As her appointment as Visiting Lecturer of Italian (“Italian Lettore”) comes to an end after six fruitful years, Dr. Elena Zampieri reflects on her most memorable moments at UBC’s Department of French, Hispanic and Italian Studies (FHIS).
“I have received multiple messages, visits and emails from students with the cutest photos of their trips to Italy, along with so many other kind acts of gratitude. So, I really believe I have inspired many UBC students of Italian to continue studying the language, take more Italian courses and travel to Italy.”
Role as Visiting Lecturer
My appointment as Visiting Lecturer of Italian (also known as the “Italian Lettore“) at UBC, issued by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, is part of an extensive Cultural Diplomacy program by the Italian government that appoints Italian lecturers to teach at foreign universities through an agreement between countries, in order to support the teaching of Italian language and culture abroad. There are 130 Lecturers like myself distributed across 63 countries, whose role is to assist students and to do research in the field of Italian language and culture, in order to support relationships among academic institutions and the Consular offices or Embassies, as well as any Italian institution present in the territory of interest.
Achievements
Michael Ferrazzi (FHIS Administrator), Elena Zampieri (Visiting Lettore), Joël Castonguay-Bélanger (FHIS Department Head), Massimiliano Iacchini (former Consul General of Italy in Vancouver), Lorenzo De Bernardini (former President of ITASA), Gianluca Biscardi (Cultural attaché – Consulate General of Italy in Vancouver) at the event “The Original Aperitivo Italiano” (2018).
Community Engaged Learning:
My main achievements include my work on Experiential and Community Engaged Learning modules, which had become a signature feature of my UBC courses over the years. I was able to build strong connections between the students and the Italian community in Vancouver through their participation in poetry or art contests, interviews and other activities at all of the language levels.
Giornata del Lettore:
Another great experience has been organizing the annual Giornata del Lettore, where I gathered the Italian-speaking community in Vancouver together and offered UBC students a taste of Italian culture. These events have also showcased the achievements of students of Italian, from poetry reading and writing, to video interviews with Italian businesses, to mini presentations on their experiences with the Italian language itself.
Open Education Resources:
In 2021, UBC generously acknowledged my commitment to excellence in pedagogy and my deep interest in the intersection between classroom accessibility and engagement, student diversity, and course delivery methods, honouring me with the “Education Leader in Open Learning Award” as an Open Educational Resource (OER) Champion.
I am happy that I could work side-by-side with colleagues on the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic between 2020 and 2022. During this time, I was glad to have helped transition all courses online. I shared my expertise in teaching foreign languages with advanced technologies, and I developed open source materials for online courses. This could not have been possible without my incredible support system at FHIS. I gave, but I also received a lot in return, in terms of new skills and knowledge.
Integration with UBC’s Italian Community:
I am utterly grateful to the FHIS community and am really proud of how I was able to integrate into the Italian program and Department as a whole; it was extremely important for students to perceive the Italian Lettore as part of the university and to be able to completely trust us, since their university career also relies on the quality of our work. I also supported the UBC Italian Student Association (ITASA). In return, with their passion and energy, they have helped me promote Italian culture, history and tradition on campus in an amazing way!
Cultural Club:
Last, but not least, I am super proud of all the wonderful cultural events I had the pleasure of developing as the Italian liaison for the FHIS Cultural Club. Working with colleagues from the other language programs has taught me a lot about multilingualism and plurilingual education. Besides, it was great fun!
Memorable Moments
Dr. Elena Zampieri with several faculty members at the Afro-Latin dance event hosted by the FHIS Cultural Club (2022).
“The UBC community, itself—so generous, diverse and inclusive—was my true inspiration.”
Throughout the past six years, I have received multiple messages, visits and emails from students with the cutest photos of their trips to Italy, along with so many other kind acts of gratitude. So, I really believe I have inspired many UBC students of Italian to continue studying the language, take more Italian courses and travel to Italy.
Through my office hours and classes, which were always dense in cultural content, I helped many students connect with their Italian heritage or other meaningful Italian relations—whether it was their partner, a friend, or a distant family member. I did everything possible to encourage them to go even further, helping them apply for summer co-op positions with the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Vancouver, Italian Work Holiday Visas, or government bursaries to study in Italy.
Parting Words
“I am leaving a second family here at UBC made up of staff members, colleagues and students. I will miss your familiar faces, your warm laughter and your gentleness.”
In particular, I will never forget my students’ politeness, curiosity and willingness to learn about my language and culture; the staff being genuinely interested in my wellbeing and always trying to give visibility to my activities; and, finally, the conversations about pedagogy, class management and the cultural components of language courses with the awesome faculty members at FHIS. The UBC community itself—so generous, diverse and inclusive—was my true inspiration.
I would really like to thank everyone for these amazing and unforgettable years, a true life-long learning experience. I wish for the FHIS community to grow and expand even more and to keep spreading its unique energy around campus. Good luck, FHIS! I will always keep you in my heart!
