Italy Faculty and Staff

Buongiorno and welcome,

Spending next year in Italy will be one of the most exciting and meaningful educational experiences you will ever have. I know that it may be difficult to study abroad for nine months, but I can guarantee you that it will change your life for the better. Thank you, in advance, for your trust and courage.

I’d like to share with you some information about SYA Italy and about myself. Our school occupies a restored palazzo in Viterbo’s historic city center, complete with 16th-century Italian frescoes adorning the walls. You will live with a hand-picked and carefully screened Italian host family, engage in an exciting curriculum that brings Classics, Italian language and Italian history to life and travel extensively in some of the most interesting parts of this amazing country. SYA Italy’s faculty includes both American and Italian teachers: our English and math teachers hail from excellent independent schools in the United States, while our Italian faculty members are well-versed in teaching American students.

What truly helps describe SYA, however, are the first-hand testimonials of our students. Year after year, our students share how stunning it is to go to school and live in a medieval city; that this ancient culture and modern ways continue to unfold before them and give them pause at the beauty, the paradoxes and the vibrancy of life. They feel travel has opened their eyes to possibilities they could not have imagined; that new relationships have taught them who they are. They experience the great gift of fresh, local produce. They discover that museums and archeological sites are not fixed in time. They understand homework and hard work are as challenging and as satisfying as ever. They learn that acquiring a new language provides a sense of accomplishment that they have never felt before. And they view their lives at home through a new lens.

SYA gives you the opportunity to spend sophomore, junior or senior year of high school, making Italy another place to call home. If you or your parents have any questions about Italy or the program, feel free to contact our Admissions Office at 978.725.6828 who will be glad to answer your questions and tell you about our school in Viterbo and the SYA experience.

Sincerely,

Patrick Scanlon
Resident Director
SYA Italy

Patrick Scanlon, Resident Director
Patrick Scanlon joined SYA Italy in 2002 serving as the English teacher and college counselor for two years. In 2005 he became the Resident Director, a post he held until 2015 before taking a sabbatical year. He later returned for the 2016-2017 academic year. After college, he spent three years teaching English and perfecting his Italian-language skills in Milan, Florence and Crans su Sierre, Switzerland. Following this, he taught chemistry, general science and English at Albuquerque Academy for 16 years prior to joining SYA Italy. He earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees at the University of New Mexico and St. John's College (NM), respectively.

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Roberta Baroncini (2003)
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Dr. Daniele Gatti (2012)
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David Lutchner (2005)
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Erika Nuccio (2021)
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Santo Sammartino (2001)
History, Latin Language, Greek Language
B.A., M.A. Tuscia University

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Linda Scanlon (2014)
College Counseling Liaison, Applied Agroecology
B.A. University of New Mexico

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Dr. Warren Turner (2018)
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B.A. Bowdoin College, M.S., Ph.D. Harvard University

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Alessandra Tuzi (2001)
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B.A. Università delgi Studi della Tuscia, MA Università Ca Foscari, Venezia

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Eleonora Trucca (2005)
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J.D. University of Virginia

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Francesca Volpe (2023)
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