Studying Italian at Vassar affords students the unique opportunity to spend a semester or a full year immersed in Italian language and culture in the vibrant and historic city of Bologna, where they will take courses at one of the world’s oldest universities and participate in the dynamic cultural and social life of an Italian city. Sponsored by a consortium of liberal arts colleges (Vassar, Wellesley College, and Wesleyan University), the Eastern College Consortium (E.C.Co) program offers courses in Italian language, literature, and culture, and supports students as they take courses at UniBo. At the University students may take courses in the humanities, sciences, and social sciences, and may volunteer as English teaching assistants at local elementary and middle schools. By studying abroad in Bologna, students are able to put the language skills and intercultural competence learned in the classroom into practice, living in dormitories with Italian students, navigating the university system, and developing a greater understanding of Italy in a European and transnational context.