looks like another 20 students will go to Recanati this summer!

This issue of Il Postino features interviews with our Majors, MA students, alumni, and, for our Faculty Spotlight, alumna and instructor Jaclyn Taylor.

All of them have spent time in Recanati or in Italy (Lesly Valtierra is currently studying at the Ca’ Foscari University, in Venice!). They are our best ambassadors in that they can share their experiences and passion for all things Italian. They all have their own personal perspective and a unique background, and it is a pleasure to have them share their thoughts and enthusiasm on the pages of our newsletter.

Thank you all for your contribution to Il Postino–we wish you the best for this semester and your overall academic career!

Next semester, we hope to have up to eight new BA students. Which means, if everything goes as planned, and we are doing our best to achieve that, we will have a total of 14 Italian Studies majors in Fall 2024! This is a sign of a positive trend that started last year and hopefully will continue for the semesters to come. Showing growth is a good sign, especially when many language departments struggle and are under scrutiny all over the country.

Club Italia is another tremendous asset for the Graziadio Center, as it works tirelessly to promote Italian on campus. We thank you for all your work!

With Lesly Valtierra studying in Italy, Club Italia was in need of a new Treasurer; their new lineup of officers is now:

Antonina Campbell, Ailyn Saavedra, Nikki Jerman, Alberto Sanchez Alonso, Maria Gabriela Tapia, and Josue Mendiola

To find out each officer’s role, look for the Club Italia section below! 

In addition to hosting Tavola Italiana (every other Wednesday at 5 in AS-384), they are also preparing an event to showcase how a BA in Italian can help you in your post-CSULB life (and perhaps change it)!

We will provide details on this exciting event soon; please check your inbox and your social media accounts for flyers.

Buon semestre e a presto!

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Faculty Spotlight: Jaclyn Taylor

1. Please tell us a bit about yourself & describe what first made you interested in learning Italian.

My name is Jaclyn Taylor, I’m a part-time lecturer and translator – this semester I’m teaching Italian, comparative world literature, and supervising some communications activity sections, which has been very interesting, since it is outside of my subject area. I came to Italian (and CSULB) through what administrators often like to call a “non-traditional” route – I was a working transfer student, though it is clear to any lecturer that most of our students work, and nearly half of students in the CSU are transfers. While in community college I knew I wanted to get a Spanish BA and exhausted every Spanish course available to me there (and any other course that interested me), while also working as an astronomy TA, in a science fiction and mystery bookstore, as an event coordinator, doing bookkeeping – I don’t know where I got the energy! At that time, you were also required to complete courses in an additional foreign language for the Spanish BA. That requirement turned out to be the one that changed the trajectory of my life in a very positive way. I had originally taken Japanese at El Camino College due to it mostly sharing pronunciation with Spanish, and did quite well my first semester, but I realized I did not have the time to really dedicate myself to learning a new writing system, and I struggle with certain kinds of memorization tasks. Soon after completing that semester my late father decided to retire and move to the Central Coast, so I moved in with a friend in Long Beach. I saw that Italian was offered at LBCC, knew the pronunciation was also similar to Spanish, and decided to take it with Dr. Mihaela Mehr, who went to CSULB herself. During those classes it became very clear to me that my background with another Romance language was an asset – I would constantly say “oh, that’s just like in Spanish!” and she eventually told me about the intercomprehension-focused program in Italian here. This was back in 2014. Finding that out was fundamental in getting me to choose CSULB – I had the grades to transfer pretty much anywhere, but I was really interested in that approach which felt cutting edge and community-conscious. That, along with the coursework I saw in the Spanish BA program, is why I came here in 2015 to continue my studies, adding an Italian minor, since at that time I already had too many units completed to double major. I loved the faculty in RGRLL and the intercomprehension and translation coursework available, made friends in Italy due to a series of serendipitous events which gave me an opportunity to write and speak in Italian daily, and I decided that once I finished my BA, I would do the Italian MA (after a small detour doing a translation internship in Recanati). As a grad student I got to teach Italian for Spanish Speakers several times, which was really exciting; I loved being able to combine my interests and particular skill sets in our department and see my students have those same “oh, that’s just like in Spanish!” moments I had ten years ago.

2. What kind of advice do you have for someone who is interested in the Italian Studies program at CSU Long Beach?

Now I’m sure this may not be a popular answer, but I think being passionate about the culture and history of Italy, positive and negative, is really essential to getting a solid grasp on the language. Yes, it’s a beautiful country! Yes, the food is great! Yes, the clothes are stylish! Yes, you should go there and do the touristy things! But it also has a really fascinating, and at times ugly, political history that has a lot of lessons for us here in the States. Then again, where isn’t that the case? I think you tend to love something even more when you can embrace it for what it is, warts and all. Our program, to me, has a strong interdisciplinary approach that gives you a lot of room to pursue your interests, and students with a wide breadth of knowledge tend to thrive because they can make the kind of connections that are essential for understanding the current moment in which we find ourselves. I also think it’s important to get to know your instructors and be open to any opportunity that comes your way; so much of what I have been able to do has been the result of the genuine support and mentorship I have received from instructors who are now colleagues, like Dr. Clorinda Donato, who knew me and my skills as a student and often asked, “hey, would you be interested in - ?” thereby giving me the opportunity to say “yes!!” Being open to learning everything you can in the time you have here and saying yes to exciting opportunities that at first may feel scary is a huge part of your growth not just as a student, but as a human being. Say yes to things!

