Xavier Inaugurates Italian Exchange Program

By Michael P. Batten '10 

As part of the first phase of an ongoing, transatlantic exchange program, Xavier recently welcomed six students from the Liceo Classico Europeo T. Campanella high school in Calabria, Italy. From March 11 to March 22, the visiting Italian students stayed with Xavier families, attended classes on 16th Street, and embraced the breadth of life that New York City has to offer.

This exchange had been planned for more than a year and was organized by history teacher James Costa ’02, who taught at the Liceo Classico on a Fulbright Scholarship during the 2007-2008 academic year. 

During the exchange, students from the Liceo Classico resided in the homes of Xavier families from throughout the five boroughs. The exchange students divided their time between shadowing their host students during several days of classes at Xavier and experiencing the classic sights and sounds of New York City. By visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Statue of Liberty, among other significant places, Liceo Classico students gained a first-hand familiarity with some of the most noteworthy landmarks of American history and culture.

Xavier host students also benefited greatly from the exchange program. They made close, lifelong bonds with their Italian counterparts, and in doing so they were able to gain insights into Italian culture with which they were previously unfamiliar. As it turns out, however, Xavier students found that there were many similarities between American and Italian teen culture. Raphael Chierchio ’18 noted that he and the Italian student he hosted, Dario Lagana, liked many of the same musical artists and television shows. As Chierchio said, “I was surprised by how far American culture actually stretches, and how much we were able to bond over our shared interests.” 

Xavier administrators and Mr. Costa are fervently planning the next stages in the Xavier-Liceo exchange program, in which the 16th Street Knights will travel to Italy. Until then, Mr. Costa can look back at this initial stage of the program with pride. He said, “Overall, the first phase of the Italian Exchange was a success. Our Italian guests enjoyed their visit to New York and their immersion into the Xavier student way of life. The host families loved welcoming their guests into their homes. Most importantly, our students fostered new relationships with their Italian peers and their native city while also developing a stronger sense of responsibility and cultural awareness. We hope to continue this work by traveling to Italy soon in order to reunite with our new friends.”