Hammond Reconnects With Italian Heritage Through Study Abroad Experience at Rome Center

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Virginia Hammond

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Bentonville native Virginia Hammond chose to study at the Rome Center for many reasons, including her interest in the historic architecture and artistic culture of Rome, but it was also an opportunity for her to reconnect with her Italian heritage.

"My distant relatives are from Sicily, so I have some Italian heritage and wanted to experience the country," she said. "I've only really experienced relatively new architecture, so coming to Rome and experiencing ancient architecture that still exists was fascinating."

As a fourth-year architecture major, Hammond took advantage of the rich culture and history while studying in Rome. She took a course in Architecture Studio, where she and her classmates designed master planning projects set in Rome for an international design competition. A course on fashion and architecture enabled her to study abstract clothing concept design in relation to architectural design, and a course titled "To Rome, with Love" immersed her in the Italian culture and language even further.

Through the experience, Hammond saw ancient architecture in a new light. Having previously conducted most of her studio projects on new construction, she was eager to expand her perspective on how to build and respond to existing surrounding context. 

"It was interesting to design architecture in a very different way, respecting the older buildings more intentionally," she said.

While living in Rome, Hammond traveled extensively during her free time, with her favorite destinations being Barcelona, Spain, Palermo, Italy, and Budva, Montenegro. She also enjoyed making new friends, and one of her favorite activities was attending a cooking class where they learned to make lemon ricotta ravioli carbonara from scratch. 

"Overall, I had an amazing semester living abroad," she said. "I would definitely recommend studying abroad in Rome to other students. I had an incredible time and hope to come back one day. My best advice to anyone traveling abroad is to try to immerse yourself in the culture. Try to learn the language a bit, go to places locals would go, make friends with locals. It broadens your experience if you are open to new experiences and cultures you're unfamiliar with. And of course, travel if you can!"