Santa Chiara, the name given to this facility, was originally a girl’s academy, operating from the 1930s until the early 70s. Although the old kitchen and other sections of the structure date back to the Renaissance and earlier periods, the main structure was completed in the 1930s. The facility consists of approximately 5,000 sq. meters: classrooms, studios, dining areas, and sleeping quarters. The day-to-day living space is completely self-contained. Take a moment and read a more detailed account of Castiglion Fiorentino - located in the Santa Chiara library.
The success of our participating programs is the result of hard work and the support of your school's administration, faculty and students who have participated on the program. The UT program began when Professor Steve Daly brought the first UT group to the original center in the late seventies. The UT program now includes several departments and many new projects. To insure that the Center is financially viable and remains self-sufficient a precise student enrolment is necessary. The participation of several institutions at Santa Chiara guarantees that the enrollments will be sufficient to support the center.
Texas A&M University developed programming with Italart in 1982 and has developed year round programs at the center and also employees part-time administrative staff at the center, Kansas State University (College of Architecture) began semester programming at Santa Chiara in 1991, Colorado State University has developed programs since 1986 and California Polytechnic Institute began programming in 1993. The basic services at Santa Chiara are similar for all participating students; however, each school's format may vary in the courses offered, number of faculty, specialized trips, lab requirements, etc. Program costs will also vary between schools due to these differences as well as diverse campus administrative needs.
"How did American Students end up in Italy?" The program began in 1972 when Paolo Barucchieri, then faculty member at the University of Northern Colorado, brought his students from the Colorado campus to Italy, initiating the development of a resident study experience. The university supported this effort and with their support he located and developed the Italian study center. The original program site was a monastery in the Val d'Arno (La Poggerina). The program continued under the direction of UNC until 1981. In 1982 TAMU (College of Architecture) initiated their participation at the "Poggerina" and became the primary institute (with year round programming) at S.Chiara. Programming continued at the original facility "La Poggerina" until 1989, when the property was sold. Following a lengthy search for an alternative program, contacts were made with the city administration of Castiglion Fiorentino. The community of Castiglion Fiorentino began the restoration of Santa Chiara (a project costing over two million dollars) specifically for our programs. It's hard to appreciate how much energy has been invested into the development of this activity and the center. We hope it will have the same meaning for you as it has had for the hundreds of students and faculty who have participated in the program. Through the years many people have been involved in the Santa Chiara idea and its success is to the credit of many individuals and people like you.
The idea for the development of studies in Italy was to provide a quality academic program and, at the same time, the opportunity to experience new settings, environments and ways of seeing. You will get the most out of this experience by being open-minded. The opportunity to visit the historic and cultural sites that have marked our Western heritage is enriching. This is a once in a lifetime experience. Living abroad and sharing this time of your life with other students in a small Italian community is an exciting and enriching experience. We have tailored the program around economy, wise use of resources and respect for the building and fellow participants and helping each other when necessary. Sharing of this idea is the key in making the Santa Chiara community a success for the time you will be part of this adventure.
Italart is a non-profit cultural association and is the legal entity responsible for the administration of the study center. Italart follows the guidelines determined by law for cultural associations, offering services to enrolled participants of the association and not to the general public. You will be a member of Italart during this semester’s residence at Santa Chiara. Professor Paolo Barucchieri is president of this association.
Your safety and well-being is everyone's concern at Santa Chiara. We rely on everyone to respect the program and university guidelines. All participating faculty and staff have the responsibility to make sure all students respect these guidelines. This insures that S.Chiara will be a pleasant and productive environment for everyone. On occasion, staff and perhaps faculty from another school may need to remind you of these guidelines, your respect of their requests is not only appreciated but also expected. The resident coordinators (former Santa Chiara students) live in the building and are responsible for general building supervision, assistance and will refer problems to the main office, faculty and director.