CARLA ANNE SIMONINI
66 Newport Drive
Youngstown, OH 44512
Home: (330) 953-1442 Cell: (401) 338-5691
casimonini@ysu.edu
EDUCATION
May 2006
Ph.D. -- Italian Studies
Brown University, Providence, RI
Dissertation: “The Narrative of Italian American Identity Through the
Generations”
Summer 1995
Graduate Course Work
“Dante, La Divina Commedia: La fruizione del mito classico nel poema”
Carla Rossi Academy, Monsummano Terme (PT), Italy,
offered through the University of Connecticut
1994
M.A. -- Comparative Literature
University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
Research Project: “Gender, politics and ethnicity: themes of ‘otherness’ in
selected works of 20th century Italian and American women writers.”
Summer 1993
Certificate - Intensive Spanish Language and Cultural Studies
Colegio de España, Salamanca, Spain
1987
B.A. (magna cum laude) -- Anthropology, concentrations in Italian and Music
Amherst College, Amherst, MA
Honors thesis: “La liberazione della donna: points of political collusion and
cultural resistance in the Italian feminist movement”
Spring 1986
Junior Year Exchange Program
Temple University Abroad, Rome, Italy
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Youngstown State University – Assistant Professor of Italian
Spring 2013
Premiered new course section of American Studies 2601 dedicated to the Italian
American experience, an interdisciplinary course fulfilling general education
domain focus on studies related to societies and institutions. Taught in English
for the American Studies program.
Fall 2010 – present
Teaches all level of Italian language, civilization and literature courses and
coordinates Italian language curriculum, including synchronous distance learning
courses offered jointly at Youngstown State University and Cleveland State
University. Introduced online workbook and laboratory exercises for all Italian
language courses. Supervises Italian part-time instructors and provides them
with training in latest language acquisition methodologies. Coordinates testing
and assessment program for all Italian language courses. Has developed and
continues to develop original syllabi and new courses, based on departmental
curriculum requirements, innovations in pedagogical approaches and
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contemporary trends in the field of Italian Studies. Revitalized YSU Italian Club
and serves as the club’s faculty advisor. Organizes co-curricular and public
events aimed at promoting knowledge of and interest in topics relevant to Italy,
Italians, and/or Italian Americans. To date, such events have included lectures,
book readings and photo exhibits. Established Italian language and culture
immersion program in Cefalù, Sicily for intermediate through advanced students
of Italian. Advises students majoring and minoring in Italian.
Skidmore College – Visiting Assistant Professor of Italian
Fall 2008 – Spring 2009
Taught three (3) elementary through intermediate level Italian language and
culture courses in fall and four (4) courses in spring, including a literary reading
and discussion course for senior concentrators in Italian. Classes comprised of
undergraduate students of all years of college study, with the majority being
first-year students enrolled with the primary motivation of fulfilling their
language requirement. Developed my own syllabi, based on departmental
curriculum requirements. In language courses syllabi structured and daily
lessons designed so as to provide equal emphasis in key language acquisition
areas of speaking, comprehension, reading and writing. In-class activities
focused alternately on communicative skills (via focused question and answer
sessions, discussion groups and skits), grammar review (via games and small
group work) and comprehension (via directed listening exercises through a
variety of audio/visual materials, including film clips and songs). Out-of-class
assignments included creative and responsive writing exercises, short readings
and movie screenings. Utilized Prego 7th Edition with Quia online workbook
and laboratory and Blackboard® course shells. All language courses also
included Rassias® drill section, for which I prepared weekly drills that were
conducted by undergraduate instructional assistants. As part of preparation for
teaching at Skidmore, participated in Rassias® training workshop and
independently researched Rassias® language acquisition theory and
methodology.
