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Campus Life
Gonzaga-in-Florence is located in the center of Florence not far from the Duomo and looks onto the Giardino dei Semplici, a sixteenth century garden created by the Medici family. It is a few steps from Fra Angelico’s frescoes painted for the San Marco monastery and from Michelangelo’s David housed in the Galleria dell’Academia.
Gonzaga-in-Florence, which is housed in the Mozilo Center, provides students with all the facilities required for learning and socializing. The school is wired with the latest technology which includes twenty desktop computers. The wireless capabilities are the best among American schools in Florence. In addition, the library collection consists of over ten thousand volumes. For research, students have access to the Gonzaga University’s Spokane campus Foley Library. A student lounge is located on the lower level.
We provide many opportunities for the cultivation of spiritual religious life. Florence continues its tradition as an international city and other denominations provide services as well, frequently in English.
Linguistic and Cultural Activities
The following are some of the numerous cultural activities made available to the students:
CONVERSATION PARTNER PROGRAM
Improve your Italian with a language partner from the University of Florence. Gonzaga-in-Florence students are matched with Italian students from the University of Florence for weekly encounters. Any Gonzaga-in-Florence student, regardless of his or her level of Italian, is welcome to participate.
“ENGLISH FOR PASTA” PROGRAM
Gonzaga-in-Florence students visit an Italian family once a week, teach English to children ranging in age from 6 to 15, then have dinner with the family. During the dinner hour, students have a chance to practice their Italian in a family setting.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Volunteer opportunities are available. In 2006/2007 students volunteered in two locations:
- Casa Famiglia, a halfway house for the needy and mothers with young children, and
- Caritas, an Italian charity organization, where students worked in the soup kitchen.
VOLUNTEER INTERSHIPS
Volunteer internships available upon request. No academic credit.
CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
Attend classical music concerts, at discount prices, in some of Florence’s most prestigious theatres: the Pergola, the Teatro Comunale, and the Accademia Bartolomeo Cristofori. In 2006-2007 students had the opportunity to attend two operas: The Barber of Seville and La Boheme. The operas were preceded by a presentation at the school to familiarize students with each piece.
OTHER ACTIVITIES include: cooking classes, wine tasting, guest lecturers, spring semester soccer games, and much more.
Housing and Meals
Housing is provided in Italian boarding hotels (pensioni) located in the heart of Florence close to the school. These hotels are run by Italian families who provide good food, safe living conditions, and support staff. These living arrangements are conducive to learning Italian and to better understanding Italian culture and lifestyle. The hotels are carefully screened and most have hosted Gonzaga-in-Florence students for numerous years.
Placements in the different hotels are determined by a lottery system during the Opening Tour. Each hotel generally accommodates twenty to twenty-five students. Most of our pensioni are co-ed, although the rooms (double, triple, and quad) are gender specific.
Since the majority of the students usually travel during the three day weekends, the weekly meal plan, included in the program cost, consists of seven breakfasts, four lunches, and three dinners.
Upon request, homestays are available during the spring semester for academic year students only.