My Curriculum Vitae [updated 08/10/2022]

SIMONE BREGNI, PhD

Full Professor of Italian/Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

Director, Spring Hill College Italy Center,

Via Guerrazzi, 14

40125 Bologna, Italy

Phone: (+39) 051 6592098

Professional Websites: simonebregni.com; https://slu.academia.edu/SimoneBregni; https://www.linkedin.com/in/simone–bregni-6168024/

CURRICULUM VITAE – July 2022

  1. GENERAL INFORMATION

Current position:

Spring Hill College, Mobile, AL

  • Director, Spring Hill College Italy Center in Bologna, Italy.
  • Full professor with Tenure.

[July 1st, 2022 – Present]

Previous positions:

Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO

  • Promoted to Full Professor of Italian [May 2022].

    • Chair – Department of Languages, Literatures, & Cultures.

On 5/14/2020, I accepted to serve as Chair of the Department of Languages, Literatures, & Cultures (LLC) at Saint Louis University. I began a three-year term as Department Chair on July 1st, 2020.

The Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures is comprised of:

  • Seven programs (Chinese, Classics, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Russian)
    • Twenty-one full-time faculty
    • Seventeen part-time faculty
    • Six Emeriti
    • Six Graduate Students
    • Two Administrative Assistants

As LLC Chair, my workload is 60% administration, 20% teaching, 10% service, and 10% research.

  • Coordinator, Italian Studies Program [Fall 2000 – Fall 2020].
  • Member of the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee (Summer 2020-May 2022)
  • Outcomes Assessment Coordinator – Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures (Fall 2013-Fall 2017)
  • President of the International Faculty and Staff Association [IFSA] (2015-2016; 2010-2011; and 2008-2009). Served on the Executive Council as president-elect in 2014-2015 and 2009-2010.

Degrees earned:

I.                   Ph.D. (USA):

Ph.D. in Italian: University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT), May 10, 2001.

II.                UNIVERSITY (Italy):

Diploma: Laurea in Lettere (quadriennale, vecchio ordinamento = B.A + M. A.): Università di Torino, July 11, 1991.

Academic experience:

  • Chair, Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures, Saint Louis University, July 1st, 2020 – Present.
  • Associate Professor of Italian – Coordinator, Italian Studies Program, Saint Louis University, Fall 2006 – Present.
  • Assistant Professor of Italian – Coordinator, Italian Program: Saint Louis University, Fall 2000 – Spring 2006.
  • Graduate Fellow in Italian: Trinity College (Hartford, CT), Fall 1997 – Spring 2000.
    • Teaching Assistant: The University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT), Fall 1994 – Spring 1997.
  • TEACHING
  1. List of courses taught at Saint Louis University within the last five years.
  • Spring ’22 – ITAL 1200-01 Intensive Italian for Gamers & lab ITAL 1200-360 [Course reduction due to administrative duties as Chair].
    • Fall ’21 – ITAL 3550-01/ITAL 3551-01 Women, Knights, Weapons, Love – Medieval & Renaissance Italian Literature (plus connected lab ITAL 3551-360, Letteratura Medievale & Rinascimentale in Italiano, for Italian Majors and Minors, for linguistic competence) [Course reduction due to administrative duties as Chair].
    • Spring ’21 – ITAL 3200/3201/FSTD 3930 Italian Cinema & lab 3201-360

[Course reduction due to administrative duties as Chair].

  • Fall ’20 – ITAL 3400/3401-01 Dante’s Divine Comedy & lab ITAL 3401-360.

[The Chair position carries a two-course load reduction].

  • Spring ‘20 – ITAL 1200-01 Intensive Italian for Gamers & lab ITAL 1200-360; ITAL 3020-01 Oral Communication in Italian I & lab ITAL 3020-360.
    • Spring ‘20 – ITAL 1200-01 Intensive Italian for Gamers & lab ITAL 1200-360; ITAL 3020-01 Oral Communication in Italian I & lab ITAL 3020-360.
    • Fall ‘19: ITAL 2010-01 & lab 2010-360 Intermediate Italian: Language & Culture; ITAL 3550-01/ITAL 3551-01 Women, Knights, Weapons, Love – Medieval & Renaissance Italian Literature (plus connected lab ITAL 3551-360, Letteratura Medievale & Rinascimentale in Italiano, for Italian Majors and Minors, for linguistic competence); ITAL 3010-01 Written Communication in Italian I & lab ITAL 3010-360.
    • Spring ‘19 – ITAL 1200-01 Intensive Italian for Gamers & lab ITAL 1200-360; ITAL 3020-01 Oral Communication in Italian I & lab ITAL 3020-360.
    • Fall ‘18: ITAL 2010-01 & lab 2010-360 Intermediate Italian: Language & Culture; ITAL 3600-01/ITAL 3601-01 Eros, Power and Play: Pre-Modern Italian Theater (plus connected lab ITAL 3601-360, Teatro pre-moderno italiano, for Italian Majors and Minors, for linguistic competence).

·       Spring ’18: Sabbatical Leave.

  • Fall ‘17: ITAL 2010-01 & lab 2010-36 Intermediate Italian: Language & Culture; ITAL 4010 Written Communication in Italian II.
    • Spring ‘17: ITAL 1200-01 Intensive Italian for Gamers & lab ITAL 1200-360; ITAL 3550-01 Women, Knights, Weapons, Love: Medieval and Renaissance Italian Literature; ITAL 3550-36 Medieval and Renaissance Italian Literature in Italian, for Majors and Minors.
    • Fall ‘16: Recipient of a Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning – Innovative Fellowship Award. The grant provides a course release and funding. ITAL 2010-01 Intermediate Italian: Language & Culture.
  • List of teaching awards, including a brief narrative description of the criteria and method of selection.
  • Nominated for the 2019-2020 and 2013-2014 SLU Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award. https://www.slu.edu/arts-and sciences/pdfs/facultyandstaffexcellenceawards.pdf
  • Recipient of the 2003 SLU Student Government Association 3rd Annual Outstanding Teaching Award. Students submitted a nomination and selection was made by a panel from the Student Government Association.
  • Grants or fellowships for teaching innovations, including a brief narrative description of the criteria and method of selection.
  • Recipient of the 2017 James H. Korn Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award, Saint Louis University. The James H. Korn Award was established in 2006, in recognition of Dr. Jim Korn’s many contributions to the research on teaching and learning. https://www.slu.edu/cttl/programs/james-korn- award.php#:~:text=The%20James%20H.,research%20on%20teaching%20and%20learni ng.
  • Recipient of a fall 2016 SLU Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning – Innovative Fellowship Grant Award. Each semester, the Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching & Learning awards Innovative Teaching Fellowships to faculty selected to teach in Saint Louis University’s Learning Studio through a competitive application process. https://www.slu.edu/cttl/programs/itf/index.php
  • New courses prepared.

