The CSULB Frank J. De Santis Lecture Series: “Re-Thinking Italian (/American) Studies in the Third Millennium — Where Have We Been? Where Can We Go?”

“Re-Thinking Italian (/American) Studies in the Third Millennium: Where Have We Been? Where Can We Go?” will be the focus of the inaugural address of the California State University, Long Beach Frank J. De Santis Lecture Series, beginning at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23, in the Karl Anatol Center.

Established under the aegis of CSULB’s George L. Graziadio Center for Italian Studies, the lecture series is being named after De Santis, past national president for the Order Sons of Italy in America, who played a key role in establishing the university’s Italian studies center in 1994.

Delivering the series’ first-ever lecture will be Dr. Anthony Julian Tamburri, Dean of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute at Queens College, CUNY, and Professor of Italian and Comparative Literature. Tamburri will discuss the future of Italian Americans as well as programs addressing their heritage in educational institutions throughout the United States. In addition, he will outline how the community can work in consort with universities such as CSULB to meet the needs of students.

“This presentation is very timely in view of the renewed interest in Italian Studies throughout the United States and the commitment of the Italian Government to support efforts to promote Italian language and culture at this time,” said De Santis, who noted that CSULB is the only university in California where students can obtain a credential to teach Italian in California schools.

The following are among the invited guests for the inaugural De Santis Lecture: The Honorable Nicola Faganello, Consul General of Italy, Los Angeles; Alberto Di Mauro, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute, Los Angeles; the Graziadio family; members of the original community committee that collaborated to establish the Graziadio Chair; and leaders of the Italian and Italian American communities.

For more information about the De Santis Lecture Series, contact Cindy McCarty at  (562) 985-4318 or cmccarty@csulb.edu.