My name is Nicole Grace and I’m from Massapequa, NY. I graduated from Adelphi University in May 2019 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Marketing and a minor in Studio Art. I studied abroad at John Cabot University in the Fall of 2017 and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
JCU exceeded my expectations, offering not only great classes, but also community service opportunities, trips and activities, and tons of assistance navigating life in Rome. I took advantage of as much as I could, always trying new things, but my favorite thing about JCU is the on-site classes I took: Renaissance Rome and its Monuments and Rome Sketchbook. Both of these classes were usually held outside of the classroom, allowing students to take advantage of our location and experience as much of Rome as possible.
My Renaissance Rome and its Monuments class visited well-known spots like the Vatican Museums and the Pantheon, but also places that I might never have known existed had I not taken the class, like Santa Pudenziana and Santa Maria Della Pace. Professor Scala’s love for art was contagious; she knows so much and frequently stopped us on our walks to tell us about other famous artworks that weren’t even part of the curriculum. It felt like we had exclusive access to an entire city during her class!
My other on-site art class, Professor Pettit’s Rome Sketchbook class, used Rome’s rich art and history in another way. Every Wednesday morning, we would meet somewhere in Rome and talk about the topic of the day, ranging from speed and fluidity to light and shadow. Then we’d take out our pencils, open our sketchbooks, and put what we just learned into practice. Sometimes we’d have a lot of space to ourselves, but other times we’d be in very busy parts of the city and we frequently attracted curious passersby. My favorite class was our midterm at Ponte Sant’Angelo. It was timed and we had something like 10 angel statues to sketch in about 3 minutes each. Imagine: a beautiful fall morning, 15 students with sketchbooks and a strict time limit spread out along a famous bridge filled with tourists and locals alike. I personally had at least 5 or 6 groups of people stop to watch me draw. Some tried to make conversation but 3 minutes is not enough time to sketch an elaborate sculpture, forget trying to engage in a conversation at the same time! Nevertheless, it was exciting and definitely the most fun midterm I’ve ever taken. I definitely recommend taking an on-site class if you’re thinking about studying abroad at JCU. There are so many different options and even if you’ve never been interested in art history or swear you can’t draw to save your life, there’s no better time to try new things than while you’re abroad! I promise you won’t regret it!
The classes at JCU were great, but there were so many other opportunities to take advantage of as well. I volunteered for JCU’s Italy Reads program where I got to meet and work with high school students in Rome. I also spent my weekends traveling, both on JCU’s organized trips and planning my own, and ended up traveling to 5 countries and 8 cities in Italy during my semester abroad. Though it’s hard to choose a favorite, JCU’s Montereale hiking trip was one of the most memorable. A small group of students traveled to a very small town in the mountains of Italy’s Abruzzo region. We stayed with an Italian family and hiked, enjoyed delicious home-cooked meals, and even helped out on the family farm! I felt more connected to Italian culture and the small-town way of life than I did on any other weekend trip and will always cherish those memories.
I had wanted to study abroad in Italy for years and my home university led me to because it was the most affordable option for me. It took a lot of research, planning, and budgeting to make it happen, but it was definitely worth it and I wouldn’t change a thing about my experience. Studying abroad was life-changing and I know I’ll cherish the memories I made forever.
Nicole Grace
Study Abroad Fall 2017
Major in Marketing and Minor in Studio Art
Home University: Adelphi University
Hometown: Massapequa, NY