I was hired in fall 2000 as the first tenure-track professor of the Italian Studies program, specifically for the purpose of developing the Italian Studies program. A previous hire (fall 1998) had remained at SLU only for one year. Between the time of my appointment in fall 2000, and until Dr. Claudia Karagoz was hired as the second tenure-track professor in the program in fall 2008, I developed every single course. Before my time, adjuncts were teaching the three elementary levels of Italian that satisfied the language requirement. I radically changed those basic three courses and proceeded to introduce new courses.

  • Entirely new courses
  • ITAL 3010, Written Communication in Italian I
    • ITAL 3020, Oral Communication in Italian I,
    • ITAL 3200, Italian Cinema
    • ITAL 3400/3401, Dante’s Divine Comedy [literature & culture courses 3XX1 are sections meant for Italian Studies Majors and Minors, with an additional hour of coursework in Italian, for linguistic competence]
    • ITAL 4010, Written Communication in Italian II
    • ITAL 4020, Oral Communication in Italian II
    • ITAL 4900, Italian Studies Capstone Paper (no longer offered).
    • ITAL 1200, Intensive Italian for Gamers
    • ITAL 3550/3551, Women, Knights, Weapons & Love: Medieval and Renaissance Italian Literature
    • ITAL 3600/3601, Power and Play: Pre-Modern Italian Theatre
  • Courses included in the catalog but reconceived
  • ITAL 1010-01 & 360 – Communicating in Italian I
    • ITAL 1020-01 & 360 – Communicating in Italian II
    • ITAL 2010-01 & 360 – Intermediate Italian, Language & Culture
  • Involvement in curricular development.

–     As LLC Chair (July 1st, 2020 – Present):

As per recommendations of the Academic Program Review external evaluators (spring 2017), spearheaded the creation of three new internal positions (to begin appointment in fall 2021):

  • Language Curriculum Director Position – Dr. Kelly Lovejoy.
  • Spanish Linguist Specialist Position – Dr. Sheri Anderson.
  • Spanish Community Outreach & Service-Learning Coordinator – Dr. Christina Garcia.

Dr. Lovejoy’s position is created to ensure, in cooperation with the Chair and Program Coordinators, that best practices in foreign language pedagogy/second language acquisition are implemented across all programs (e.g., grading scale; student learning objectives; assessment measures). Dr. Anderson’s position is meant to specifically implement the above policies within the Spanish program, the largest in LLC, as well as coordinate all language courses. Dr. Garcia’s position is meant to spearhead a new direction in applied, service learning that connects foreign language & culture acquisition with health & business professions.

  • As Italian Studies Program Coordinator (fall 2000 – fall 2020):

From fall 2000 to fall 2020, I have served as the coordinator of the Italian Studies program. In my capacity as coordinator, I have spearheaded every single initiative that concerned the program (creation of new courses, curriculum development, creation of the major and minor, study abroad agreements, etc.). Before my arrival, only three very basic Italian courses were offered at SLU. By the end of my first year, enrollments in Italian had increased by 54%. The program has continued to grow despite of the endemic lack of qualified instructors in the area. This positive trend has continued through to the present, despite the economic downturns that currently beset academia. Since 2008 (with the appointment of the second tenure-track position in Italian), Italian is the third largest program at SLU, after Spanish and French. I supervise a Major, a Minor, a range of extra-curricular cultural activities, and four Study Abroad options (agreement with a fifth program, Villa Nazareth in Rome, which began in 2006, expired and is currently in the process of being renegotiated). I was pro-active and instrumental in establishing all five Study Abroad agreements.

  • Successfully proposed a second tenure-track position – A.Y. 2007-2008 (Dr. Claudia Karagoz began appointment in fall 2008).
    • Successfully proposed a Major and a Minor in Italian Studies (2009-present)
    • Added one extra hour of language instruction in Italian to 3XXX literature & culture courses, taught in English, for Majors & Minors, for linguistic competence (2008- present).
    • Successfully negotiated two NTTs position in Italian (one in 2005-2006, the other from fall 2011 to spring 2017. The NTT position was eliminated due to budget cuts in spring 2017).
    • Successfully proposed a Certificate (2003, no longer offered).
  • Other pedagogical activities.

The reasons for the development and growth of Italian Studies under my direction at Saint Louis University are many and varied. One of the primary reasons for the success of the program, however, has been my innovative approach to teaching pedagogy. I find myself constantly on a quest for innovative approaches to teaching foreign languages, literatures and cultures in a digitally connected world. The challenges encountered by a small Italian program in the Midwest are many. Providing students with a variety of easily accessible, multi-media approaches that foster both classroom and independent language development is one of the solutions that I devised. Since 2001, both my personal interest in and teaching experience with the application of digital media in foreign and/or second language and culture acquisition are reflected in my scholarly presentations and publications as well. In the fall of 2016, I was the recipient of a SLU Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning – Innovative Fellowship Grant Award to develop another digital layer to the classroom by creating an interactive media-based intensive

language course. In spring 2017 I taught Intensive Italian for Gamers, a blended/hybrid course, a re-design of Intensive Italian, developed to include foreign language acquisition through cinematic, communicative video games and related realia. In fall 2017 I received the University’s James H. Korn Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award for this work. I have presented at national and international conferences on teaching with video games and digital realia. I was invited to deliver workshops on video game-based learning (VGBL) at university programs in Spain, Austria, Germany and Italy. My innovative approach and problem-solving skills are also instrumental in exploring alternative and solutions to face the current challenges determined by the Academic Portfolio Review findings. We are proposing to temporarily pause the Major so that Italian Studies can focus on building a stronger minor, contributing courses to the new Core, and re-thinking/re-imagining the Major so as to meet evolving/changing students’ needs.

  • Developed multimedia-based activities for all levels of Italian language, literature, cinema and culture.
    • Implemented C.A.I. (Computer Assisted Instruction: web-based activities, computer study modules, interactive videos, etc.) in all my classes.
    • Created a digital library of authentic material (realia: masterpieces of Italian literature, music, videos, films, tv shows). This included personally transferring a variety of analog media into digital format.
    • Created a competitive Annual Student Award, The Gene Mariani Italian Club of St. Louis Award, funded by a grant from the Italian American community in St. Louis (2003 – Present).
    • Ongoing, strong connections with the local and national Italian American communities (17+ years relation with the Italian Club of Saint Louis, the Vice-Consulate, the Italian American Chamber of Commerce, the Italian Consulate in Chicago, etc.)

