Meaningful Memories of Florence
Looking forward to the Gonzaga in Florence 60th Anniversary Celebration May 16-18, alumni of the program shared their experiences:
Steve Brenneke (GIF 1966)
In a word, describe what makes Gonzaga in Florence so special:Eye-opening.
How did Gonzaga in Florence contribute to who you are today?
As a young undergraduate from a semi-rural environment who had never traveled outside the Pacific Northwest, Gonzaga in Florence introduced to me the various cultures of the world such as Russia behind the Iron Curtain, Israel (Jewish) and the Palestinians and especially the Italians in their relationship to the rest of Europe. This gave me a more mature vision and interest in the world outside the USA. This encouraged me read and study other cultures and languages during my lifetime.
Share your favorite Gonzaga in Florence memory:
Two weeks in the Holy Land over the Christmas holidays. We visited Old Beirut (Paris of the Middle East), prior to the recent war, Damascus and its outdoor market, Jerusalem and the Wailing Wall, the Palestinian refugee camps, Bethlehem and the presumed location of the birth of Jesus and for an encore swam in the Mediterranean on New Year’s Eve.
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Joe Lincoln (GIF 1986-1987)
In a word, describe what makes Gonzaga in Florence so special:
Life-changing.
How did Gonzaga in Florence contribute to who you are today?
I got my first real engineering job because of my knowledge of Italian. The economy on the east coast in 1988 wasn't very good for engineering positions but a traveling engineering position became available. The stack of resumes was shown to me after I received the job. Lucky for me most of the customers of this company were in Italy. No one else had it on their resume.
Share your favorite Gonzaga in Florence memory:
GIF had a tradition of donating money to an orphanage in Florence every Christmas. We set up an auction for our class to bid on different guys who had volunteered to have their heads shaved. We raised quite a bit of money that year since we had a lot of volunteers. During the holiday tour that year I had to wear a funny hat to keep my bald head warm.
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Melanie Ferguson McCall (GIF 1963-1964)
In a word, describe what makes Gonzaga in Florence so special:
Transformative.
How did Gonzaga in Florence contribute to who you are today?
At age 80, I still appreciate that my Gonzaga in Florence experience was monumental and provided me with a worldview that has given me confidence and perspective that continues today. We traveled all over the world—Europe, the Middle East—meeting and learning from others. We discovered that language was not a barrier. I gained confidence and a worldview while having a fabulous bonding experience with our first group. Now in our 80s, our group still shares an unbreakable bond, communicating and supporting one another. We have had many reunions, some in Spokane, once on a Viking cruise, another at the Italian villa owned by a member of our group, and of course, returning to Florence together. I believe that the success in my personal life, my career as a school counselor and my Washington state leadership positions were all influenced by my consequential year in Florence.
Share your favorite Gonzaga in Florence memory:
How do I pick just one? Traveling all over Europe, the Munich Oktoberfest, riding my bike to an art class where I learned to paint from a woman who spoke no English and had live models in her studio…and so many more!
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Nate Schwalbach (GIF 1992-1993)
In a word, describe what makes Gonzaga in Florence so special:
Experience.
How did Gonzaga in Florence contribute to who you are today?
I learned so much about the world, how communities and people intertwine with one another, and the importance of friendships through life experiences. My confidence as a person grew as I literally navigated the world, and I made friendships through those experiences that are closer than any other in my life. Many of my GIF classmates were in my wedding, became godparents to my children and are permanently woven into my life. I recently took my children to Italy and showed them all around the places in Florence where I spent time. It will always be a special place for me.
Share your favorite Gonzaga in Florence memory:
There are too many favorite memories to list, but our weekly nighttime gatherings in Santa Maria Novella square with Fr. Bruno were fantastic. Living in Florence for an entire year is incredibly memorable all on its own.
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