International Impact: Service Learning at U of A Rome Center

The U of A Rome Center and the Service Learning Initiative are working together to create and facilitate exciting opportunities for students to experience life abroad in Rome while engaging meaningfully with local communities.

Service Learning Director Lisa Bowers recently traveled to the Rome Center to meet with faculty and leadership, discuss current courses and explore opportunities to expand service learning offerings. During her visit, Bowers learned more about the community partnerships connected to the Architecture Studio course, including La Leva S.r.l. and artist Marco Guglielmi Reimmortal. She also led a roundtable discussion and proposal submission workshop, Designing Meaningful Service Learning Experiences, which invited faculty to consider how service learning can support course learning outcomes and enrich students' study abroad experiences.

"I was thrilled to spend time with colleagues and community partners at the University of Arkansas Rome Center," Bowers said. "One of the highlights of my visit was learning more about the Service Learning experiences available to University of Arkansas students studying abroad. Visiting Gemelli University Hospital and meeting with hospital leadership to discuss future opportunities gave me a much deeper appreciation for partnerships that can connect classroom learning with community needs."

One of the newest additions to the Rome Center's Service Learning offerings is the Architecture Studio led by instructors Vanessa Mingozzia and Francesca Riccardo. The studio focuses on the urban regeneration of degraded, incomplete or marginal areas within the peripheral districts of Rome. Throughout the course, students participate in in-depth studies, collaborations and special projects developed in response to needs identified by residents, public institutions and local stakeholders.

The goal of these community-based design experiences is not only to develop architectural solutions that address community needs, but also to enrich students' learning through engagement with real-world conditions and challenges. The Architecture Studio is offered during the spring, summer and fall terms. 

Another Rome Center opportunity, Intercultural Communication in Rome, provides students with either service learning or internship experiences through partnerships with organizations throughout the communities surrounding the Rome Center. Led by Veronica Mobley, the program alternates between service learning and internship offerings each summer, with summer 2026 designated as a service learning year.

Students have worked with a variety of community organizations through the program. Recently, three U of A students interned with Hummustown, a nonprofit organization that supports Syrian refugees in Rome. The student team created, organized, marketed and hosted a community fundraising event. 

Additional students gained professional experience through media-focused organizations. An opportunity with the Eternal Word Television Network Rome Bureau allowed two student interns to research Catholic rituals, language and communication styles in preparation for developing news stories. Vatican Media provided another student with the opportunity to publish multiple articles.

Students have also partnered with Sisters of Providence, an organization that operates a foster home in Rome and a summer camp in the lower-income Scampia neighborhood of Naples. Through these experiences, students are able to apply their academic knowledge while contributing to communities across Italy. 

"My advice to students considering a study abroad experience is simple: say yes if you can!" Bowers added. "It is an incredible opportunity to step outside your comfort zone, experience daily life in another country and learn from a different perspective. Scholarships are available to students who want to study abroad, including John and Trudy Sher International Service Learning Award for students enrolled in a U of A approved Service Learning course abroad."

What Is Service Learning?

Service learning is a credit-bearing, faculty-directed, teaching-learning experience that is course specific. It strengthens academic content knowledge and sense of civic responsibility. Students build critical thinking skills as they engage in experiential, community-based activities that are aligned with and integral to academic course work. At the same time, the community (real people in real situations) benefits from assistance that would otherwise not be available. Visit the Service Learning Initiative webpage to learn more.