In my capacity as Italian Program Coordinator from fall 2000 to fall 2020, I have spearheaded the following initiatives to respond to enrollment concerns and students’ needs:

  • Created a four-year course scheduling plan (Fall 2016 – Spring 2020; Fall 2020 – Spring 2024). All Italian courses are offered on a rotation system, and at the same time, same days, so as to allow students to plan for their major and minor course selection well in advance. Re-organization includes instructor rotation for all levels (all Italian full-time faculty rotate among both lower and upper-program courses), to ensure a variety of approaches, methodologies, and content-based learning in all courses, at all levels. Changes also reflect Drs. Karagoz’s new joint appointments with Women’s and Gender Studies (75% in Italian, 25% in WGS), and loss of the NTT position due to budget cuts.
    • Created new courses and re-designed courses to better respond to a) evolving students’ needs; b) the evolving demands of present-day society, the job market and the workplace;
  • changes and developments in technologies and research in second/foreign language & culture acquisition, as follows:
    • All our literature, culture and cinema courses are, and will continue to be, multi- disciplinary in nature, integrating a variety of fields and approaches (including History, Theology, Sociology, Women’s and Gender Studies, Art History and Archaeology, Classics, Queer Theory, Film Theory, and Linguistics).
  • Our literature, culture & cinema courses are, and will continue to be, taught in English (with an additional one-hour lab in Italian for Italian Studies majors and minors) so as to attract students from a variety of departments, programs and units to the rich tradition of Italian culture.
    • Our literature, culture & cinema courses are, and will continue to be, designed to satisfy Core requirements (literature, global citizenship, diversity). (Ascending enrollment trends in our culture courses over the last five years demonstrate the effectiveness of the Italian curricular innovations detailed in points A, B and C.)
    • Our lower-division language courses include strong cultural components. They are all taught through a variety of digital media. CALL (Computer-Assisted Language Learning) is implemented at all levels.
    • Innovative textbooks with strong online digital components have been adopted for the Italian Core course sequence since fall 2017. The blended/mixed format allowed us to introduce more content-based learning.
    • All Italian 3000-level and 4000-level language courses are content-based, integrating each faculty’s main or secondary research fields and responding to students’ interests (Medieval & Renaissance Italian literature, Language & Culture acquisition through digital media; etc.)
    • Pro-active responses to lower students’ enrollments in some courses. For example, since fall 2017, the new course ITAL 1200, Intensive Italian for Gamers replaced a second section of ITAL 1010. The new course (created for the purpose of responding to, and fostering the interests of, a specific student target population with an interest in emerging digital media), attracted new students into the program, which helped to address the issue of lower enrollments in ITAL 2010 in the spring.
    • Recruitment efforts: organizing study abroad and major/minor info sessions; class visits; continued/increased cooperation with the Italian Club; continuing the on-going dialogue with academic advising; steady presence at major & minor students fairs; participation in LLC symposium; student-organized sessions at Atlas and International week; “Intro to Italian Language & Culture” lectures at departments, programs and units (such as the ones that are held for Nutrition and Dietetics since fall ‘15).
  • ADVISING AND MENTORING
  1. List of advising and mentoring assignments at SLU.

Advising activities within the last five years:

  • Fall ’20 – Italian Major & Minor advisor. (Dr. Claudia Karagoz was on research leave).
    • Spring ’20 – Italian Major advisor.
    • Fall ’03 – Fall ‘20: Study Abroad advisor. Italian Majors and Minors need my approval for Study Abroad courses. We discuss their interests, needs and curriculum.
    • Fall ’00 – Spring ’18 – Italian Movie Night (monthly).

Previous advising activities:

  • Fall ’08 – Fall ’15: Italian Major & Minor advisor.
    • Fall ’01 – present: Italian Club – Faculty Advisor.
  • Fall ’00 – Spring ‘08 (and Fall ’16 and Fall ’20): successfully organized, supervised and facilitated the Italian Table (bi-weekly Italian Conversation Hour).
    • Graduate School & Professional Recommendations: since fall ’00, I complete approximately 5-10 recommendation letters for current and former students each semester.
  • Evidence of advising effectiveness. This may include information about undergraduate and graduate advising as well as involvement in student professional development, counseling, and extracurricular activities.

As I stated, the reasons for the growth of Italian under my direction at Saint Louis University (from just three Core requirement language courses, prior to my arrival, to a full range of language, literature, and culture courses, a major, a minor and four officially approved study abroad options) are many and varied. One of the reasons for the success of the program, however, has been my commitment to the Jesuit principle of education of the whole person. I am a deeply committed educator who sees his role as mentor both in and outside the classroom. It is for that reason that I spearheaded the creation of, and have been constantly involved in, the Italian Club and the Italian Table/Conversation Hour and the Italian Movie Night. All three were devised as opportunities for community building, and establishing a formative, long-standing relationship with students in the program.

Summary of student accomplishments 2016-2021

Awards:

  • Joe Solaro was selected as the Department Outstanding Senior, and also as recipient of the Collins Award (2020-2021).
    • Sam Shreve was selected as a Fulbright ETA, Calabria, Italy (2017).
    • Kathryn Reid received an NIAF (National Italian American Foundation) Italian American Leadership Council (IALC) Fellowship. This Fellowship is awarded to15 Italian American college students that are active in their Italian clubs to help create a unified strategy to organizing and managing their Italian/Italian American organizations. The goal of NIAF on Campus is to support the engagement of future generations of Italian Americans in the leadership of their communities, bringing together the most active student leaders throughout the nation (2016)
    • Sam Shreve was selected as one of 4 US student delegates to participate in the Global Youth Peace Exchange through the United Nations in Bangkok, Thailand (2016).
    • Peter Tison and Catie Alviti received a fellowship to serve as English language assistants in public middle schools in Lombardy, Italy (2016)
    • Jenna Sommer, Joseph Solaro, Lauren Kinder, Sophie Rudder, Lindsay Davis, Mary Nink, Kimberly Webb and Kayla Colwell have received the Italian Club of St. Louis Gene Mariani Scholarship ($500-$1,500, depending on the year) to help support their SLU’s study abroad in Italy (2015-2019)

Post-graduate success:

  • Jenna Sommer: Teach for America
    • Meredith Havekost: Vanderbilt Law School, JD
    • Hannah Wiley: Teach for America
  • Emily Holmberg-Crawford: M.A. candidate in Teaching (MAT) program at Washington University in St Louis).
    • Cherie Hamaj: M.A. Program in Psychology, Roosevelt University.
  • Awards for advising and mentoring, including a brief narrative description of the criteria and method of selection.
  • RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP

Monographs:

  • Bregni, Simone. ‘Locus Amœnus’: Nuovi Strumenti Di Analisi Della Commedia. (New Instruments to Analyze Dante’s Divine Comedy) Longo Editore, 2020, pp. 248, ISBN 9788893500593. Longo Editore is one of the leading publishers for Dante Studies in Italy. Published on October 28, 2020. http://www.longo-editore.it/scheda_libro.php?id=1637.

