Benvenuto al Italian Club

Published 5 years ago -


Eric Guditz

Copy editor

This past weekend, I had the chance to sit down with junior Isabella Bolognese, president of the Italian Club here at Assumption College. The Italian Club existed a few years back, however, due to the departure of graduating senior leaders it became dormant, and thus, nonexistent. Last semester, the club was given new breath by its ambitious new leaders and members.

I asked Bolognese for the reason as to why she sought out to embark all things Italian. She remarked, “It was an idea that was floating around for a while. Because of there no longer being an Italian major, the goal was to get people together who are interested in Italian and learn about Italy’s history and culture.” According to Bolognese, Professor Bonanno, the club’s advisor, who has been an Italian professor at Assumption for quite some time, encouraged her and a group of friends to launch the club last semester. After all, it made sense to revitalize the club since Assumption offers its students the Rome program. It is a “safe space” where people can “express [their] interest in learning Italian and going to Italy.”

Bolognese comes from an Italian-American family. Growing up, she heard Italian phrases and shared Italian meals with her family, especially her grandparents whom she describes as “very Italian.” This is her seventh year studying the Italian language, after having studied it all throughout high school. The beginning of this semester marks one year since she set off for Assumption’s Rome program. 

No knowledge of the Italian language is needed in order to attend meetings. Meetings are primarily spoken in English and many club members are taking beginner courses in Italian.

As of now, the club has about twenty official members, many of whom are veterans of the Rome program.

Bolognese says that the club is planning a trip to Boston’s North End, known colloquially as “Little Italy,” at the end of the semester. There will also be an Italian Festival on March 14th at Charlie’s. Meetings are held on Mondays from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. When asked if there was anything that she would like prospective club members to know, Bolognese said, “It’s a very open club. It’s very friendly and very welcoming. We are open to new ideas and different views. Anything goes.”

Eric Guditz, a sophomore, is undecided. He is a Copy Editor for Le Provocateur.

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