3. Apart from teaching, you are also involved in translation. Do you have a favorite work you’ve translated? 

This is like asking a parent who their favorite child is (I’m an only child, so I’m always the favorite)! I’m kidding. Maybe. Each translation has a special place in my heart, because I have learned so much from all of them. Sometimes too much. I think I have a real fondness for a translation I did during undergrad of part of Torquato Tasso’s epic Gerusalemme liberata, because it is the first one I really remember challenging me, and it ended up as the closing piece in Translation Becomes Eclectic, Vol. II, which was exciting – it might be my first publication. I did it in an Italian translation course I took with our current chair, Dr. Aparna Nayak, and it was my first introduction to the idea that there were different theories of translation. Now that I work for the Clorinda Donato Center for Global Romance Languages and Translation Studies, I get to draw on all of my experience, knowledge, and research skills gained during my BA, MA, and the translation graduate certificate I also received here as a member of the program’s first cohort, and it feels really validating to know all of that hard work is being put to use, rather than just living on my wall in a diploma frame. More recently, I enjoyed translating an article on pilgrimage tattoos in Loreto in the early modern period, written by Massimo Cattaneo – it was utterly fascinating and, to be quite honest, really gross. These were tattoos made by cobblers who would carve into the skin of pilgrims using their shoe-making tools, and then rub ink into the wounds. A shocking quantity of saliva is involved. Let’s just say I love any translation that gives me something to talk about at parties.

4. You have traveled to Italy several times, what is your favorite place to visit? 

Obviously, it is easy to say I love Rome, because it is a big city with lots to see and is highly navigable by foot and public transit as a solo traveler or with others, but my fondest memories are from visiting small towns in Abruzzo with my good friend Cristina. There is a cute little beach town called San Vito Chietino that I like to visit, where you can get fresh caught and fried seafood and see some trabocchi, which are fishing platforms that are particular to that stretch of Adriatic coastline. I also love a hilltop town called Guardiagrele, which has a lovely art nouveau park (which they call liberty style in Italy) with beautiful greenery and a view of both the sea and mountains. It is also home to a bakery known for a rich, cream-filled pastry called sise delle monache which isn’t appropriate to translate here but has some affinity with a memorable bit character from Total Recall.

5. You have three pets, please introduce them. 

My partner and I do have three! We have our little old man Andy, who is an arthritic but very sweet white German shepherd. He’s at least 12 now and naps a lot. I joke that he looks like Baby Yoda because of his big ears, which I also call his satellite dishes. We also have two cats, Moo Moo and Hazel. Moo Moo was found starving and dazed here in the streets of Long Beach by some good friends, and we adopted him from them in the beginning of 2021. They named him Moo Moo because he looks like a little cow, and the name stuck, even though he mostly chirps like a bird or makes tiny grunts. He’s about as heavy as a cow now, though. Hazel is a slinky little tabby-tortie cat we adopted from a rescue in San Luis Obispo county in October 2022 when she was 4 months old. Her favorite time of day is bedtime! She runs to our room when she thinks we’re packing in for the evening. She is pretty quiet like Moo but loves to sit in the window and chatter at birds, or run around the house like she’s about to get caught after doing some sort of mischief. Moo and Hazel like to compete for the top of their cat tower, which means I have seen many improbable (and incredibly cute) kitty sleeping arrangements.

Jaclyn in Abruzzo

Moo and Hazel

Andy aka Baby Yoda

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Alumni Spotlight: Alessandro Russo

1. What first piqued your interest in the Italian language and why did you decide to get an MA in Italian Studies?   

My parents immigrated from Naples, Italy and our regional language Neapolitan was always spoken in the house, among my parents, grandmother, siblings, and aunts. Although not standard Italian, this imbued within me a strong connection to Italy and an interest in knowing more about the country of my ancestors, especially during my teenage and early adult years. I began immersing myself in Italian music, films, magazines, and books to familiarize myself with Italian culture and develop an ear for standardized Italian. I also took my first college courses in beginning and intermediate Italian at local colleges to enhance my knowledge of Italian language and culture. I worked in the public sector for many years afterwards and was not able to formally study Italian though I continued to engage with anything Italian including making friends and acquaintances with other Italians and Italian Americans. It wasn’t until I began attending Cal State Long Beach and spoke to Dr. Carlo Chiarenza who encouraged me to change my major to Italian. Soon after I met with Dr. Clorinda Donato who heard my spoken Italian and immediately boosted my confidence that I could pursue an Italian BA. Dr. Donato changed my major that day and that is when I seriously began to study Italian Language, Culture and Literature more in-depth. When Dr. Donato became the George L. Graziadio Chair of Italian Studies, she hired me to be her assistant. At the time, the MA in Italian Studies did not yet exist though Dr. Donato had been working very hard on a proposal to create the program. I played a small part in assisting her during the process. She gave me the awesome responsibility of helping create the survey piece and writing its executive summary which was included in the final proposal. The MA in Italian Studies became a reality in Fall 2014 and I immediately enrolled. I was the second graduate of the program. All thanks to the extraordinary professors who mentored and encouraged me which include Dr. Clorinda Donato, Dr. Enrico Vettore, Dr. Carlo Chiarenza and Dr. Pasquale Palmieri.

2. You are Italian-American, do you have friends and family in Italy that you visit or speak with often? 

I have a vast network of relatives and friends in Italy that I communicate with often and visit as often as I can. The largest of which is my mother’s side as she was the only member of her family to immigrate to the United States. My cousins and their spouses along with my three siblings have a WhatsApp group where we often talk to each other. It helps keep the family close even if far away. I also have connections to more distant relatives on my father’s side with whom I stay connected. This includes my second cousin who I have vacationed with often and whose home I stay in when I’m in Italy. While pursuing my MA in Italian Studies we had a Visiting Fulbright Scholar Dr. Pasquale Palmieri with whom I developed a friendship. I was also able to attend his wedding in Caserta, Italy in 2018.

3. You currently work at CSU Long Beach for the Economics department, what kind of work do you do there?

My title is Administrative Analyst/Specialist so I’m basically the operational manager for the department. I handle most all aspects of the administrative functions of the department. My responsibilities include fiscal spending and budgeting, faculty travel, classroom scheduling, curriculum submissions (new and updates) including catalog updates, hiring of lecturers and student employees, assisting with tenure-track faculty searches and collection and maintenance of department materials and data, to name a few. We staff members are like the spokes on a wheel that provides the support and stability for the campus to run 365 days a year.