A review of this monograph is scheduled to appear in the next volume of NEMLA Italian Studies, in press.

Articles & Book Chapters:

  1. Bregni, Simone. “Hybrid Design & Flipping the Classroom in Thematic/Content-Oriented Foreign Language Courses: Developing Intensive Italian for Gamers.” Carloni, Giovanna, et al. (eds.). Blended Learning and the Global South: Virtual Exchanges in Higher Education, Studi e Ricerche 25, 2021, pp. 177-200. Refereed Publication. http://doi.org/10.30687/978- 88-6969-529-2. Studi e Ricerche is the thematic volume collection on Languages and Linguistics of the Università Ca’ Foscari in Venice, Italy. https://edizionicafoscari.unive.it/it/edizioni4/collane/studi-e-ricerche/info. Published on September 6, 2021.
  2. Bregni, Simone. “‘Unarmed Prophets Have Always Been Destroyed, Whereas Armed Prophets Have Succeeded:’ Machiavelli’s Portrayal in the Assassin’s Creed Series.” Polegato, Andrea and Benincasa Fabio (eds.), Machiavelli in Contemporary Media. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2021, pp. 29-52. Refereed publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73823-5_3 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-030-73823-5_3. Published on July 14, 2021.
  3. Bregni, Simone, Zamboni, Camilla and Essary, Brandon. “(Video) Games, Gamification, and Game-Based Learning in the Foreign/L2 Classroom.” Hipwell, Louise and Melucci, Donatella (eds.), Italian Language and Culture Conference: Challenges in the 21st Century Italian Classroom, 1, Fall 2020, Georgetown University, pp. 7-29. Refereed publication. https://repository.library.georgetown.edu/handle/10822/1060512?show=full. Published on October 16, 2020.
  4. Bregni, Simone. “Videogiochi, lingue straniere e didattica ai tempi del COVID-19.” (Video Games, Foreign Languages and Teaching in the Time of COVID-19″) Griseldaonline – Journal of Experimental Literature Review, 2020. Refereed publication. Griseldaonline is the journal dedicated to didactic training and computer models applied to the Human Sciences of the University of Bologna. The article, in Italian, is available at: https://site.unibo.it/griseldaonline/it/diario-quarantena/simone-bregni-videogiochi-lingue-

straniere-didattica-tempi-covid-19. https://site.unibo.it/griseldaonline/it/chi-siamo. Published on April 10, 2020.

Prior publications:

  1. Bregni, Simone. “Enhancing language Learning and Culture through P2P.” Academic Exchange Quarterly, Spring 2006, pp. 33-37. Refereed publication.
  2. Bregni, Simone. “‘Paradisus, locus amoenus’: le immagini del paradiso nei primi cinque secoli dell’era cristiana.” Rivista di Storia e Letteratura Religiosa, 41/2 (2005), pp. 297-328. Refereed publication.
  3. Bregni, Simone. “In Praise of the Revolution: Using Napster-like Software to Teach Italian Language & Culture”. Italian Cultural Studies, 2001, Florida Atlantic University (2004), pp. 1-12. Refereed publication.
  4. Bregni, Simone. “Eros and Lusus: Power and Play in Aretino’s Il Marescalco.” Romance Language Annual, 2000, 12, 2004, pp. 139-144. Refereed publication.

Other publications:

  1. Bregni, Simone. “La mappa dei negozi di giocattoli che hanno fatto sognare gli Astigiani.” Invited article for Astigiani, the local history magazine of Asti, Italy, 26, 7, December 2018,

pp. 38-40.

  • Guest Editor for Allegorica, vol. 26, 2009-2010, the Journal of the Saint Louis University Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (in print). I was invited by Dr. David Murphy to serve the guest editor for the latest (and final, at least in its current form) issue of Allegorica, focusing on Italian literature. I was asked to: a) invite contributions (I procured two of the four contributors); b) write a preface; c) write an English summary of one article in Italian. I also did major editing on one of the articles.

·       BOOK REVIEWS:

  • Bregni, Simone. Williams, Pamela, Through Human Love to God: Essays on Dante and Petrarch. Leicester, UK: Troubador Publishing Ltd., 2007. Pp. 137. Italica, vol. 86, no. 3, autumn 2009.
  • Bregni, Simone. Cornelison, Sally J. and Montgomery, Scott B. Images, Relics, and Devotional Practices in Medieval and Renaissance Italy. Medieval and Renaissance Text and Studies, vol. 296. Tempe, AZ: Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 2005. Pp. X + 274. Italian Culture, 2007.
  • Bregni, Simone and Lloyd-Jones, Kenneth. Tricomi, Albert. Contextualizing the Renaissance: Returns to History, Brepols, 1999. Mediaevistik, 15, 2002, pp. 394-400.
  • Bregni, Simone. Book Review of Émilie Séris. Les Étoiles de Némésis:La rhétorique de la mémoire dans la poésie d’Ange Politien (1454-1494). Neo-Latin News, Fall 2005.

Work in progress:

  1. Organized a roundtable panel session on Game-Based Learning at the NeMLA Conference that will take place in Baltimore, MD in March 2022.
  2. Co-organized a roundtable panel session that will take place at the AATI Conference in Lucca, Italy in May 2022. The roundtable session organization is part of continued work on a
  3. cooperative research project on Game-Based Learning in Second/Foreign Language & Culture Acquisition with fellow colleagues from national and international institutions. We met our short-term goal to produce a cooperative article in Spring 2020. Our medium-term goal is to produce a volume.
  4. “Gaming in Second/Foreign Language Acquisition” – A book project. This is a collaborative effort, currently being explored with colleagues in Italian, French, Spanish and German in universities in North America. We are at the initial, planning stage of the project: a collection of essays on digital, interactive realia, “gamification”, “serious” gaming, commercial gaming as applied to F/L2 acquisition. I would provide an introduction and one essay. We are looking to propose the manuscript to the MLA – Profession series.
  5. “Italian/Foreign Languages for Gamers” – A textbook project. This was part of my sabbatical research project. The material I created for my Intensive Italian for Gamers course is being revised and put in textbook form. A complete proposal (including sample chapters) for a textbook, which intended as a supplement for “regular” elementary through advanced foreign language textbooks, was submitted to publishers. It was very favorably received, and it is currently under examination. I have been cooperating on this project with fellow faculty members in Italian at other US institutions since the 2017 AAIS conference. I am the main editor/first name, and my colleague Brandon Essary, Ph.D., Elon University, is my co-author. Our proposed textbook is potentially translatable/adaptable/editable in all major languages.
  6. “Inferno X: Dante & Catharism.” Under revision.
  • “Locus Amoenus: The Evolution of a topos from Dante to Ariosto”. Under revision. Article will be submitted to the International Journal of the Classical Tradition.

