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London & Florence: Arts in Context

London, England & Florence, Italy

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From the Midwest to Florence, and from the Renaissance to Today

May 19, 2010

Jodie Mariotti in the garden of her home in Florence.

Jodie Mariotti, who will begin this fall as the Director of ACM's off-campus study programs in Florence, Italy, is a teacher and an art history scholar. She's a skilled translator, fluent in three languages, and a longtime resident of Florence.

She also makes great olive oil, grew up in the Midwest and, for a few years, was a farmer's wife.

And to top it off, she discovered a batch of 500-year-old documents that yielded some juicy tidbits about a 16th century Florentine woman whose face we all recognize.

Yes, Mariotti has interesting stories to tell. She also, clearly, brings a wealth of experience to Florence: Arts, Humanities, & Culture in the fall and London & Florence: Arts in Context during the spring semester. Read more


Strolling Through Space and Time in the Streets of London Strolling Through Space and Time in the Streets of London Feb 16, 2010
Kelly Stage will seek out "moments in our imagination" to help students connect with Londoners through the centuries when she is the London & Florence Program Faculty Director in spring 2011.
Portraying the Journey of Life Portraying the Journey of Life Dec 16, 2009
Encounters with people, cultures, history, and the physical environment are among the experiences chronicled in the prize-winning photos from the 2009-10 ACM Off-Campus Study Photo Contest.
Bella Figura! Bella Figura! Apr 30, 2009
On the ACM Florence Program, Jennifer Halbman discovered that the Italian phrase "bella figura" provided a multitude of insights into Italian culture and everyday life in Florence.
Leaving Footprints Behind ... Learning Lessons Along the Way Leaving Footprints Behind ... Learning Lessons Along the Way Apr 24, 2009
Students shared compelling stories about adventure and discovery, academic and personal growth, and insights gained at the ACM Off-Campus Study Student Symposium.
Excitement of Off-Campus Study Reflected in Students' Photos Excitement of Off-Campus Study Reflected in Students' Photos Jan 30, 2009
As part of the 50th Anniversary celebration, ACM sponsored the Off-Campus Study Photo Contest, inviting students to share the images and impressions they gathered from studying around the world.

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News

ACM Symposium Will Highlight Students' Research, Internships, and Experiences on Off-Campus Study Mar 19, 2010
Students' presentations and panel discussions on April 16-17 will be streamed live on the ACM website.
2010-11 Off-Campus Study Program Prices Announced Feb 5, 2010
The updated pricing for ACM's 2010-11 off-campus study programs has been approved and is now posted online.
Gilman Scholarships Awarded to ACM Students for Study Abroad Feb 4, 2010
Competitive grant program supports 18 students from nine ACM colleges for study in Botswana, China, Spain, Egypt, and ten other countries.
Traveling Photo Exhibit Will Showcase Students’ Off-Campus Study Experiences Dec 9, 2009
Winning and honorable mention photos from the 2009-10 ACM Off-Campus Study Photo Contest will be exhibited on 11 ACM campuses in early 2010.
Spring 2010 Application Deadlines Extended Oct 16, 2009
The application deadline has been extended for some of ACM's Spring 2010 international off-campus study programs.
Costa Rica Program Adds Spring Trimester Option Oct 12, 2009
Students from colleges on trimester/term or block schedules now have a new option to conduct independent field research in Costa Rica for 11 weeks (early April to mid-June) in the spring.

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Photo spotlight

London's Chinatown

A Chinese New Year celebration in the heart of London's Chinatown. Photo courtesy of Zachary Clark.

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London & Florence: Arts in Context

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Laura Linder-Scholer I chose the ACM London & Florence program because it offered the unique opportunity of exploring two places and cultures in-depth and living two very different lifestyles over the course of a single semester. My time in London taught me to appreciate the inexhaustible excitement of England's capital – from navigating the Tube and exploring a myriad of museums and art galleries to examining how history, politics, architecture, and art have shaped the city's cultural identity. Sharing a London flat with fellow students and making my own meals provided an invigorating detachment from campus life and taught me the thrill of true independence. In the beautiful city of Florence, I was able to witness firsthand the artistic and historical legacy of the Italian Renaissance while wandering the cobblestone streets and taking trips to Siena, Rome, and Venice. I learned the intricacies of the Italian language from gelato vendors, fruit stands at the central market, and intimate conversations with my host family over homemade pasta and tiramisu. In a way that I could not have expected, these two experiences provided me with a deeper understanding of myself, the people and places around me, the value of the arts and engaged educational experiences, and the indescribable adventure of traveling, studying, and living abroad.

—Laura Linder-Scholer, London & Florence, Spring 2010

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