IT PAYS TO TAKE ITALIAN AT MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

Upper Montclair, NJ
April 2007

Everyone knows that, in this ever-changing global community, learning another world language just makes sense. Well, now, students majoring in Italian language and culture at Montclair State University are finding out that success in Italian class can easily translate into dollars and cents. This academic year, for example, over $3000 in scholarships are being awarded to students who have declared a major in Italian and have demonstrated proficiency in the target language. The scholarships will go to deserving students who are at varying points in their course of study at Montclair State University, from the first semester of language study to graduating majors.

"The Coccia Institute Scholarship" for $1000 will go to Ms. Karelia Tejada, Karelia is an Italian major and one of the program’s top students. This semester in Prof. Del Principe’s Introduction to Italian Literature of the 18th-, 19th-, and 20th-Centuries and Contemporary Italian Cultural Studies courses, Karelia has often led class discussions, expressing keen insight into topics of contemporary, cultural relevance ranging from politics to ethnic identity. This award is offered to her thanks to the generosity of UNICO District 7.

"The Coccia Institute's Student Academic Achievement Awards," for $250 each, will go to Mr. Steven LaPeruta, an Italian major and teacher candidate, Ms. Fiorella Saraceno, a Spanish major and Italian minor, Ms. Kristina Oriente, a Math major and Italian minor, Juliana Anselmini, a Business major in Accelerated Italian 103, and Ms. Victoria Lombardi, a major in Italian. These students have distinguished themselves not only for their superior work in the classroom, but also for their special individual talents. Mr. Joseph Coccia, the co-founder of the Joseph and Elda Coccia Institute for the Italian Experience in America, will personally give those awards to the recipients.  The Coccia Institute thanks the Saddlebrook Chapter of UNICO for funding these awards.

The Coccia Institute and the Italian section of the Department of Spanish and Italian at MSU are proud to grant additional scholarships to deserving students.  Daniela Busciglio, who was recently admitted to the doctoral program in Italian language and literature at Rutgers University, will receive the Teacher Education Award of $400. Lindsay Newman and Frank Grasso are the recipients of Merit Awards for Excellence in Italian of $200 each.

"All students studying Italian should know about these wonderful opportunities. These awards can serve as added incentives to study the language and to be a good student," said Dr. Andrea Dini, the coordinator of the basic Italian language program.

Incentives to take Italian abound, indeed, from exciting courses in Translating, Commercial Italian, Italian and Italian American Cultural Studies, and Italian Cinema and Literature, to certification in the ever-expanding field of Italian Teacher Education. Being an Italian student, then, can be profitable and, quite simply, fun. Class outings, lectures, and events are often planned by the faculty, and the Coccia Institute is hosting its Third Annual Student Symposium on April 18th, only the latest in a long line of interesting cultural and social engagements. In addition, the AMICI student group is constantly growing in numbers, due to a wide array of successful initiatives.