4. What has been your fondest memory at CSU Long Beach so far (as a student or staff member)? 

I have so many fond memories as both a student and a staff member. However, if I have to pick one it would be the last day of my master’s degree comprehensive exams. This was the day of the oral examination where I was interviewed by Dr. Donato and Dr. Vettore on what I had written during the two-day comprehensive exams. The oral exam had just finished and they asked me to step out in the hallway. I was so nervous and practically jumping out of my skin when another faculty member walked by and saw how anxious I appeared. This other faculty member told me not to worry and that I will be called any minute back into the room. At that moment, Dr. Vettore peered out of the room and solemnly asked me back into the room while gesturing with his finger. I apprehensively walked into the room as Dr. Donato threw her hands up and exclaimed “Congratulazioni!!” and Dr. Vettore smiled and said “Alessandro Russo virgola M.A.!” (Alessandro Russo comma M.A.). I breathed a sigh of relief and a feeling of profound pride and accomplishment came over me. I was so happy to have shared that moment with two of the professors I hold in such high regard. As I left the room all the pent up nervous energy was lifted and I was floating on cloud nine. I immediately called my family to tell them the good news.

5. What is something unique about yourself that you would like to share?My family often asks me to sing Neapolitan songs at parties, especially at weddings. My dad had always been the go-to for singing at family functions where he would belt out songs like “’O Sole Mio” or “Torna ‘a Surriento”. When my family discovered I could hold a tune like my dad, I inadvertently took his place after his passing. I’m often joined by all my cousins as I lead into “’O Sole Mio” though I prefer “’O Surdato ‘Nnammurato” or subtle ballads such as “Reginella” . I am very proud of my “napoletanità” that I have always immersed myself in the language, history, culture and traditions of my ancestors. So much so that I have involved myself in genealogy and discovered that my great grandfather Raffaele Russo was a Bersagliere (member of the Italian army infantry corps) during The Capture of Rome on September 20, 1870 that was the final event of the unification of Italy (Risorgimento) and around 1820 his grandfather Giuseppe Russo (my 3rd great-grandfather) was a royal horseman for Ferdinand II of Bourbon, King of the Two Sicilies. My family roots run very deep in Naples.

Alessandro Russo

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Student Spotlight: Mary Conte

1. Tell us a bit about yourself and what made you interested in studying at CSU Long Beach.

I was born in New York and moved to California because of my work. Actually–I moved to California twice because of my work, come to think of it. One time I was working at a music company in New York (which is also Capitol Records) and my boss wanted me to help work on a new computer system which would extract the most important information from contracts in a computer system to help pay royalties to the recording artists. This record company at the time had labels not only in New York City, but also in Toronto, Canada and also in Nashville and also Los Angeles as well as the UK.

Another place I worked at was as a legal consultant for Price Waterhouse Coopers. They also had many projects with various companies e.g. Universal Studios, SONY, and startups about how to make sure the various divisions could communicate. They needed to know how to distribute their products, and whether they could develop new ones.

I know this sounds simple but actually the sales people really need to know if they can sell a movie in Italy or Germany for example, and then the people who actually do the work of sending the 'elements' need to know the particularities of what each country requires. Also someone may be able to create a feature film from a script but NOT be able to create a TV show. Also music has its own dimension of complexity.

Regarding CSULB, two things happened. One: someone in one of my classes said that his wife was attending Cal State Long Beach, and they had an excellent Italian department and also an Italian club. Another: I met a gentleman over 40 who was taking classes in the theater department. He was a part-time actor but wanted to expand and enrich his skills, so he was attending Cal State Long Beach. One day I looked up the web site and left a message for Professor Vettore, Chair of the Graziadio Center, because I felt I could not find any way to deepen my Italian skills as an adult and I wanted to be able to speak Italian fluently. And he actually emailed me back and we spoke about what I was looking for and what might be required. I also learned that I might be eligible for Italian citizenship, so my paperwork is at the Italian Consulate. It's kind of a contest will they respond faster than I obtain a MA in Italian. We will see.

2.  In addition to Italian, you’ve also studied French. Can you tell us more about this and what led to your eventual switch to Italian?

I'm fortunate to have traveled a little and have met people of different cultures and have been a person studying in France or Italy and not knowing all the customs and that helps me have patience with others that don't necessarily know how we do things. We in the US, We in California, and We at this particular company. So I may be dealing with the artists, but also their managers, and their other musicians which are many times from all over the place. And there are so many layers with visas and embassies and money. All over the place in the US and all over the place in the world.

What I have found is any opportunity to speak someone else's language or to be curious about someone else's culture is always appreciated. I got an MA in French right out of college because I had participated in a cultural exchange program after high school, because I met a French exchange student in one of my French classes who was living with a family of one of the teachers) and was fortunate to have had 3 years when I lived in France.

But my family is Italian, all the grandparents. Sicily & Calabria and Ancona & not far from Naples (Castellammare di Stabia) just one-two train stops from Pompeii! They are always kind of overwhelming. My parents are first generation and they both went to college and we all (me and my three brothers went to college). Because that was a way to get ahead.

And I met someone at a conference who was organizing a trip to Italy, and I hadn't been there since college, and my spouse had never been there. So, we decided to sign up at the Italian Cultural center in Los Angeles, and take a class, because I would feel ashamed to not be able to say something to people because I was too lazy to learn some of the basics. And although we signed up for Italian, they put us in a class of 'Italian for Tourists". Well that was a disappointment. But as I wanted to learn more Italian I found that there were many classes that were like this for adults. Mostly geared to tourism only.

3. Do you have any recommendations for anyone interested in an MA in Italian Studies? 

Although at the time I wasn't excited about the pre-requisites I had to take, it was great to be able to meet undergraduates and graduate students, and to lay that foundation of grammar and literature. One of the things to definitely participate in is the program we have with Roma Tre students. And definitely take a translation class. Also, so far I've met two presidents of the Italian Club, and they work really hard to have interesting cultural programs.