Grants, scholarships, and fellowships for research:

External:

  1. External Grants. Funded. Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. April 3, 2020: Acquired two grant requests for instructional and educational support for EUR 3,000 + EUR 7,000, for a total of EUR 10,000 ($3,585.55 + $7,700, for a total of $11,285) from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Italian Embassy/Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago, IL. Notice of grant received in fall 2020, grant money received in spring 2021, to be used in A.Y. 2021-2022. The grants were awarded for the promotion of Italian language & culture at SLU. Specifically, for the development of a new intermediate/advanced conversation course and the creation of a seminar/workshop (professional development opportunity) on video game-based language learning for teachers and instructors of Italian in North America.
  • External Grant. Funded, then suspended due to COVID-19. Government of Québec. Acquired a grant of $6,280 from the Government of Québec (application completed in July 2019) as co- organizer and scientific director of the conference “It’s All in the Game – Video Games and IT in Translation”. Initially scheduled for April 16, 2020. Granted (official letter of approval signed by Cabinet Minister Ms. Nadine Girault. Official email of confirmation of approval from the cultural attaché of the Government of Québec. Mr. Martin Dionne, on March 30, 2020). Postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 4, 2020, I received the following information via email from Mr. Dionne: “The Québec Government announced last week that all financial commitments that are not essential and directly connected to the current pandemic are suspended until further notice. Since our project is in the new fiscal year (April 1st, 2020 – March 31st, 2021), the check will not be made at this moment. I don’t have more details if the project will have to be resubmitted in the Program after the crisis. I will let you know if this is the case, but I don’t think it will be decided for weeks.” A reduced version of conference has taken place remotely via Zoom on May 22, 2021. Its reduced budget was funded by the French Government. As per email from Mr. Martin Dionne on May 10, 2021 (included under Appendices). I received confirmation from Mr. Dionne that the suspended grant could be used for a follow-up in-person event on video games and education that will tentatively take place in fall 2022 or spring 2023 at SLU, co-organized with Dr. Lionel Cuillé (now at Washington University) and Mr. Martin Dionne.
  • External Grants. Funded (2003-2019): Annual grant of $1,500-$500 (depending on the year) to benefit students (1-3, depending on the year). Funded by the Italian Club of St. Louis. These grants funded the Annual Student Award in Italian studies. One to three student awardees received $500 each. (2003 – present).
  • External Grants. Three (3). Funded. of $500 for the Italian Club of SLU from the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) (2002; 2006; 2007)

Internal:

  • Fall 2016: Recipient of a Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning – Innovative Fellowship Award. I worked with the Center to re-design ITAL 1200, Intensive Italian, to include foreign-language acquisition through multimedia, anime-based interactive

video games and related digital realia. In Spring 2017 I taught ITAL 1200, Intensive Italian for Gamers.

  • Spring 2016: Recipient of a Mellon Grant.
  • Spring 2006: Recipient of a Mellon Grant.
  • Spring 2004: Recipient of a Mellon Grant.
  • Spring 2003: Recipient of a Mellon Summer Stipend.
  • Spring 2002: Recipient of a Mellon Grant and a Mellon Summer Stipend.

Lectures, papers, speeches (contributed/invited) presented at professional meetings or educational institutions:

