When in Rome

Posted: July 14, 2014 10:00 a.m.

Students with Pietro Tacca’s famous bronze statue of a boar in Florence, Italy. Here they can be seen participating in the tradition of rubbing the boar’s snout in hopes of returning to Florence in the future. Photo courtesy of Jordan Nixdorf

International experiences are an important part of many students’ education.

One such opportunity at the University of Regina and federated colleges is David Meban and Francesco Freddolini’s two-week study trip to Italy.  Meban is an Associate Professor of Classics at Campion College and Freddolini is an Assistant Professor of Art History at Luther College.

“In my classes, I regularly discuss and use images of some of the key monuments and sites of Rome and Pompeii - but nothing beats seeing them in person,” Meban explains. Freddolini adds that "Art uncovers different, and more intriguing stories when we can see the works in their context."

Students like Neil Middlemiss agree. “Visiting these places in person makes these studies about more than words or pictures in a book.”

That’s echoed by Tracy Eklund. “The size of the Colosseum, the beauty of the churches, the atmosphere of Pompeii, and the colours and details of the artworks cannot be conveyed adequately through pictures or television.”

For Megan Jane, the trip provided inspiration for her future studies. “The intense connection that the artwork provides acts as fuel for some fascinating research. Seeing the work right in front of me, in its context, made me really want to sink my teeth into the assignments afterwards. I got so much more from the trip than my three credit hours for an art history class.”

The students come from a variety of fields. “The tour was especially valuable for me as a Science student because we often don't get the time to focus on the Arts. The tour was a reminder for me to enjoy and appreciate the Arts,” Jordan Nixdorf says.

Meban says the trip provides more than the obvious academic benefits, but is really a wider learning experience.

“For a lot of these students, it’s their first time out of Canada, even their first time on a plane.” 

Middlemiss remembers how they “sat and enjoyed delicious Gelato on the steps of the Pantheon.”

Jane says “I could talk for hours about all the food and wine I sampled, the sights I saw, and the friends I made. We ate incredible pizza with flavours you wouldn’t believe and laughed until it hurt.”

“I would go back to Italy in a heartbeat,” Nixdorf says.