4. Outside of school, you work as a lawyer. What do you enjoy about your job? Do your language skills tie into your career in any way?

Right now I work for an agency which signs artists from the US and all over the world and helps them tour. Our niche is folk or roots music. For example tonight at Cal State LA we have an artist Sonya Jobarteh (considered Africa's first female griot kora virtuoso) playing with Taj Mahal. I think we may have someone coming soon to the Carpenter Center. We did have an American artist (New York based Irish-American fiddler) play with the Long Beach Symphony orchestra.

5. Do you have a favorite city you’ve visited in Italy? If so, which one?

How do you pick a favorite city in Italy? I loved Torino because there aren't so many tourists, and at the big outdoor market I can also speak French! We got to rent bikes and ride in Abruzzo along the Trabocchi coast. I forgot about this but I think when I was single I went to Italy and got to do a tour with Davis Phinney and Connie Carpenter and Andy Hampstead and his wife. Andy Hampstead is the only American to ever win the Giro d'Italia. Yes I do own one of the best production bicycles ever made, it's Italian, a Calnago C-40. But that's another story…

Mary and il cane Marcus Aurelius

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Student Spotlight: Yashaira Gonzalez-Ledesma

1.  Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background in Italian. 

Hello! My name is Yashaira and I am from Porterville, California, a small town found in the Central Valley. I am currently a second year in the Italian Studies B.A. program. I grew up speaking Spanish as my first language and eventually learned English throughout elementary school. As I grew older, I realized how important it was to speak several languages. Not only will knowing multiple languages bring new opportunities, but it will also help you connect to a new culture that may be completely different from your own. My interest in Italian grew stronger during my junior year in high school due to my appreciation for my mother tongue, Spanish. My appreciation for the Spanish language made me discover my interest in other romance languages because they are all similar but very different in their own way, which is something that amuses me. Therefore, I decided to major in Italian Studies and have been enjoying my journey of learning a lot about the culture while also learning the language

2. You have mentioned wanting to study abroad at the Recanati Summer program in Italy. What about it interests you? 

Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to study abroad at the Recanati Summer program

in Italy, but I do wish to eventually participate. I believe that studying abroad will not only help me improve my Italian speaking skills, but it will also help me understand Italian culture even further. Based on what a few of my peers have told me about their experience there, I believe that this opportunity will help you better understand what Italy is like as a country and how Italians are as people, meaning that you will get a better understanding of Italian’s mannerisms, behavior, interests, etc. Therefore, I believe that the Recanati program in Italy would help me get even further immersed in Italian language and culture.

3. What are your long term academic or career plans with your Italian Studies BA? 

My career plan with my Italian Studies BA is to become a teacher. After taking several Italian courses at CSULB, I have grown to love the Italian language and culture and I think it is important that others get the opportunity to become passionate about a language such as Italian. In order to offer this opportunity to others, I would love to teach younger children about Italian culture and language to help improve their knowledge of a romance language. Additionally, I would love to incorporate the International Business minor along with my Italian Studies B.A. and potentially become a digital or creative marketing manager at a magazine company in Italy.

4. What is a fun fact about yourself? 

A fun fact about myself is that I love anything that involves creativity. A hobby of mine is photography and this hobby started when I was about 11 years old. At that age, I began volunteering to photograph sport events at my school and this eventually made me realize how much I enjoyed it. I eventually got my own digital camera which drew my interest in photography even further. My favorite thing about it is that one singular picture can convey several meaningful messages to the public. Along with capturing meaningful messages in a photograph, photography makes me appreciate my surroundings by reminding me how beautiful they are.

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Student Spotlight: Lesly Valtierra

1. Tell us a bit about yourself and why you chose to study Italian.

Hello! My name is Lesly and I’m a third-year Italian major. I started learning Italian in high school, which is where my love for the Italian language started. As I was figuring out what I wanted to study in college I realized I had a great passion for the Italian language and culture and wanted to continue educating myself in that. Another thing that influenced me was my general love of languages and learning about different parts of the world and the culture and history that come with them.

2. You completed an internship for a local Long Beach-restaurant, Marlena. What kind of work did you do there? Did you have a favorite moment?

For my internship at Marlena, I was able to learn a ton about Mediterranean food and drinks. For example, wine, including pairings, history, types of grapes, geography, and ways to describe wine. Additionally, I was able to make fresh pasta with Chef Mike and learn about the processes in different places and the importance of ingredients.

I think one of my favorite moments there was doing a mock service with everyone, in preparation for the opening of the restaurant. I remember the practice being a little goofy since we had to role-play different scenarios and challenges that could potentially occur. It was so much fun to bring out our inner actor and to pretend to be difficult guests! It was such a cool way to learn about dealing with people politely and professionally.

3. This semester, you are partaking in a study abroad program in Venice. Can you describe this program for us? What are you looking forward to the most during your time abroad?

Yes! I’ll be studying at the Ca’ Foscari University in Venice, where I’ll be taking courses, mainly in Italian, to further practice my language and communication skills. I think that what I’m most excited about is partaking in different festivities while in Italy, such as Carnevale (which is coming up very soon 🙂). Additionally, I’m excited to make new friendships and travel around Italy getting to know the food scene better!

4. What are your favorite hobbies and a fun fact about yourself?

One of my favorite things to do is bake, especially anything with chocolate. I also like to be outdoors and go on bike rides or walks. I also like to read about ancient civilizations. Hopefully, I’ll be able to visit the ruins of all my favorite places one day! A fun fact about myself is that one time I fell off my bike in the middle of the road and people thought I got run over.