Brown University – Visiting Lecturer
Fall 2006
Taught double credit course Italian 11, an intensive undergraduate Italian
language and literature course that entailed ten (10) class meetings per week and
extensive interactive homework assignments. Course gave equal emphasis to
key language acquisition areas of speaking, comprehension, reading and writing,
with in-class activities focused alternately on communicative skills (via focused
question and answer sessions, discussion groups and role-playing), grammar
review (via games and small group work) and comprehension (via directed
listening exercises through a variety of audio/visual materials). Out-of-class
assignments included reading short stories, creative and responsive writing
exercises, movie screenings, and guided pronunciation practice, all of which
were reviewed and highlighted in class. Course material was web-based, for
which I actively managed a WebCT® website through which students accessed
homework, assignments, worksheets, discussions and a variety of other courserelated materials and activities.
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Spring 2007
Fall 1998
and Spring 2002
Developed an original course, “Journeying Back: The Italian American
Experience Through Literature” to be offered through Brown University’s
Continuing Studies Department. Course examined the motif of the Italian
American protagonist’s desire to “return” to Italy, be it as an immigrant
journeying back to his or her birthplace or a later generation ethnic exploring
family origins, as a means of metaphorically finding oneself in America. Course
developed so as to be adaptable also as a study abroad program, with course
participants following the paths tread by the representative novels’ characters.
Co-taught two separate semesters of Italian 11, an intensive course of Italian
language and literature offered for double credit (see above). Emphasized
communicative skills via use of games, role-playing, discussion groups, and
audio-visual materials. In Spring 2002, coordinated the course for both
instructors, writing weekly lesson plans, preparing all quizzes and evaluating all
written and oral work. Both courses received high reviews from students.
Fall 2000, Fall 2003,
Fall 2005/Spring 2006 Respectively taught Italian 10, beginning level, and the two-semester sequence
course Italian 10 - 20, beginning through intermediate level, courses of Italian
language and culture. Total enrollment of approximately 20 students per
section, the majority being first year students. Received highly favorable
reviews from students, several of whom continued Italian studies at Brown and
participated in study abroad program in Bologna. During Fall 2003 and Fall
2005 – Spring 2006 course was web-based, with homework, worksheets,
assignments, and listening components all managed and maintained on WebCT®
course site, which I managed for my sections.
University of Rhode Island – Instructor
1996 - 1999
Taught four semesters of Italian 101 (Beginning Italian) with average total
enrollment of 30 students. Classes comprised largely of first year students, the
majority of whom were enrolled with the primary motivation of fulfilling their
language requirement. Received overall 4.83 approval rating, based on 0.0 - 5.0
scale, on SET (Student Evaluation of Teaching)
1997 - 1998
Taught two semester of Italian 104 (Intermediate Italian Part II) with total
enrollment of 8 and 10 students, respectively. Class composition mixed, first
year students to graduating seniors, and represented highly diversified levels of
preparation and previous language studies. Received overall SET rating of 4.91.
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Professional Activities:
March 29-31, 2012
OFLA Conference, Columbus, OH, March 2012 – Developed and co-presented
workshop session entitled: “Chasing the Tomato: A Multimedia course on Italian
civilization”. Workshop provided example of how multi-media approach
including songs, film, YouTube, wikis and blogging were incorporated into
course aimed at fostering deeper knowledge and understanding of Italian history
and culture through creative reflection and analysis.
October 7-9, 2011
4th Annual Crossing Over Symposium, Cleveland, OH, October 2011
Presenter and panelist for session “Accommodating Vision or How to
Absorb Others”. Paper presented: “Re-Visioning Little Italy with Italian
Eyes: The Italian Immigrant Experience in Early 20th Century America as
Portrayed in Melania Mazzucco’s Vita”.
April 7-10, 2011
NEMLA Conference, New Brunswick, NJ, 2011 – Presenter and panelist for
seminar session “Traveling in and out of Italy”. Paper presented: Contructing
America by Writing about Italy”.
December 3-5, 2009 20th Annual AISLLI Conference, Philadelphia, PA, 2009 – Panelist at
session “Immaginando l’Italia”
November 6-8, 2008 AIHA Conference, New Haven, CT, November 2008 -- Submitted panel
proposal, read paper and moderated panel: “Italian American Women
Writing Across Disciplines: A discussion of Italian American women and
urban writing across literary and socio-cultural disciplines.”
