Art & Music
Kassidy Hudson
Traveling to Italy has been a dream of mine ever since I was a little girl. And now that I’ve achieved it, I am not exactly sure where to turn next, but the possibilities excite me. What I am sure of is that I am extremely proud of myself, as well as my peers on this trip, for taking advantage and making the best of an opportunity like this. I feel lucky to have been able to further explore my passion for production and filmmaking in a challenging, but beautiful and rich, environment. As someone who finds joy in listening… Read More »Kassidy Hudson
Lexie Burns
I am of the belief that there is no singular concrete place that defines a home. That when one is immersed in culture, history, and community that a home can be fostered in even the most unexpected places. Urbino falls into this belief. From the laughter of tripping over unfamiliar brick walkways, which soon became the streets where I fell into a comfortable rhythm as we all made the town our own. When we all traversed the initial hill to enter Urbino, I never imagined the people we would become by the time we left. The stories we’ve learned, the… Read More »Lexie Burns
Nora Jackson
I entered the Urbino study abroad program with no experience in media/journalism or knowing anyone in the program. During my month in Urbino I have learned so much, I really enjoyed learning about photography. I have made many great friends and I know I’ll have memories of my time here for the rest of my life. My plans for the future are hiding under my Urbino dorm bed and hoping they don’t notice so I can stay. University: James Madison University Major: Architectural Design Hometown: Leesburg, Virginia
Emma Ihara
In June of 2017 I visited Italy for two weeks with my best friends, and I have been dying to return ever since. When I saw the opportunity to study abroad in Urbino and travel on weekends, I jumped at the chance to apply. This trip has allowed me to make so many new friends and learn what it really means to be abroad. From my weekend travels to Florence and Tuscany, and Sirolo and Castellano, I learned that even when all hope seems lost, a few kind locals will go out of their way to help a group of… Read More »Emma Ihara
Louisa Mattozzi
Being in Urbino has taught me about myself, my interests, and what I want from life. Being put into stressful situations in an unknown environment is an excellent way for one to learn and allow oneself to grow. Working in journalism has dramatically improved my photography, writing, and communication skills, not to mention my Italian. Major: Creative Advertising and Italian University: James Madison University Hometown: Reston, VA
Countermeasure
By: Lexie Burns and Kassidy Hudson Each summer, Musica nelle Marche provides student musicians with the opportunity to travel to Urbino, Italy to immerse themselves in the local culture and the country’s rich musical history. In the summer of 2023, opera student Volodymyr Lymar traveled with the program from DePaul University in Chicago. He offers insight into why he loves opera, how the Urbino program has furthered his studies, and how the experiece has helped prepare him for a career as a countertenor singer.
Reinterpreting The Ducal Palace
By Louisa Mattozzi with additional photography by Emma Ihara and Madi Rohm Urbino, Italy – Since 1912, visitors from around the world have made the journey to walk the halls of the National Gallery of Le Marche in the Ducale Palace of this historic Renaissance city. But the collection’s most significant piece of art has remained largely overlooked—the palace itself. That ended when Luca Molinari began his exhibit on the palace’s architecture, “The Ducal Palace. The Fragments and the Whole.” This exhibit explores the unique aspects of the palace—and it’s located so that visitors must pass through it before seeing… Read More »Reinterpreting The Ducal Palace