1.     PAPERS DELIVERED AT SYMPOSIA & CONFERENCES

  1. “Unarmed prophets have always been destroyed, whereas armed prophets have succeeded: Machiavelli’s Portrayal in the Assassin’s Creed Series” at the Roundtable session “Machiavelli in contemporary media” at the annual convention of the American Association of Italian Studies (AAIS). June 1, 2021.
  2. “Game-based learning in action” a one-hour seminar presentation at the virtual conference “Video Game in Translation”, organized by the Francophone Center of St. Louis, Webster University, Washington University, and Saint Louis University. May 22, 2022. I also served as scientific director for the conference. https://conta.cc/3bwCPJs https://www.international.gouv.qc.ca/en/chicago/activites/19987
  3. “Teaching Dante in the Covid-19 Pandemic: Dante as an Instrument of Resilience” at the round-table “Dante: Ieri, Oggi & Domani” on Dante’s legacy on the 700th anniversary of his death, organized by Sorrento’s Sant’Anna Institute and moderated by Dr. Marco Marino. Speakers (as per program): Simone Bregni, Saint Louis University (Missouri, USA); Sandro- Angelo De Thomasis, Yale University (Connecticut, USA); Brandon Essary, Elon University (North Carolina, USA); Domenico Palumbo, Sant’Anna Institute (Italia); Marco Paoli Legler, Uzbekistan State University of World Languages (Uzbekistan); Rossella Pescatori, El Camino College (California, USA). https://www.santannainstitute.com/events/round-table-dante-ieri-oggi-domani/
  4. “Video Game-Based Foreign Language Learning & the New Frontiers of Immersive VR” at the Roundtable session “(Video)Game-Based Learning Approaches in the FL/L2 Classroom” at the 2020 Virtual ACTFL Convention, October 26, 2020.
  5. “Video Game-Based Learning in Italian Language, Literature & Culture Courses: Benefits, Challenges & Ongoing Development” at the Roundtable session “Gamification and (Video)Game-Based Learning in the F/L2 Classroom.” at the Italian Language and Culture Conference: Challenges in the 21st Century Italian Classroom, October 26, 2019. Georgetown University, Georgetown, Washington DC.
  6. “Developments in Video Game-Based Learning” in the Roundtable Session “Gamification and (Video) Game-Based Learning in the Second/Foreign Language Classroom” at the annual convention of the American Association of Italian Studies (AAIS), March 15, 2019 at Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC.
  7. “Video Game-Based Learning in the College Classroom” in the session “Can AAA Games Be Used to Improve Education?” at the SXSW EDU Conference, March 6, 2019 in Austin, TX. The session was organized by Maxime Durand, Ubisoft’s historian in charge of the Assassin’s Creed series.
  • “Video Game-Based Learning in Higher Education.” A two-hour workshop co-delivered with Dr. Brandon Essary, Ph.D., Elon University, at the Focus on Teaching and Technology Conference (FTTC) on September 27, 2018, University of Missouri – St. Louis.
  • “Teaching Intensive Italian for Gamers: Reflections, and a Textbook Project” in the Roundtable Session “Teaching Italian with (Video) Games” at the annual convention of the American Association of Italian Studies (AAIS), June 14, 2018, in Sorrento, Italy.
  • “Developing and Teaching Intensive Italian for Gamers” in the Roundtable Session “Innovative Approaches to Teaching Italian II” at the annual convention of the American Association of Italian Studies (AAIS), April 20, 2017, in Columbus, OH.
  • “Teaching Languages with Video Games? Intensive Italian for Gamers, Spring 2017 – A Work in Progress” at the MMLA 2016 Conference on November 10, 2016, Saint Louis.
  • “Assassin’s Creed Taught Me Italian: Teaching Foreign/Second Languages through Video Games” At the Focus on Teaching and Technology Conference (FTTC) on November 3-4, 2016, University of Missouri – St. Louis.
  • “Using Video Games to Teach Language and Culture” At the Media Ecology Association MEA 2016 Conference – Interfaces of Play and Game: Engaging Media Ecosystems June 23- 26, 2016, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
  • “Using Video Games to Teach Italian: Useful, Effective, Feasible?” in the Roundtable Session “Innovative Approaches to Teaching Italian” at the convention of the American Association of Italian Studies (AAIS), April 2016, in Baton Rouge, LA.
  • “Sexuality, Identity (and Geopolitics?) in Medieval Italy” in the session “Geopolitics, Status and Identity” at the 32nd Annual Conference of the Illinois Medieval Association, February 20, 2015 at Saint Louis University in St. Louis, MO.
  • “Revisiting Inferno X. Dante and Catharism” in the session “Medieval Italian Literature” at the convention of the American Association of Italian Studies (AAIS), April 2013, in Eugene, OR.
  • “The Ubiquitous Language Lab: Using the iPod Touch to Enhance Language and Culture Acquisition”, at the Ubiquitous Learning Conference, November 11, 2011, University of California – Berkeley.
  • “Dante and the Cathars: a History of Denial, or a Political Cleansing?” in the session “Middle Ages & Renaissance”, at the Convention of the American Association of Italian Studies (AAIS), April 2011 in Pittsburgh, PA.
  • “Using the iPod Touch to Enhance Language & Culture Acquisition” in the session “Techno- Teaching Revisited: Exploring the Impact of Emerging Technologies in the Italian Classroom”, at the Convention of the American Association of Italian Studies (AAIS), May 2009 in New York City.
  • “Revisiting Dante’s imitatio: Intertextuality as a Modern Hermeneutic Device for Pre- Modern Culture, in the session “Intertextuality and Intratextuality in the Middle Ages” at the Convention of the American Association of Italian Studies (AAIS/AATI), May 2008, in Taormina, Italy.

Prior to tenure & promotion:

  • “Music to my Ears: Enhancing Language & Culture Acquisition through Songs and Technology”, presented at the I Language Teaching & Technology Conference, May 2007, at the University of Missouri, Columbia.
  • “Eros, lusus or “just a joke”? Male homoeroticism, comic modes and ambiguity in Renaissance Italy” in the session “Homosexuality and Religion” at the Convention of the American Association of Italian Studies (AAIS), May 2007, in Colorado Springs.
  • Organizer and presenter of the third and fourth SLU Italian Lecture Series, February 2006 and September 2007. This Lecture Series was offered under the auspices of the Gene Mariani/Italian Club of St. Louis Award.
  • “Intertextuality /Interdiscursivity and Imitatio/Aemulatio in Dante’s Comedy” in the session, “Studies on Italian Literature of the 13th and 14th Century” at the joint Convention of the American Association of Italian Studies (AAIS) and the American Association of Teachers of Italian (AATI), May 2006, in Genoa, Italy.
  • “Paradise, Locus Amoenus: Intertextuality and Imitatio/Aemulatio in Dante’s Comedy“. Invited guest speaker at the University of Memphis, Annual Lecture in Italian Studies, April 17, 2006.
  • Organizer and presenter of a session (sponsored by the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, SLU) on “The Classical Tradition and the Divine Comedy” at the 38h International Congress on Medieval Studies, May 2005, Kalamazoo, MI.
  • “Un frate malvissuto: Power, Play and Religion in Machiavelli’s Mandragora”. 25th Annual Cincinnati Conference on Romance Languages and Literatures, May 12-14, 2005 in Cincinnati, OH.
  • “Paradiso XXX: Intertextuality as a Christian Rewriting of the Paradise Myth”. 39th International Congress on Medieval Studies, May 6-9, 2004 in Kalamazoo, MI. Session sponsored by the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at SLU.
  • “Emule and Kazaa as Windows on Italy: Using the Internet and Digital Media to Teach Italian Language and Culture”. Conference of the American Association for Italian Studies, Ottawa, Canada, April 29-May 2, 2004.
  • “Locus Amoenus: The Evolution of a topos from Dante to Ariosto”. Annual Lecture in Renaissance Studies, SLU, April 14, 2004.
  • “Power and Play: Machiavelli’s Representation of Religion in the Mandragora”. Panel on “Religion and the Renaissance”, Saint Louis University, March 20, 2003.
  • Panelist at the round table on “The future of the Italian Studies Curriculum” at the Italian Cultural Studies Conference in Boca Raton (FL), November 7-9, 2002.
  • “Animali mitici e carri del sole: intertestualità e tradizione nel paradiso terrestre”. 37th International Congress on Medieval & Renaissance Studies, Kalamazoo, MI, May 4-6, 2002 (paper read in absentia).
  • Panelist at the round table on “Italian Studies and the Curriculum” at the American Association of Italian Studies Conference at the University of Missouri, Columbia (MO), April 18-21, 2002.
  • “In Praise of the Revolution: using Napster-like Software to Teach Italian Language & Culture” at the 3rd Annual Conference in Italian Cultural Studies, Florida Atlantic University, October 18-20 , 2001.
  • “Eros and Lusus: Power and Play in Aretino’s Il Marescalco.” Twelfth Annual Purdue Conference on Romance Languages, Literatures & Film, Purdue University, October 12-14, 2000.

