Il Postino Spring 2025

Published April 8, 2026

Below you'll find Dr. Vettore's introduction to the Spring 2025 issue of Il Postino, the Graziadio Center's semesterly newsletter. To read the rest of this semester's issue, visit the Il Postino tumblr page!

Dear Friends of Il Postino,

Welcome back to the Spring 2025 Semester! We have quite a few things to share in this special springtime issue of our blog.

We are focusing on two alumnae, Violetta Gascon-Pasquarelli (who was also an instructor of Italian for many years) and Leslie Chavez, along with MA student, Ananna Ahamed, who started her journey with us last semester.

Violetta has a place in the heart of their students and colleagues–her contributions to the program have been fantastic.

Leslie’s path and story are inspiring, and we are very happy to host her words on these pages.

Ananna has just started, and we wish her the best for her second semester and her academic career.

The faculty spotlight features yours truly, and a picture of his four-legged companion.

This semester a new MA student, Lyn Embree, has joined the graduate students’ cohort. She will be featured on the Fall issue of Il Postino. In the meanwhile, benvenuta, Lyn!

Graziadio Program Assistant Diego Brol Batres is working intensely to coordinate our summer study program abroad in Recanati. The cohort of enrolled students is growing and we are hoping to send a good number of them to Italy this summer. It is important to point out that the success of our Italian center owes a great deal of credit to the Recanati program as it helps boost the number of our Italian minors and majors.

With Antonina Campbell graduating after her time in Venice (brava, Antonina!), we have a new lineup of officers for Club Italia: Lesly Valtierra is our new wonderful president while Yashaira Gonzalez-Ledesma is serving as vice-president. Alondra Rueda, who is also one of our new majors, is secretary and Brenda Villarreal will be director of digital media. Last, but certainly not least, Ananna Ahamed, whose interview you will get the chance to read below, is the treasurer.