Paper presented: “Urbanism and Italian American Identity in Julia Savarese’s
novel The Weak and the Strong (1952)”
October 26-28, 2006 AIHA Conference, Orlando, FL, October 2006: “Italian Americans in the
Third Millenium: Developments in Social Histories and Cultural
Representations”. Presenter and panelist for session: “Masterworks of Italian
American Literature: Notable Novels”. Paper presented: "Critical and Popular
Evaluations of the Italian American Novel: Then and Now -- Why ‘The Great’
Italian American Novel May Be Less a Masterwork Than a Master Mosaic”
Academic Awards:
Awarded Brown University Fellowships in 1999 and 2001
Won award for best work of creative non-fiction from journal Italian
Americana, 2009
Publications:
 Chapter accepted for publication in the volume Constructing Identities:
The Interaction of National, Gender and Racial Borders to be published
by Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Cambridge, UK. Anticipated printing
fall 2013.
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 Article for Conference proceedings, Italian American Historical
Society, Small Towns, Big Cities:The Urban Experience of Italian
Americans, “Julia Savarese’s The Weak and the Strong: A Case Study of
the Italian American Urban Experience,” Fall 2010
 Article for VIA (Voices in Italian Americana) Spring 2008, “External
Constructions of Italianità: Italian Imagery in Select Works of Nineteenth
Century American Literature”
 Short Story “Cappelletti” for Italian Americana Fall 2007 and webbased sister journal Foods of Affection.
UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION EXPERIENCE
February 2007 –
August 2008
1991 - 1992;
1994 – 2001
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND,
FEINSTEIN PROVIDENCE CAMPUS– Providence, RI
Associate Dean
Oversaw day-to-day operations of admissions, advising and academic programs
at the URI Feinstein Providence Campus. Responsible for all academic program
logistics, including planning, scheduling and registration of courses and
supervision of administrative support staff. Authorized changes of student
status, such as dismissals, sanctions, withdrawals, second grade options, late
drop/add and fee reassessments. Monitored course enrollment and prepared
enrollment reports utilizing e-campus queries and other spreadsheet programs.
Interpreted such data and utilized it in making programmatic decisions.
Supervised all existing, and worked to develop new, programs and initiatives that
supported the campus’ urban grant and continuing education missions. Worked
closely with Kingston Campus department chairs to ensure proper staffing and
management of Feinstein Providence Campus courses and academic programs as
well as independently arranged for course instruction and for instruction-related
support services. Troubleshot and problem-solved faculty and student
issues/complaints as they arose. Collaborated with Feinstein Providence Campus
director for marketing and coordinator of marketing for summer session to
promote academic programs and develop student recruitment and retention
strategic plans. Worked closely with director of finance and administration to
administer the office’s budget and otherwise manage financial and other
resources of the academic affairs division. Developed and maintained
productive relationships with internal and external constituencies. Represented
the values and interests of the Feinstein Providence Campus’s programs to the
broader University community through committee work and pro-active outreach.
Represented the Vice Provost for Urban Programs to the academic community,
the central administration and to external agencies as requested.
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND - Kingston, RI
Assistant to the Vice President of Student Affairs for
Special Programs and Projects
Initiated, directed and coordinated special programs and projects on behalf of the
Vice President. Served on committees and project boards; assisted in developing
goals and objectives for the Division of Student Affairs. Problem-solved in
response to student, parent and alumni inquiries and complaints. Drafted regular
correspondence on behalf of Vice President, including press releases, letters,
memos, reports, grant proposals and articles for newsletters and other
publications. Gave presentations and spoke publicly to promote the various
programs and initiatives of the Division of Student Affairs.
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Major Accomplishments:
 Directed all activities related to the URI Academy for Quality (1992-1993), a
center for courses and workshops and clearinghouse for resources and references
dedicated to promoting Quality Management in Higher Education. Served on
committee that established criteria for “Quality in Education” Award and for
three (3) years oversaw all phases of award administration, including fundraising and participation in site-visit evaluations.
