Fordham offers over 110 study abroad programs to its undergraduate students; programs take place in 52 countries on six different continents.

For students who cannot study abroad during the academic year, Fordham offers numerous summer study abroad programs such as London Centre, Fordham in Granada and Fordham in Rome.

Fordham’s summer abroad program in Rome allows students to take one of three courses during their month abroad: Art and Architecture of Rome, Performing Italian and Documentary Photography in Italy. However, the Fordham in Rome program will not be available in summer 2023.

The Ram spoke to three university faculty members who taught courses in Rome: Fr. George Drance, Professor Joanna Isaak and Professor Joseph Perricone. Fordham’s Rome summer abroad program was canceled in spring 2022 due to COVID-19. When faculty members went to apply to continue the program beginning in summer 2023, they were told that the deadline to reapply to continue the program had passed and the new deadline was Jun 1. In past years, the deadline had been in August and faculty had not been obligated to complete any paperwork.

“For the past 25 years we’ve always applied late in the summer,” noted Perricone.

Despite having over 100 students start their applications to participate in the program, the miscommunication halted the program from continuing in summer 2022. “The main issue is things just evaporated and no one really spoke about why that was happening, what the next step was or what recourse we had,” said Fr. Drance.

Fordham faculty members who’ve taught courses in Rome are trying to get both administration and students to address the communication issue in an attempt to revive the program. Alumni of the program have taken to writing letters expressing their gratitude to Fordham’s Rome summer abroad program and their hope that it will return in the near future. Some alumni described the experience as the most special month of their lives.

Alumni note that the program not only enriched their experience at Fordham, but also influenced their professional career.

“I am now working in the art world full-time and the Fordham Rome program was where I learned that was the direction I wanted to pursue in my professional career. Without the help, support and guidance from Professor Udell and Professor Isaak I would not be where I am today,” said Elise Beck, FCLC ’22. Additionally, for students who cannot study abroad during the academic year, the Rome summer abroad program was one of the only available summer study abroad options.

“As an RA, I didn’t have the option of studying abroad during my junior year as many of my friends did. Rome was one of the few summer options available to me, and it turned out to be a great decision. The class I took is undoubtedly my most memorable class at Fordham,” said another alumni of the program.

Numerous alumni have written letters contributing to the cause. “It’s really made me put way more effort into making sure it happens again this summer for the students,” said Isaak regarding the alumni letters. “The student initiative has put some more fire in my belly, to put it that way.”

In June, President Tania Tetlow, along with a group of Fordham representatives, traveled to Rome on a special pilgrimage and to discuss a possible partnership with Villa Nazareth — a Vatican affiliated residential college. In previous years, Fordham students were housed at St. John University’s Rome campus within proximity to Vatican City.

If the program were on track to continue in summer 2023, students may have been presented with the new opportunity to reside at Villa Nazareth. Unfortunately, the program’s end correspondingly halted all proceedings regarding the possible Villa Nazareth partnership.

If Fordham students would like to study abroad in Rome during the summer, the IES program is a study abroad program available to college students. However, since IES is not affiliated with Fordham, the program lacks the university’s multidisciplinary discourse. For students looking to experience Fordham’s curriculum and distinct professors abroad, IES is not an option.

“ [IES is] nothing like what we offer … it’s just a strange higher tourism,” said Isaak.

Fordham’s Rome program was a place where people would gather for multidisciplinary discourse; regular outings and excursions were part of the education and the discipline being studied. Outings included activities like day trips to major cities or watching an Italian opera.

“Our courses are really unique, it gives students an opportunity to act in Italian, a course like that can’t be found anywhere else,” said Perricone.

The multidisciplinary discourse aspect of the Fordham Rome program was what made the program unquantifiable as noted by Emily Thompson, FCRH ’21: “As much as I adored my Art History classes back on Fordham’s campus, there is no substitute for getting to walk around Rome and see masterpieces mere feet away. The sense of discovery is unmatched.” Fordham’s Rome summer study abroad faculty, alumni of the program and current Fordham students are not ready to say “arrivederci” to the program just yet; those interested in the Rome program are working diligently to revive the program beginning in summer 2023.