Thanks to a staple study abroad program, each year a number of Hopkins students have the chance to study in beautiful Florence, Italy. And due to several recent changes in the Villa Spelman undergraduate program, this option is becoming increasingly popular.
Hopkins' Center for Italian Studies was established during the 1970s by Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Spelman, who wanted Hopkins to use their home as a center for the study of Italian culture, history and art. In 1985, the center was dedicated to the memory of Charles S. Singleton, who had been a long-time professor of Italian literature at Hopkins. The Singleton Center's goal is to promote research and teaching in all areas of Italian and European culture. The Center is located in Florence, the capital of Tuscany and the "jewel of the Italian Renaissance."
Both graduate and undergraduate students have the opportunity to study at the Villa Spelman. In the fall, the Villa holds a Social Theory and Historical Inquiry seminar, where grad students can research topics in history and the social sciences. In the spring, the Villa holds a Seminar in Italian Studies, during which grad students research their Ph.D. dissertations and attend presentations by noted speakers. Grad students will also have the opportunity to present their own work during the seminar.
Currently, the undergraduate program is undergoing some changes and expansion. In the past, 10 spaces were available for undergraduate Hopkins students. Previously, demand for spaces was low enough so that most, if not all, qualified applicants were accepted. However, for the recent fall 2004 semester, application numbers jumped to 19 applicants, for 12 spots. Mary McDonough, the administrative secretary for the Villa Spelman program, said that she hopes to expand the program to 12 spots again for the spring semester, and possibly one or two more spots in future semesters. Moreover, because the program is for only one semester, and both juniors and seniors are eligible, even those who were turned away for the fall semester will have future opportunities to apply.
While abroad, Hopkins undergraduates live with host families in the area and take classes at the Villa Spelman. Also, a Hopkins professor accompanies the undergrads and stays in the Villa for the semester, allowing students the opportunity to build a close relationship with the professor.
"We like that the students get the chance to get to know their professor," said McDonough, something that there is usually little time for on the Homewood campus.
Another change in the program is the addition of a few new classes. To fulfill the 17 credits participants on the trip will be able to take, there is an intensive Italian instruction class, worth 8 credits, a 3-credit class on the artistic history of Florence from the 13th to the 16th centuries, and a 3-credit seminar taught by the professor staying in the Villa.
Additionally, a new modern history class will be offered for 3 credits. In the fall it will be on European history, and in the spring, it will focus on Italian history. McDonough attributes part of the program's new popularity to these newly-added classes.
"We asked students and the academic advisors, and tried to see what undergraduates needed," McDonough said. "We have a lot of IR students that want to have different experiences and want to go abroad to different places ... now we'll have something that I think is good for anyone to know."
The new curriculum will have a broader appeal, and will potentially fit better in students' schedules, making going abroad more of a possibility.
In the past, the Villa Spelman program was associated with the Department of History of Art, rather than being a general program. However, due to the Villa's location in Florence, the Renaissance and related art history seemed quite fitting subjects of study. Taught by staff from the Bologna Center, adding a general history class makes the program more accessible to the average Hopkins student. McDonough said, "We'd like the idea that almost any student could take these [new courses.]"
If you're wondering how much all this costs, don't worry too much - it's not much more than what Hopkins in Baltimore is costing you already. While students have to pay for their own airfare, all else is fairly comparable to the normal costs of a semester of housing and food at Hopkins.
"Every year the fees for housing, food, trips, museum admissions, are based on on-campus housing and meal plan fees here," said McDonough. "We try to make it the same cost so it's not so bad."
The deadline for the spring 2005 semester is Oct. 8, 2004. More information and an application are available at http://www.jhu.edu/~vspelman. In addition to the application, interested students need a recommendation letter from a Hopkins professor, a list of extra-curricular activities, and a two-page essay about their reasons for applying to the program and what they'd hope to gain from the program.