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Recanati Summer Study Abroad Program

For several years, the Graziadio Center has had the great pleasure of partnering with Scuola Dante Alighieri - Campus L’infinito, located in Recanati, Italy on a summer program, in which enrollees have the chance to live in Italy while they study Italian. Beyond this, they get the opportunity to visit several illustrious cities like Rome, Venice and Florence, and smaller, lesser-known ones like Assisi and Loreto. Thanks to our amazing partnership, those who apply through CSULB receive a discounted rate and can therefore participate in this life-changing program at an affordable price. Anyone–student or not–of any level of Italian can apply, including those who have yet to start learning it. If you are interested, please reach out to Diego Brol Batres at [email protected] for more information. You may also find additional information at Campus Infinito’s website. Don’t hesitate to reach out today!

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Club Italia

The Graziadio Center is happy to announce the Club Italia officers for the Spring 2024 semester! They are:

President: Antonina Campbell

Vice-President: Ailyn Saavedra

Treasurer: Maria Gabriela Tapia

Secretary: Nikki Jerman

Publicity Chair: Alberto Sanchez Alonso

Additional Officer: Josue Mendiola Silva

Club Italia has worked tirelessly to maintain a strong and supportive presence for their members. This semester, the Club plans to meet every first and third Wednesday of each month for Tavola italiana. Each meeting will take place at 5:00, usually in AS-384. As always, we would like to thank all of the faculty in the Italian program for their constant support and motivation towards the club. You are all a great inspiration for all the students. If you would like to stay updated with all the fun events that Club Italia has planned for the future, make sure to follow us on social media: 

@clubitalia.csulb on Instagram

Club Italia CSULB on Facebook

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Course Spotlight:

Dear Il postino readers,

We are happy to announce that this winter semester we will offer ITAL 101A - Fundamentals of Italian. This class serves as an introduction to the skills of speaking, reading, and writing of Italian. Since no prerequisites are required, anyone can enroll. Make the most of your winter break and learn Italian with us!

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A letter on what's new at the Graziadio Center

Dear Friends of Il Postino,

Welcome back to the 2023-24 Academic Year!

Things are slowly getting back to normal on campus: classes are mainly being held face-to-face, which means students are back in the classroom talking among themselves before the lessons start. What’s not to like?

Before we look at the present and future, a quick note about the near past. At the end of May our short-term scholar, Chiara Sala, went back to her alma mater studiorum, the Università Statale di Milano, to defend her MA thesis on the teaching of Italian to Spanish speakers at Cal State Long Beach. She passed with flying colors and earned a full mark cum laude. Congratulazioni, Chiara!

During the summer, some twenty students took advantage of our summer study abroad program in Recanati and spent four full weeks of class in this beautiful, little city in the middle of the Marche region. They greatly enjoyed the experience and came back galvanized and ready to continue their studies in Italian at CSULB!

The success of the Recanati program is the cause and effect of the increase in both Majors and Minors in Italian. In fact, this issue of Il Postino features interviews with some of our new Majors: Antonina Campbell, Sarah Chokr, and Rhonda Hunt del Bene. They will each share their experiences and passion for Italian. Each one of them has a story, and we are very happy to host their thoughts and enthusiasm on these pages.

Students, thank you for your contribution to Il Postino –– we wish you the best for this semester and your overall academic career.

Next semester, two more students transferring from other universities will join this cohort, bringing the number of majors to seven. This is a comforting sign that things are changing for the better, given that during the pandemic there was only one student majoring in Italian.

Majors and Minors alike were kind enough to dedicate some of their precious time to volunteer at the International Street Fair in Orange, to help the Orange Lodge of Sons and Daughters of Italy sell Italian products and food at the Fair.

This renewed enthusiasm in all things Italian has provided a new lineup of officers for Club Italia. They are active with the Tavola italiana (held the first and third Wednesday of each month at 4:30pm in the Graziadio Center) and are also preparing an Italian pizza event featuring three Italian cuisine experts, two of which are from Rimini, and one from the United States!

On the MA front, we are delighted that Diana Aizenstein and Cristina Galvan will take their comprehensive Master’s exams at the end of the semester and will graduate. It gives us a bittersweet feeling to say goodbye to them, but we are also glad to welcome Hilary Stern and Elizabeth Poirier, who have been admitted as graduate students this semester, and Caitlin Craig, who joined the MA program last semester.

Benvenute, Hilary, Elizabeth, and Caitlin, and in bocca al lupo, Diana and Cristina, for the next phase in your careers and lives!

You can read our new MA students’ profiles on this issue of Il Postino.

Anyone interested in declaring an MA in Italian can read the flyer below for more information.

For our faculty and alumni spotlight we are glad to have been able to interview two alumnae of our MA program: Francesca Ricciardelli and Alessandra Balzani. Francesca is currently a USC Lecturer of Italian and pursuing a PhD in Linguistics at the Universitat Popeu Fabra, in Barcelona. Alessandra is an Instructional Program Coordinator for the Clorinda Donato Center and a lecturer of Translation Studies. Their interviews will no doubt inspire our students and friends of Il Postino alike, as they allow us to take a deeper look into their academic careers as teachers and scholars, but also as unique human beings who are exploring languages and cultures.

In addition to the Pizza event organized by Club Italia, the Graziadio Center will host a handful of events during this and the next semester featuring:

A talk and performance by Sicilian-American Singer, Michela Musolino (Cantu: A History of People in Song); an event on the Blue Zones organized with the Little Italy of Los Angeles Association (LILAA); a presentation by Dr. Ilaria Tabusso-Marcyan on her recent book, The Cultural Roots of Slow Food. Peasants, Partisans, and the Landscape of Italian Resistance.

Finally, renowned scholar Serenella Iovino (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) will talk about animal presence in the works of Italo Calvino.

We will provide you with the details about days and times of these events soon; please check your inbox and your social media accounts for flyers!

This is all for now–– I wish you a beautiful and productive Fall 2023 semester!

A presto!

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Student Spotlight: Caitlin Craig

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your experience with the Italian language. 

Hello, my name is Caitlin and I am in my second semester of the Italian Studies master’s program at CSULB. For my undergraduate degree, I studied Italian with an emphasis in Italian Renaissance studies and art history.

