Students in study abroad program meet town's mayor

Students and faculty taking part in this year's Maymester in Italy received a special mayoral welcome earlier this month.

Mayor Gian Carlo Muzzarelli met with 23 College of Education students and professor Beth Tolley on May 8. The students are taking part in the annual study-abroad trip to Modena, Italy, to learn about the city's unique educational system and practices.

Muzzarelli noted that knowledge and cultural understanding are "essential for peace between peoples," and welcomed the students by wishing they "maintain Modena in the heart."

The program, now in its ninth year, places students with host families to learn about Italian language and culture. During their stay, the students observe and work with teachers in primary schools throughout Modena. The visit is also a chance for University of Georgia students to take part in lesson planning and interacting in another language.