At the mention of Rome, Italy, the taste of gelato, the sight of the Colosseum and the smell of freshly made pizza probably spring to mind. But for students and faculty at the University of Arkansas Rome Center, Italy's capital city means more than these top-of-mind tourist tropes. Instead, it's an educational hub centered in a city more than 2,000 years old, with access to remarkable architecture, extraordinary art and the opportunity for cultural immersion.

In the university's newest Short Takes episode, "When in Rome," Francesco Bedeschi, director of the center, shares what makes the experience so transformational for students. Current students Jenna Molleston and Favor Price and alumnus Harrison Wade also share their perspectives.

"Coming from Arkansas, which is a slightly smaller state, you feel like you're kind of separate from the world," said Molleston, a senior accounting major in the Sam M. Walton College of Business. "But coming to Rome, you realize how connected you are and how the work you do in Arkansas can make a global impact."

Molleston, Price and Wade were all able to use the skills they developed at the Rome Center to boost their resumes — and confidence — and prepare themselves for post-graduation success. Wade, a 2022 graduate from the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, described it as the last puzzle piece of his education.

Price, who is a multimedia journalism major in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences said, "My worldviews expanded, and I'm a lot more confident in myself. What I learned will definitely follow me going into my career."

The Rome Center is the European hub of the University of Arkansas and has been in existence for more than 30 years. The Fay Jones School led the creation of the university's program in Rome, offering courses in architecture, interior design and landscape architecture. In recent years, though, nearly every college and school on the U of A's campus have evolved to include a program of study in the Rome Center, and it is now a part of the Graduate School and International Education.

"As we like to say, it is an open laboratory for our students," Bedeschi said.

Watch "Short Takes: When in Rome" to see what makes the Rome Center so unique. For additional Short Takes videos, visit shorttakes.uark.edu.