2. What initially interested you in an Italian Studies Masters, and why did you choose CSU Long Beach?

I was curious about returning to Italian after a twelve-year pause, and Italy is someplace that feels infinite to me--it is the birthplace of the Renaissance and many globally significant developments in thought, art, architecture, philosophy, religion, politics, and literature. I adore literature in all forms, and am particularly motivated to study Italian literary contributions.

3. You currently run a stand at your local farmer's market. How long have you been doing this for and what kind of products do you sell?

I run a stand at a local farmer's market in Los Angeles on Sundays (@darcydogsidedishes) where I sell all sorts of unique dog treats. It has been a hobby for several years. Feel free to check out my products on my website.

4. You are a big animal lover! Please introduce your dog. 

This is Colin aka Darcy dog.  He's a Collie mix, and his black and white markings resemble Mr. Darcy's (Pride & Prejudice) suit coat. Funnily enough he's also aloof like him & a little misunderstood.

Caitlin and Colin aka Darcy dog

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Student Spotlight: Hilary Stern

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and explain what piqued your interest in studying Italian.

My name is Hilary Stern and it’s been thirty years since I’ve seen the inside of a classroom! Since graduating from Boston University with a B.A. in Italian Studies in 1992, I have been very fortunate to have had a few different careers that kept me connected to Italy. From working in public relations for Italian designers to importing Italian ceramics to my current position as Executive Director of Fondazione Italia, a small non-profit in Los Angeles that promotes Italian language and culture in Southern California, my love for Italy was never far away. Throughout the years I have always played with the idea of going back to school to get my master’s degree in Italian Studies. The desire to deepen my cultural knowledge of a country, language, and people that I have always felt a great affinity for has grown stronger and stronger as I have gotten older. I finally built up the courage last year to apply to graduate school and I am thrilled that I was accepted into CSULB.

2. What made you choose CSULB and what are you looking forward to most in the program?

The Italian master’s program offered by CSULB has a varied and fascinating selection of courses and a stellar faculty that includes Dr. Clorinda Donato and Dr. Enrico Vettore. CSULB also allows graduate students the flexibility to complete the program in seven years and offers the majority of its courses in-person or online, which is very important for me as I still work and have a family.

3. Have you ever been to Italy? If so, what did you enjoy the most, if not where do you hope to visit when you do go? 

Yes! I have been very fortunate to have been able to travel to Italy several times for work and pleasure and I have also lived there twice. Once as a junior in college (I strongly encourage undergraduate students to take advantage of CSULB’s study abroad programs), and once for a year in Padova when my children were younger. Other than taking in the breathtaking Italian cities and their history, and the beautiful and varying countryside, I really enjoy the Italian way of life. The time Italians dedicate to prioritizing living life in its small moments like meals with family and friends, taking the evening passeggiata, the ritual of making a great cup of espresso…and so much more.

4. What's your favorite hobby or thing to do in your free time?

Currently my favorite hobby is spending time with my two daughters! I know how fast time goes by so I want to make the most out of the time I have left with them in the house because sooner than I can imagine they will be university students too!

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Student Spotlight: Elizabeth Poirier

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your experience with the Italian language.

It’s been a long road to get here, but I will try to keep this short. I have been interested in languages for as long as I can remember. I started taking Latin in high school and developed a deep admiration for Roman history and literature. In college, I studied Classical Languages and Russian. After graduating, I received a month-long scholarship to study Italian in Perugia. I returned to the US in love with Italy and the Italian language with plans to pursue a graduate degree. Well, life (a happy one) continued on. I got married, had kids, and got busy raising a family. Fast forward many years, my kids are now teenagers so I decided it was time to revisit my passions. For the past 5 years or so I have been studying Italian. At first once a week in group classes at a language school and then taking classes at LBCC and CSULB. I’m excited to see where the Italian MA program takes me next!

2. What are you most looking forward to as you embark on your academic career in the Italian program?

I am most looking forward to improving my Italian language skills and deepening my knowledge of Italian literature, history, and culture.

3. What are your interests beyond Italian? Do you have any ongoing projects?

I don’t have any projects going on at the moment. I should be working on remodeling our house, but I find the idea of getting started a bit overwhelming. I enjoy word puzzles and do the NY Times crossword every day. I also like exercise and the occasional craft project. Traveling to new places, experiencing other cultures, and meeting new people is something my family and I love doing whenever we have the opportunity.

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Student Spotlight: Rhonda Hunt Del Bene

1. Where are you from originally and why did you choose to study Italian?

I grew up in Arizona on a ranch that has been in my family for over 100 years. I married an Italian-American (with dual citizenship) and fell in love with the Italian language and culture. Because we travel there often, I thought it best to learn their bella lingua. 

After my second trip to Italy, I enrolled in Italian courses at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. After finishing the five courses they offered, I knew I was not finished studying Italian. Through Dr. Clorinda Donato, a family friend, I learned about the Open University program offered at CSULB. I completed five courses through Open University but did not have the necessary California-required general education courses to officially matriculate, so I returned to Saddleback to complete them. It has been a long, difficult journey to finally realize my dream, but I am determined - e alla fine, ne vale la pena. 

2. Is there anything specific you hope to do with your Italian BA?

I would like to live in Italy again and teach English as a foreign language to younger students.

3. Have you ever been to Italy? If so, what was your favorite memory or dish? If not, where would you like to visit?

I have been to Italy about 20 times and completed two study abroad programs there, both in Florence. The first at Florence University of the Arts in 2016. The second one was a Political Science course taught by Dr. Mary Caputi through CSULB in 2019.

I love learning Italian so much that one night I dreamt that I agreed to forget all the English I know in exchange for being fluent in Italian. When I woke up, I could still speak English, so obviously I had more work to do. 

