2008 Woodie Awards
Beyond Office Hours
Italian Professor Anichini Looks Forward to Year as JYA Florence Director
Maggie Mertens
Issue date: 4/20/06 Section: Features
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Smith prides itself on the strength of its foreign language department. Take a stroll through Hatfield Hall and you will find out why. With each new classroom you will feel transported to a different foreign land, hearing students and professors engaged in Portuguese, Spanish, French, German and Italian dialogue. Between the close-knit and talented Italian Professors there seems a special bond. Among these, the friendly, charismatic and passionate nature of Federica Anichini shines.
Born and raised in Florence, Italy, Anichini attended University of Florence to earn her B.A. After moving to the United States in 1991 she did her graduate work here. The decision for her to become a professor was one based on the influential inspiration of people in her past. She credits her profession to "some wonderful professors in my youth who taught me to be intellectually independent." Her passion for this career choice is certainly evident in her desire to pass on that inspirational quality she feels for the professors of her youth, saying she ultimately became a teacher "in order to try to be a source of good energy for someone else, to try to hand over the tools that help you to think with your own head, and with that head only."
Anichini's excitement in her decision to come to Smith was probably based on the fact that it was so different from the universities in Italy that she was used to. She describes the major difference in the relation between professors and studens: "In Italy, students are largely left as fully responsible for themselves. I liked the possibility of being close to the students, of being able to follow their growth, both academic and personal, from a close perspective."
Her decision to come to Smith has been successful indeed. Her favorite part about teaching Italian "the chance to bridge two different cultures" is indeed being fulfilled. And next year as Anichini directs the 2006-2007 JYA Florence program, she will get to see that dream lived out to its fullest. The Florence program will take around 25 Smith juniors abroad to the Smith College School in Florence, Italy for a full year. These American students are given the chance to finally see all that they have learned about the Italian language and culture firsthand, and for this Anichini is "really looking forward to it."
Born and raised in Florence, Italy, Anichini attended University of Florence to earn her B.A. After moving to the United States in 1991 she did her graduate work here. The decision for her to become a professor was one based on the influential inspiration of people in her past. She credits her profession to "some wonderful professors in my youth who taught me to be intellectually independent." Her passion for this career choice is certainly evident in her desire to pass on that inspirational quality she feels for the professors of her youth, saying she ultimately became a teacher "in order to try to be a source of good energy for someone else, to try to hand over the tools that help you to think with your own head, and with that head only."
Anichini's excitement in her decision to come to Smith was probably based on the fact that it was so different from the universities in Italy that she was used to. She describes the major difference in the relation between professors and studens: "In Italy, students are largely left as fully responsible for themselves. I liked the possibility of being close to the students, of being able to follow their growth, both academic and personal, from a close perspective."
Her decision to come to Smith has been successful indeed. Her favorite part about teaching Italian "the chance to bridge two different cultures" is indeed being fulfilled. And next year as Anichini directs the 2006-2007 JYA Florence program, she will get to see that dream lived out to its fullest. The Florence program will take around 25 Smith juniors abroad to the Smith College School in Florence, Italy for a full year. These American students are given the chance to finally see all that they have learned about the Italian language and culture firsthand, and for this Anichini is "really looking forward to it."
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