A New Semester Begins At Umbra
Despite a trans-Atlantic flight just two days before, the nearly two hundred new Umbra Institute students were wide awake at the Institute’s Orientation yesterday. Orientation was held in the prestigious Sala dei Notari, the main room of Perugia’s town hall. Umbra’s new Director of Academic Affairs, Dr. Carol Clark, gave the opening presentation and welcome to the students and was well-received. After staff introductions and some instructions and advice for a fun and productive semester, all the students gathered on the steps of Perugia’s cathedral for the traditional class photo. Then, as if on cue, a rally of Fiat 500’s (Italy’s equivalent of the Model T) passed by, giving the Orientation a colorful finish.
The Umbra students hail from all over the United States and come from colleges and universities of all sizes, including students from Roanoke, Richmond, Lebanon Valley College, the University of Connecticut, and Arcadia.
The students will begin their immersion in both their classes and the Italian experience, Monday September 4th. Integration in Italian and Perugian culture is easy with Umbra, which facilitates it with a variety of programs: the TANDEM language exchange program with local students, weekend excursions, cooking classes, historical walking tours, sports, art shows, and much more. We wish tanti auguri to all of our new students, who have just become temporary citizens of Perugia.