My favorite memories of Italy are of the Tuscan countryside and the many friends I've made who live there and in Florence. Since 2009 I've rented an apartment that is part of a castle in a tiny, medieval village called La Canonica di Cortine, located about 20 minutes south of Florence near San Donato in Poggio, and eight kilometers from L’Albergaccio, the villa where Machiavelli lived in exile. When I was at L’Albergaccio, I touched the desk used by Machiavelli when he wrote “Il Principe.” It is vietato to touch it, but I thought it better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission. No alarms went off. I wanted to see if I could feel any Machiavelli "vibe". It is said that in preparation for writing, he donned elegant robes and communed with the ancients (perhaps poets and scholars) seeking wisdom from them. 

It is in Tuscany, especially at La Canonica, where I am most inspired to write. I call it my Holy Land. I follow Machiavelli’s ritual, seeking creativity. It is where I wrote most of the stories that will be published in March 2024. My works are interspersed with Italian history, language and often invoke important literature. I am a veritable appassionata! 

4. What are your favorite hobbies and a fun fact about yourself?

My favorite hobbies are reading and writing. I have written five short stories that will be published in March 2024 as part of an anthology called “Here’s the Story…Nine Women Write Their Lives.” It’s available on Amazon. A fun fact is that I am a non-traditional student returning to school after a long career developing shopping centers. The first time I attended university, I studied French and lived in Paris for a study abroad program. In fact, French was my first love!

Rhonda in Rome

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Student Spotlight: Farah Chokr

1. Where are you from originally and why did you choose to study Italian?

Hello everyone, my name is Farah and I am originally from Lebanon, a small country in the Middle East. I lived there for eleven years before moving to Italy to live with my mother. In Lebanon, my childhood dream had always been to live with her, but once I moved in, she did not know how to take care of me and one day she left, so I was taken to a foster care. When I first arrived there, I remember how upset and sad I was, and things were particularly difficult because I couldn’t understand Italian, and I was unable to express how I felt. As a result, in middle school, learning Italian was one of my most beautiful experiences because it meant that I’d finally be able to express myself to others. I was a good student and completed four years of high school because of how much I enjoyed it. After all, the more I went to school, the more I learned about Italian literature, and the beautiful way writers expressed their feelings. This connection made me feel more Italian than anything else in the world. During all those years, I would daydream about coming to a land far away and teaching Italian to others and showing them how the language and culture truly changed my life. 

2. Is there anything specific you hope to do with your Italian BA?

Studying Italian at CSULB is already a big dream for me, but something that I really wish to do is to be an Italian teacher and to write books in Italian because it is the language I learnt to express myself with.

3. You've lived in Italy for a few years. What was your favorite memory or dish? What do you miss the most?

Living in Italy for seven years was the best part of my life. I feel grateful for having had the opportunity to learn a different culture, language, and mentality. The best memories I have are of my poetry class where I learned about Leopardi, Dante, Foscolo, Montale, Angiolieri and many others. I also loved the cities that remind me of art,  the sea of Puglia, the pizza of Napoli, the fashion of Milano, focaccia and cecina, and the mountains of Valle d’Aosta. I miss everything about Italy but being able to study Italian at CSULB is like having a small, delicious bite of Italy. 

4. What are your favorite hobbies and a fun fact about yourself?

My favorite hobbies are reading and learning about life in general–like the things we enjoy and love, the things that hurt and teach us, the things we want and the things we need to grow up. I am like an open book that is waiting to be written by so many memories and experiences. A fun fact and something that I love about myself is that no matter where I go and who I am with, I spark joy and happiness, I ask a lot of questions and I take the most I can from each person to grow and glow.

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Student Spotlight: Antonina Campbell

1. Where are you from originally and why did you choose to study Italian?

Hello everyone, my name is Antonina and I was born and raised in San Pedro, California, just north of Long Beach on the Port of Los Angeles. Italian language and culture have fascinated me for as long as I can remember. My grandparents are Italian immigrants and have kept many parts of their culture in California. As a result, I have been surrounded by the Italian language and culture since I was born. I never formally learned the language at home, so I chose to study Italian mainly for this reason. It has always been a goal of mine to learn Italian; however, I never found the opportunity to take an academic class until college. I began my undergraduate studies unsure of what I wanted to do and bounced back and forth between various majors. However, I knew that taking Italian classes was a non-negotiable when looking to transfer to a four-year university. After discovering that Long Beach State had an Italian program, I immediately knew I wanted to go here. Studying Italian is something I am genuinely passionate about. It has made my college experience much more fun and exciting! In addition to this, the professors here are all fantastic at fueling my passion for learning about all things Italian.

2. Is there anything specific you hope to do with your Italian BA?

I love anything that has to do with food and learning about different cultures, especially Italian. That being said, I would love to work for an organization like Slow Food Organization or an Italian importing company that promotes Italy's unique and amazingly delicious food culture. I have also added a minor in Translation Studies, so pursuing a career in translation specifically for Italian is something I am very interested in exploring.

3. Have you ever been to Italy? If so, what was your favorite memory or dish? If not, where would you like to visit?

I am fortunate enough to have visited Italy a few times, and I just returned from an incredible summer there, where I interned for Campus L'Infinito in Recanati. I learned about the school through CSULB because of the summer study abroad program they host for students to learn Italian in Recanati, Italy. I would say my favorite dish has to be either spaghetti con le cozze (pasta with mussels) or pasta e fagioli (pasta with beans; however, it is not as dull as it may sound!!) from a small restaurant on the island of Ischia where every dish they make uses ingredients from their farm. It is difficult to pick a favorite dish here because all my meals were delicious! One of my favorite memories from Italy was visiting the homes and towns where my grandparents grew up. Visiting family there and learning about their towns' history was a unique and unforgettable experience.

4. What are your favorite hobbies and a fun fact about yourself?

My favorite hobbies are going to the beach, traveling, and trying new foods. One of my favorite ways to learn about different cultures is through their cuisine, so trying new recipes and restaurants or watching food documentaries are all things I love to do. A fun fact about myself is that I taught myself how to play guitar. I love playing and singing for fun, mainly because it relieves stress. Finals week is always a week where my guitar comes in handy!

