Story By: Erin MacNabb

Day by day inside the Atrium, students from all over the world immerse themselves in the Italian language. At this time, Cagli program students from Gonzaga and Creighton Universities and Loyola College are studying alongside the regular Language Institute students. Here is what a typical day looks like for all of these students.

8 a.m.: Front door, wide open and welcoming. Inside, there is no one around, and the top door is still locked.

8:35: Professor Francesco Mansi arrives. He opens the office and some other classrooms, also posts announcements and updates on the bulletin board.

8:45: Cagli program students start arriving, either looking to use the lab or waiting for their 9 a.m. Italian classes to begin.

9:00: More Cagli program students enter, as well as a few Language Institute students. Donna Galletta arrives and rushes around preparing the building for the day.

10:05: Students wander the hallways, checking out equipment and using the lab. The other Atrium students are in their Italian tutorials, while the Italian class for the Cagli program is in session.

10:30: Many students are in and out of the lab and faculty lounge, checking out equipment. It is break time from morning classes for the Atrium students. Some spend it in the classrooms reading newspapers or eating a sack lunch while others venture out to explore the market.

11:00: Classes change. The regular Atrium students begin to return and wait for their classes to resume. There is a lot of activity in Galletta’s office as people seek information and help.

12 p.m.: Most Cagli program students leave for lunch, but a few remain to work in the lab.

1:00: The building is quiet. It’s pausa.

1:20: Galletta returns after a quick lunch, rushing around to prepare for the afternoon sessions.

2:00: Cagli program students fill the hallway, discussing evening plans and their assignments.

2:50: Students arrive for their 3 p.m. class in intercultural communications, checking the bulletin board first. The Atrium students arrive for their Italian culture courses.

3:00: Cagli program students fill the main classroom for their intercultural class. The Language Institute students have begun a cooking class, preparing gnocchi al ragu.

4 p.m.: Cagli program students scatter for the fieldwork and to meet their interpreters. There is a rush at the bulletin board for lab time sign-ups.

5 p.m.: The school day ends for Atrium faculty and its regular students. Galletta and Mansi lock the offices and classrooms. Cagli program students are still using the lab and working on projects. The Atrium slowly grows quiet until the next morning.