Through the Joseph S. Bruno Auburn Abroad in Italy program, Auburn students immerse themselves in the Italian way of life

By Shelley Wunder-Smith ’96

“My older sisters, Hallie ’12 and Ansley ’18, both went to Auburn and went through the Bruno Study Abroad Program (2010 and 2016, respectively) and had amazing experiences. So when I was looking at colleges, knowing that if I went to Auburn I also could go to Ariccia made it an easy decision for me.”

That’s Auburn alumna Emily Christensen ’21, describing the impact the Joseph S. Bruno Auburn Abroad in Italy program made on her family.

“I still get choked up talking about what Ariccia means to our family and how it changed my life. I met my best friend there; every teacher, every staff member absolutely loves having the Auburn students there. It’s something the whole town is excited about—for every new group to arrive. The community welcomes us with open arms,” Christensen said.

Celebrating its 20th year, the program is the university’s only year-round study abroad program. Each semester, 22 students live and take classes in the centuries-old Baroque-style Palazzo Chigi in Ariccia, Italy, southeast of Rome at Auburn’s sole permanent international campus.

“Our students take 12 weeks of classes in everything from conversational Italian to architecture, history, food and fashion. They have the opportunity to take field trips to wineries, art 96museums, Roman ruins and to travel around Europe on the weekends,” said Susan Hubbard, dean and professor of the College of Human Sciences, which houses the program. “At the end of the semester, they leave Ariccia with a 16-credit international minor in human sciences—an impressive credential in our globalized society.”

While living in Ariccia, the students are encouraged to immerse themselves in the town’s daily life—and also to give back to the community. This has included working with local schools and promoting regional travel experiences on social media under the Instagram account “Vidi Ariccia.”

More than 1,000 students have gone through the program and the opportunity is open to all Auburn undergraduates, regardless of major, with a nearly two-year-long waiting list to attend. Given the demand, Hubbard wants to expand the program’s current capacity.

There are also plans to include graduate students. “Graduate students are usually unable to travel abroad for three months, but they could consider a couple of weeks,” she noted. “This would work perfectly between our semesters, since we are a year-round program.”

“Every Auburn student should have the experience of studying abroad in Ariccia,” said Christensen. “It is truly so special, almost indescribably so.”

Along with her sisters and the rest of her family—some of whom came and visited each of the girls during their semesters abroad—Christensen loved her 2019 study abroad experience and Ariccia so much that she and she and Bo Ezell ’21 held their wedding in the Palazzo Chigi.

“When we got engaged, there was really no question that we would get married anywhere else. Ansley and Hallie both got married during COVID, so it wasn’t an option for them,” Christensen said. “Our guests included friends from across the globe, including townspeople of Ariccia and the permanent staff of the program. It was magical, and such an honor to bring our stateside loved ones to a place that means so much to my family.”

While Christensen’s wedding was the first alumni wedding in Ariccia, many other students who go through the program have similar experiences.

“By the end of 12 weeks, the students do not want to come home. They have made lifelong friends and there is such visible growth in their confidence and independence,” Hubbard said. “It is exactly what we want to see happen for every student in the program: professional development, competence from an educational standpoint and also an understanding and appreciation of the world around us. They are very aware of being global citizens, and they will keep this experience with them for a lifetime.”

“Every Auburn student should have the experience of studying abroad in Ariccia. It is truly so special, almost indescribably so.”

Allow more students to experience the Auburn Abroad program. Give to the Joseph S. Bruno Auburn Abroad program below.