The Pantheon Institute “Vacanze Romane

The Roman Summer (Estate Romana)is here in full force (temperatures steadily get above 30°= 86F) and with it the start of our Summer session II at the Pantheon Institute. Fifteen students have arrived from Penn State to capture the beauty and essence of Rome - figuratively and literally speaking- for the next six weeks as they pursue a course on Italian Architecture and complement it by taking a Digital Photography class offered by the Integrative Arts Department of Penn State. The assignments given by their instructor, Katie Parizek, will send them exploring the many amazing sites of this eternal city. But besides the historical and monumental Rome, the students will be asked to pay close attention to the everyday life of the city and make a visual diary of their stay. Their eyes and their cameras will search out and record the joys and adventures of their quotidian existence in this ancient AND modern city, making observations that perhaps newcomers are best suited for. (Await a photo gallery and contests!)

The classes having started, the students are already busy working on their assignments. But it is not “all work and no play”. That’s not the Roman way! There’s been already a trip to the beach, a birthday celebration at a local “discoteca” and a movie night at the Pantheon Center showing “La Vita è Bella!”

It’s wonderful to spend the summer here in the city as the “Estate Romana” offers a rich program of music, dance and theater. The choices are plentiful and the settings for most performances are in lovely outdoor venues. We suspect and hope that most students will take full advantage of the offerings