 Provided administrative leadership and structure to allow for establishment
of URI Summer Seminar in Cape Verde and URI Summer Seminar in Belize,
fully accredited study abroad programs. Coordinated with faculty committee and
Special Programs Office on issues of curriculum development, registration and
finances. Negotiated all travel, food and lodging arrangements. Networked with
officials from Cape Verde Consulate and University of Belize, respectively, for
financial and logistical support in-country. Provided framework for addressing
liability, health and safety issues, including establishment of emergency
protocol. Marketed and promoted program throughout region via networking,
personal appearances, direct mailings, distribution of promotional materials and
internet postings. Served as primary contact for all student inquiries and
maintained all student records. Shot video footage, wrote text and narrated
promotional video/documentary of 1997 Summer Seminar in Cape Verde.
Nearly doubled enrollment in two years, bringing program close to financial selfsufficiency in 1998. From 1999-2001 assisted with direction of additional
summer study abroad programs in non-Western/developing nations -specifically Cuba and The Dominican Republic.
1992 - 1994
Interim Assistant Director for Administrative Systems, Department of
Housing and Residential Life
Managed all central administrative services including undergraduate student
housing assignments, safety and risk management services, and vending and
outside contracts. Served as customer service liaison. Received and addressed
all complaints from students, parents and others. Negotiated all vending
contracts to bring in additional revenue via candy, soda, juice, snack, sheet, and
rug sales as well as refrigerator and microwave rental fees. Supervised clerical,
administrative, and student staffs.
Major Accomplishments:
 Chaired advisory committee comprised of professional and student
representatives to develop “theme” housing. Saw inauguration of University’s
first “wellness” residence hall and one dedicated exclusively to first-year
students.
 Developed plan to initiate an automated room assignments process to improve
efficiency of service. Researched software options and collaborated with
University’s administrative computer center to design customized system.
Served as Residential Life “point person” throughout the software design and
development process.
 Initiated design and development of professional-quality Residential Life
promotional materials, including a full-color brochure highlighting Residential
Life facilities and features. Wrote brochure text, selected photographs and
assisted in brochure design and lay-out.
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1991 - 1992
Manager, Facilities and Operations, Department of Housing and
Residential Life
Supervised shop of professional tradespeople dedicated to the maintenance of all
Residential Life facilities. Shop included approximately twenty skilled and
semi-skilled workers, including glaciers, carpenters, plumbers, painters,
steamfitters, warehouse workers and maintenance technicians.
1989 - 1991
Assistant Director for Summer Conferences and Special Programs,
Department of Housing and Residential Life
Directed all summer conference activities relative to the Office of Residential
Life, including coordination of maintenance, custodial, and security needs and
made provisions for amenities and other support services. Collaborated with
University’s Director of Conference Services to meet the specific needs of
conference groups. Met with perspective clients and served as primary contact
person when groups were on campus. Hired, trained, and supervised a staff of 2
graduate assistants and 12 undergraduate “courtesy staff” members. Processed
all bills and maintained financial records. Developed and initiated telemarketing
campaign to increased awareness of Residential Life’s conference facilities.
Numbers of guests and revenues nearly doubled in two-year period, attributable
to more aggressive marketing strategy and more efficient use of staff and space.
1987 - 1989
Coordinator of Off-Campus Housing, Department of Housing and
Residential Life
Re-organized off-campus listing files into a complete service and information
center for students seeking housing off-campus. Devised and implemented a
student “caseworker” program in which undergraduate students received special
training in landlord/tenant rights, roommate relations, conflict resolution,
household budgeting and local real estate practices to assist other students with
their off-campus housing needs. Developed housing portfolio, listing properties
by category, price, size and distance to campus. Maintained files on landlord
and comments from previous tenants. Eventually computerized the system to
allow students to print their own customized housing reports. Developed and
conducted workshops on tenant’s rights and the process of moving off-campus.
Co-wrote, produced and edited booklet “The Survival Guide for the Off-Campus
Student”.