The Denver-based Anna and John J. Sie Foundation donated $1.5 million to the University of Denver Italian program to establish an endowed chair which will further enhance one of the school’s fastest-growing language programs.
Anna Maglione-Sie moved to the United States from Italy in the 1950s. In 1984 she and her husband moved to Colorado after he took a position with Tele-Communications, Inc. After raising five children, she has become active in the Italian community through the foundation she co-founded with her husband.
The Italian program at DU has seen a 64 percent increase in enrollment in the last two years. Italian is currently the third largest in terms of enrollment and most popular program after Spanish and French in the Department of Languages and Literatures. For the winter 2008 quarter alone, there are 157 students taking classes in Italian, 42 of them pursuing Italian majors or minors.
In addition to the language program at DU, the Italian study abroad programs will also reap the benefits of this donation.
“For the past two years, more DU students have chosen Italy over other international destinations when deciding where to continue their education abroad,” said Roberta Waldbaum, an assistant professor of Italian. “Students can study in a number of Italian programs in Italy, including a faculty-led quarter-length program at the DU/Bologna International Center for Civic Engagement.”
Waldbaum will be part of the faculty in residence for the Bologna fall 2008 quarter.
According to Waldbaum, students can also receive credits or a stipend for teaching Italian in elementary, middle and high schools around Denver through the Italy Internship program.
Waldbaum has been awarded two teaching awards at DU and is now taking on the new position of holding the initial Anna Maglione-Sie Endowed Chair in Italian Culture.
This is the first endowed chair in the language department at DU, and one of the most noteworthy endowed faculty positions at the university due to the size of this donation.
“Holding the endowed professorship is the culmination of a career dedicated to teaching at DU and to my wonderful students,” said Waldbaum of her new position. “Because of the Sie’s generosity, the endowment will allow the Italian program to continue along a path of innovative curriculum development and of enriching the study abroad experience of DU students studying in Italy and Italian students coming to DU and their interrelationships.”
The Anna Maglione-Sie Endowed Chair in Italian Culture will be established and funded through the University’s permanent endowment. The Sie couple will assist in reviewing the proposals for the program and participate in the selection of future chairs.
The $1.5 million gift is not just going to the Italian study abroad program and curriculum development of the Italian department at DU, however.
“The funds will be used to enhance faculty research projects, to establish innovative programming and projects with other DU departments and to developing close ties to the community, both locally and in Italy,” said Waldbaum.