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Alumni Spotlight: Alessandra Balzani

1. You are from Forlì. Can you tell us a little bit about your hometown and what makes it special? What do you miss the most?

Several years ago, I was told by an American student who was studying in Forlì that my hometown is part of a quest in the videogame Assassin’s Creed 2, and since then I always start with that little fun fact whenever I’m asked where I’m from. It works surprisingly well! As someone who was born and raised there, this is extremely funny, because Forlì is actually known for several historical reasons: Caterina Sforza, Dante, and Mussolini, for example, all have ties to my hometown. Piazza Saffi, the main and incredibly beautiful city square, is more than a thousand years old, and every time the city embarks on any type of public works they inevitably stumble upon some ancient Roman finds. The historical city center is definitely one of my favorite things about Forlì: the piazzas with the weekly open-air market, the colorful buildings, the San Domenico Museum, the public park where you can feed ducks, my old high school, even the dreadful sanpietrini (cobblestones). It’s a city that feels small enough to be able to travel on foot or by bike, but also continuously expanding and well connected to anything you might need. You can get to Bologna in less than an hour, the beach in about 45 minutes, the mountains are less than 2 hours away,  and you can even cross the border into another country in about an hour, as San Marino is very close too! Is this starting to sound like an ad? Ha. Locals have plenty to complain about Forlì too, but from the perspective of an expat, it is a lovely town. I mostly miss its vibrant colors and the food, obviously.

2. For the past 2 years you have been working for the Clorinda Donato Center for Global Romance Languages and Translation Studies. What kind of work do you do there?

I’m the Instructional Program Coordinator for the Clorinda Donato Center. I assist the Director, Dr. Clorinda Donato, and Associate Director, Manuel Romero, with various tasks such as creating new Translation classes (for example Audiovisual Translation and Localization), organizing guest lectures (in February 2023 we had Dr. Diana Roig Sanz from Universitat Oberta de Catalunya come to teach three lectures on Digital Humanities), coordinating events and conferences (we had a Translation panel at the 57th Comparative World Literature Conference), and editing our translation journal, Translation Becomes Eclectic. Since last year we have been translating articles and books from Italian into English as part of different collaborations with Italian university professors. The Center is a great institution within CSULB, as our goal is to establish our campus as one of the main points of reference for Translation Studies in California (and hopefully at some point in the whole Nation!).

I am also a lecturer of Translation Studies, I have taught TRST 201—Meaning in Transit; TRST 301—Ethics, Theory, and Practice; ITAL 460—Exploring Italian Translation; FREN 460—The Art of Translation; FREN 316—Introduction to Inverse Translation English-French. This coming Fall I’ll be teaching TRST 201 and FREN 315—Intro to Direct Translation French-English.

3. Can you tell us more about Translation Becomes Eclectic? What is a translation journal?

Translation Becomes Eclectic is a journal of Translation and Intercomprehension Studies that features work done by our translation students at CSULB! Its first volume was published in 2019, its second volume in 2021, and the third is currently in the works. This publication not only displays the incredible achievements of the students who take our classes, such as RGR 603—Theory and Practice of Literary Translation, FREN 460, and ITAL 460, but it also shows the professionalizing and hands-on qualities of our teaching. Students can indicate their entry into this journal on their resumes as a first experience translating. The journal is not language specific, as we offer multiple classes that are open to multiple language pairs, and we pride ourselves in favoring the exploration of Translation Studies to students of all majors. Students can choose different text types as well, which they translate and get corrected by their professors during the course of the semester, and ultimately the Donato Center acts as the editing team to prepare these texts for publication. We still have copies of Vol.2 available, if anyone should be interested, they can email me at [email protected] to get a free copy.

4. How is teaching translation compared to a foreign language? Is there a lot of overlap? Are there any interesting challenges you face in teaching one compared to the other?

Teaching translation is very different compared to teaching a foreign language because translation does not solely happen on a purely linguistic level, but on cultural, historical, and semantical levels too. Students of translation should be already quite fluent in the languages they work with, but they must acquire an ethnorelative and critical perspective when approaching a text. TRST 301, our introductory class, focuses on translation theory and aims at making students understand how to read a source text and think critically about how to convert it to their target language. I’ve taught language classes for all levels—English to ages from kindergarten to high school, Italian to college level students—and I have always focused on making the main grammar elements needed to ensure communication easily understandable and usable. The goal in most language classes—at the 100/200 level at least—should be communication, so students will have a more superficial understanding of the language, while in translation classes they will have to dig very deep. The main challenge when it comes to teaching translation is making people understand the difference between word-for-word and sense-for-sense translation, and that there are no absolutes when it comes to this discipline, which can be frustrating. I won’t say that literal translation is always wrong, or that machine translation should never be used, but students have to learn how to use these strategies and tools, and oftentimes they think they know already.

5. Is there any advice you have for someone visiting Italy? What are the must-see locations?

What’s great about Italy is that you don’t need to visit the big cities to have an amazing vacation. Any town will have amazing food, lovely people, and plenty of history to show! I could talk a lot about what to see in Italy, but I’ll stick to my main recommendations: I love Rome. Walking down the street in between the Fori Imperiali and the Colosseo gives me chills every time, I love feeling surrounded by history. Just outside the city, i Castelli Romani also provide great spots for strolling, wine tasting, and eating. Another great city is Florence, which I call “the unofficial American colony” because in the city center only English is spoken, and a lot of people have an American accent. The architecture and art of Florence, however, are amazing. It is also very walkable, and you can get there by train and see a lot of it in a day. The Duomo and Palazzo Pitti’s gardens are must-see. Now my advice would be to not do all the major cities in one go, but to enjoy the smaller Italian realities. If you want to go to Florence, rent a car and see more of the Tuscan countryside. If you land in Milan, Bergamo and Cremona are two beautiful cities very close to it. The trains don’t always run on time, but you can go everywhere with them. Lastly: eat. Everything. Don’t worry about the scales or your ideal beach body, the food is divine (and healthier than here).