I grew up speaking Italian and Arbresh in the home, traveling to Italy annually to visit family and visit the sites. This fostered a deep appreciation for languages, word origins, history, art and the intersection of civilizations. I still visit Italy frequently to see new places and visit family.

I attended the Dante Alighieri School throughout high school and earned a trip Italy that included a visit the Dante Alighieri Cultural Society headquarters in Rome.

I majored in Italian Stu...