John Cabot University's Office of Student Services provides many opportunities for students, both degree-seeking and study abroad, to get involved in the JCU community. One of the organs of JCU's Student Services Team is the Cultural Programs and Activities section, and Giulia Ricci is the Student Cultural Programs and Activities Coordinator at John Cabot University.
In her role, Giulia Ricci is responsible for organizing, promoting, developing, and planning student trips and activities during the school year. Examples of cultural programs and activities at JCU include weekend and day trips, tours, culinary experiences, meditations, cooking classes, painting workshops, biking, and hiking trips, and on-campus events. In essence, JCU seeks to offer students experiences that enhance their appreciation of multiculturalism and enriches their time in Rome.
We spoke with Giulia Ricci about how students can take full advantage of JCU’s cultural programs, how these activities have adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how students on a budget can have the full Roman experience. Here’s what she had to tell us about JCU’s cultural programs, and what students can gain from them.
Cultural Programs: What They Are, What JCU Offers, and How They Benefit Students
With any of the cultural programs offered at JCU, the goal is to help students get to know Italian culture, as well as develop a greater appreciation for the experience of studying abroad in Rome. In non-pandemic situations, this could mean trips to Veneto (the region where Venice is located) for the weekend, ceramic workshops, wine-tasting activities, and cultural and historical tours. “The purpose is to be present in these experiences with a deep awareness of what they are experiencing, and also what JCU, Rome, and Italy, in general, have to offer,” Giulia Ricci says, adding that activities like weekend and day trips are among student favorites.
She also says the first thing students should do is to get in touch to better understand what JCU has to offer. She also recommends that students participate in day trips, on-campus events, or Zoom activities and online workshops if pandemic restrictions prevent them from going on trips further afield. If they arrive in January for the spring semester, they should first attend the cultural programs fair to get all the necessary information.
Participating in cultural programs has a profound impact on students at our university in Rome. “Most of the time, what I’ve read is incredible, warm messages coming from the students who said that this was a life-changing experience and that it had a deep impact on their attitudes and also their emotions,” she says. “They give them support and a base to experience other things by themselves. It’s like a huge imprint in their way of living experiences in Rome, and in any other country.”
How COVID-19 Has Impacted the Cultural Programs At JCU
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had a massive impact on virtually every country in the world, including Italy. As such, Ms. Ricci’s approach to her role as Student Cultural Programs and Activities Coordinator has had to change and adapt to current circumstances. She has had to think outside the box in order to move in-person activities to virtual platforms such as Zoom, as well as social media outlets like Facebook and Instagram. “Of course it’s not the same, but the message is, ‘We are there for you, even if there’s social distancing to be respected,’” she says. “It has changed a lot, and we are trying to find a way to interact with them through a screen.”
Exploring Rome On a Budget: How International Students in Italy Can Do It
How can students attending our American university in Italy explore Rome and discover Italian culture in ways that are also affordable? Ms. Ricci says that JCU offers good prices for its trips and activities. “We offer services that can usually cost €100, but we let them pay €60 so that we cover the difference, and we make sure that they have a very nice experience…” she says. “The most affordable way is to follow us, to take advantage of what we offer to them.”
More specifically, she names cooking classes, guided meditations, tours of Rome, and athletics activities as being particularly budget-friendly. Although students pay a small fee for most activities, others such as online workshops and athletics activities are free of charge. Students are also able to receive a discount from 10 to 20% off groceries, thanks to JCU’s collaborations with local grocery stores.
Above all else, Giulia Ricci suggests that students plan their budget in advance, especially as students tend to spend a lot of money during their first weeks in Rome. “Don’t come here and think that you have to hurry up in booking everything all at once,” she says. “Just book one activity for each month, let’s say, and then be very careful in terms of making a calendar of what you think could be a nice weekend for you to do an activity, while combined with all of your academic commitments.”
Giulia Ricci
Student Cultural Programs and Activities Coordinator
Office of Student Services at John Cabot University
Join Giulia for the Cultural Programs Virtual Fair on Jan 13, 2021, to learn more about trips and activities at JCU! Sign up here for the event.
Want to study abroad or earn your American-accredited degree in Italy? Contact John Cabot University's Admissions Office at admissions@johncabot.edu for more information!