Prior to appointment at Saint Louis University:

  • “Power and Play in Aretino’s Il Marescalco.” Southeastern Renaissance Conference, Savannah College of Art and Design, April 8-10, 1999.
  • Presentation on work-in-progress to Trinity College, Hartford, CT, October 22, 1997.
  • “Images of Paradise in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages”. Twenty-Second International Patristic, Medieval and Renaissance Conference, Villanova University, September 10-12, 1997.
  • “The Classical Heritage and Images of Paradise”. Eighth Annual Conference “Apocalypse, Millenarism, New Boundaries”, Binghamton SUNY, May 2-3, 1997.
  • “Paradise in Hell, Paradise Lost: Images of Earthly Paradise in Dante’s Inferno and Purgatorio”. Seventeenth Annual Medieval Studies Graduate Colloquium, University of Connecticut, April 12, 1997.
  • “Power and Play in Pietro Aretino’s Il Marescalco”. Yale Italian Studies Conference, Yale University, March 29, 1997.
  • “The Classical Heritage and Images of Paradise”. Graduate Forum, University of Connecticut, February 17, 1997.
  • “Paradisus, Locus Amoenus: The Classical Heritage and Images of Paradise”. Sixteenth Annual Medieval Studies Graduate Colloquium, Yale University, March 30, 1996.

2.     PRESENTATIONS AT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS (WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS, KEYNOTE SPEAKER)

  1. “Video Game-Based Foreign Language Learning & VR,” an invited two-hour distance- learning workshop on video game-based foreign language learning to an audience of approximately 40 faculty, staff and graduate students from the languages departments at the University of Pennsylvania, organized by the Center for Italian Studies, the Pan-Language Center, and the Department of Romance Languages. April 1st, 2022.
  2. Workshop: “E-Life is (Not) Strange,” an invited three-hour workshop on video game-based foreign language learning (with a focus on French), presented in French, for the French program at Universitad de Castilla-La Mancha in Ciudad Real, Spain, to an audience of approximately 60 French graduate students and professors. December 20, 2021.
  3. “Video Game-Based Foreign Language Learning in Higher Education & the New Frontiers of VR.” A distance-learning, two-hour seminar/practicum on video game-based foreign language (& culture) learning for the faculty at California State University – Fresno. November 24, 2020. https://fresnostatecah.com/2020/11/23/italian-studies-kicks-off-fall- 2020-lecture-series-with-perspectives-on-love-and-video-games/
  4. Workshop: “E-Life is (Not) Strange,” a two-hour distance-learning workshop on video game- based foreign language learning (with a focus on ESL) for the German-American Center, Deutsch-Amerikanisches Zentrum / James-F.-Byrnes-Institut in Stuttgart, Germany to an audience of approximately 60 ESL teachers from the St. Louis Sister Cities of Stuttgart, Germany, and Samara, Russia. The workshop, part of the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the St. Louis/Stuttgart Sister Cities Program, was supposed to take place in Stuttgart. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the interactive, multimedia-based workshop was conducted in real time online, including a Q&A session. June 18, 2020. https://www.stuttgart.de/medien/ibs/Broschuere-60Jahre-St.Louis-englisch.pdf (p. 26) https://www.facebook.com/DAZStuttgart/posts/10158143342083070
  5. Seminar: “Video Game-Based Learning in Second/Foreign Language Acquisition.” A distance-learning, one-hour seminar for Dr. Sara Alloatti’s “Mediendidaktik für den Fremdsprachenunterricht” (Foreign Language Media Pedagogy), a graduate course for foreign language teachers at the Institute of Education Science in the University of Zurich, Switzerland. The interactive, multimedia-based seminar was conducted in real time online and included a Q&A session. December 4, 2019.
  6. Seminar: “(Video) Game-Based Learning in the High-School Classroom?” SLU 1818 Annual Professional Development Day. Workshop delivered to approximately 40 high- school teachers connected to the 1818 SLU Advanced College Placement program, September 16, 2019.
  • Seminar: “Video Game-Based Learning in Second/Foreign Language Acquisition.” A distance-learning, one-hour seminar for Dr. Sara Alloatti’s “Mediendidaktik für den Fremdsprachenunterricht” (Foreign Language Media Pedagogy), a graduate course for foreign language teachers at the Institute of Education Science in the University of

Zurich, Switzerland. The interactive, multimedia-based seminar was conducted in real time online and included a Q&A session. November 27, 2018.

  • Keynote Speaker: “Lehre und Lernen” E-Learning Conference (Teaching and Learning Days) June 6, 2018, at the Alpen-Adria University of Klagenfurt, Austria. I delivered one invited presentation, “Video Games & Learning in Higher Education.” And two invited workshops, “Video Game-Based Learning in Higher Education.” & “Video Games in Second/Foreign Language & Culture Acquisition.” https://www.aau.at/en/blog/teaching-and- learning-days-2018/
  • Workshop: “I benefici dei videogame nell’acquisizione linguistica (The Benefits of Video Games in Language Acquisition). Invited workshop. April 19, 2018. Collegio Universitario di Merito Villa Nazareth, Rome, Italy.
  • Seminar: “Game-Based Learning in Foreign/Second Language Acquisition” Invited three- hour seminar. March 16, 2018. Università degli Studi di Torino, Italy, Prof. Elisa Corino’s Didattica delle Lingue Moderne course.
  • Workshop: “Learning Italian through Cinematic Video Games” Invited game-based learning sessions (2). March 8 and 9, 2018. Spring Hill College in Bologna, Italy.
  • Presentation: “Assassin’s Creed Taught Me a Foreign Language: Video Games in Second/Foreign Language & Culture Acquisition” Invited presentation. February 15, 2018. Saint Louis University in Madrid, Spain.
  • Workshop: “Using Video Games in Foreign/Second Language Acquisition” Invited workshop. February 14, 2018. M.A. Program in Spanish & ESL. New York University in Madrid, Spain.
  • Lectures: Three invited lectures at high-schools in Asti and Alba, Italy on the US University system and Video Game-Based Foreign Language Acquisition:
    • On Friday, May 11, 2018 Dr. Bregni met students and faculty at the Istituto Enogastronomico ”G. Penna”- in S. Damiano (near Asti). He was invited by the grade 13th student collective to deliver three two-hour lectures on video game-based foreign language learning to students in grades 9-13 as part of their “Co-Gestione” (students/teacher cooperation in teaching & learning week).
    • On Friday, May 25, 2018 Dr. Bregni was invited to speak to grade 13th students at Liceo Classico “V. Alfieri” in Asti, his former high-school, about the US university system, Saint Louis University and game-based foreign language learning as part of their college orientation lecture series.
    • On Saturday, May 26, 2018, Dr. Bregni was invited to speak to grade 11th and 12th students at Liceo Classico Internazionale “G. Govone” in Alba (near Cuneo). He delivered a two-hour lecture on video game-based foreign language learning.
  • Seminar: “(E-)Life is (Not) Strange: Video Games in Second/Foreign Language Acquisition” October 2, 2017. SLU 1818 Annual Professional Development Talk. Delivered to approximately 60 high-school teachers connected to the 1818 SLU Advanced College Placement program.
  • Seminar: “The Italian Renaissance and its Contributions to Storytelling” Invited guest lecture. March 3, 2017, Saint Leo University, Tampa, FL.
  • Presentation: “Gaming and Online Realia Sources for the Second Language Classroom” SLU LLC Pedagogy Workshop, October 31st, 2016.
  • Presentation: Speaker on the panel session “The Evolution of Gay Rights” at Atlas Week, Saint Louis University, March 29, 2012.
  1. Presentation: Speaker on the panel session “The Role of International in Shaping the Global Campus” at Atlas Week, March 27, 2012. The session was organized by the International Faculty and Staff Association (IFSA), of which I was president.
  2. Presentation: “Windows on Italy: Italian Language & Culture in the Digital World” at Florissant Community College. I was invited as a guest speaker as part of their “Cultural Awareness Week”, November 18, 2008.
  3. Presentation: “Dopo il liceo, studiare in USA? / Studying in the US after High-School?” Invited guest speaker at the Liceo Classico Statale “V. Alfieri” di Asti. I was invited as a guest speaker at their College orientation program for 13th graders. I delivered the lecture on January 8, 2008. I was pleased to be invited, and glad to provide guidance and information, although I was on Sabbatical leave. They were very grateful, and several faculty and students personally thanked me afterwards. They invited me again in December 2009, May 2011, January 2012, May 2013, January 2014, May 2015, May 2016, May 2017, and on May

Prior to tenure & promotion:

  • Presentation: “In Praise of the (Internet) Revolution: Using the Internet and Digital Media to Teach Italian Language and Culture”. 11th Departmental Colloquium, SLU, October 24, 2003.

Other

  • “Imparare l’italiano con i videogiochi.” A presentation in Italian at the monthly meeting of the Italian language cultural association of St. Louis “Italiano per Piacere” (Italian, please / for pleasure). October 3, 2019.
  • SERVICE

a.  Professional

  1. Reviewer for Ludic Language Pedagogy, an open-access refereed (peer-reviewed) journal dedicated to promoting innovative and thoughtful integrations of games and play in language teaching contexts. https://www.llpjournal.org/ (November 2019 – Spring 2020).
  2. Created and manage a WordPress blog on Video Game-Based Foreign Language Learning (VGBL), simonebregni.com, where I give regular updates on my scholarship and teaching practices on VGBL [Spring 2018 – Present]
  3. Created and manage a WordPress blog connected to my ITAL 3550, Medieval & Renaissance Italian Literature Course, where my students share their Midterm & Final projects: https://ital3550slu.wordpress.com/ [Since fall 2019]
  • Translator (from Italian into English) for the ConiglioViola interactive media art project “Le notti di Tino”: http://www.tinobagdad.com/en/  [Summer 2014]

ConiglioViola is a team of renowned Italian multimedia artists.

b.  University

  1. SLU Esports Advisory Committee. Fall 2019 – Present.
  • Faculty Senator, Saint Louis University Faculty Senate. Spring 2020 & Spring 2019 [substitute for Dr. Julia Lieberman].
  • SLU International Faculty & Staff Association (IFSA):
    • Past-President, Executive Council Member. Fall 2016-Spring 2020; 2013- 2014, 2012-2013; 2011-2012.

–     President, SLU IFSA. 2015-2016; 2010-2011; 2008-2009.

  • President-elect, IFSA’s Executive Council. 2014-2015; 2009-2010.
  • Esports Committee Member, Saint Louis University. Spring 2019.
  • SLU Competitive Fellowship Committee. Fall 2019, Fall 2017-Fall 2013.
  • Advisory Committee for the Center of Medieval and Renaissance Studies. Fall 2000 – Fall 2013.
  • University Representative, Assessment Institute conference in Indianapolis (International/Globalization Track), IN. October 2012 and October 2013.
  • SLU University Comprehensive Globalization Vision Team. Spring 2012 – Fall 2013.

c.  College

  1. Advisory Committee for the Center for the Digital Humanities. Fall 2019 – Present.
  2. A&S Technology Committee. Fall 2018 – Present; Fall 2013 – Spring 2015; Fall 2010 –

Spring 2012; Fall 2006 – Spring 2008.

  • Mellon Committee Representative. Fall 2015 – Spring 2017; Fall 2000 – Spring 2002.
  • Department
  1. Chair, Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures. July 1st, 2020 – Present.
  2. Coordinator/Director, Italian Studies Program, Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures (formerly Department of Modern & Classical Languages), Saint Louis University. Fall 2000 – Fall 2020.
  3. Outcomes Assessment Coordinator – Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures. Fall 2013- Fall 2017.
  4. Departmental Search Committees (Full-time Faculty): 7. Fall 2000 – Spring 2020.
  5. Program Search Committees (Part-time Faculty): 8. Fall 2000 – Spring 2020.
  6. Mentoring Committees: eight (8). Fall 2000 – Fall 2020.
  7. Technology Consultant. Fall 2000 – Spring 2020.
  8. Dr. Dan Nickolai’s Ph.D. committee. Fall 2013- Spring 2015.
  9. Classics Center Initiative Committee. Fall 2014 – Fall 2015.
  10. Language Learning Center Committee. Fall 2000 – Spring 2011.
  11. Rank & Tenure Committee. Fall 2008 – Spring 2010.
  12. Chair’s Advisory Committee. Fall 2005 – Spring 2008.

Prior to tenure & promotion:

  1. Budget Committee Coordinator. Fall 2002 – Spring 2004.
  1. Chair Search Committee. Fall 2003.

e.  Community

  1. Presenter at “Italiano per Piacere” local Italian American cultural association. (Fall 2019)
  2. Member of the Italian Club of St. Louis, the leading local Italian American cultural association (fall 2003 – spring 2019).
  3. Created a competitive Annual Student Award, The Gene Mariani Italian Club of St. Louis Award, funded by a grant from the Italian American community in St. Louis (fall 2003 – spring 2019).
  4. Translator – Translated approximately thirty documents for members of the local Italian American community.