DANTE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION OF AMERICA

A New Internet University

 At its Annual Awards Dinner Dance, surrounded by supporters and Directors of the Dante University Foundation, President Adolph Caso signed an agreement of collaboration with Professor Alberto Casadi of Pisa, Italy. By signing the agreement, Boston will now be hosting a new digital university wherein the courses offered at Pisa and those being developed by the Dante University will be offered on the Internet to students throughout the world.

 “The Foundation’s goal” Caso explained, “is twofold: first, through Pisa, the Dante University will offer resources, language courses and degree programs developed by a consortium of 23 Italian universities; second, the Dante University is developing courses of its own, or licensing courses and resources from other institutions to enable to grant course credits and degrees of its own.” The offerings of courses and degrees will cover the humanities and eventually other disciplines.

 “Access to the entire program is easy,” Caso said, “Once on the Internet, go to www.danteuniversity.org, and there you will be able to choose courses, degrees, and services, as well as to see titles of books published by the Dante University Press. You will also find guidelines on how you may contribute papers and courses to the University.”

 An important program feature is an on-line multi-level course in Italian Grammar that will be accessible to all students regardless of their level of proficiency in Italian. A new English–Italian Dictionary, developed by President Caso, is also available to its students and to any other user having interest in the Italian language. A work-in-progress, the dictionary will be on-line, and will be updated constantly by Dante University involving the participation of the user community; it will also be available in book form early 2003.

Dante University Directors have approved five $2000 scholarships to high school students of Italian. This year’s recipients were Maria Nardell of Newton, (Harvard University), and Christopher D. Harrington of Woburn, (University of Florida Coral Gables), each receiving a $2000 check to be used toward their tuition.

A highlight of the evening was a presentation by Martha Cummings, author of Wisdom of Angels, who spoke about her Italian ancestors, and her remarks were received with great enthusiasm. Special Awards were also presented to Maria Caso, Margherita Caso and Anna Maria DeJulio for their untiring volunteer-efforts on behalf of the Dante University.

In 1903, President Teddy Roosevelt and King Edward VII exchanged the first wireless correspondence, by the radio system invented by Guglielmo Marconi. In 2003, the Dante University will officially open its Internet site to the world. “Join us!” Caso said, “and be part of this great new era in educational opportunities. Visit www.danteuniversity.org.” 

Standing left to right: Directors Thomas Russo, Gasper Caso, Vito DeSimone, Jerome Frank, Chris Bailey, Frank Safina, Mark Virgilio, Margaret Caso, Flo D’Angio, Josephine Tanner, and Elia Dell’Anno. Seated: President Adolph Caso of Boston and Professor Alberto Casadei of Pisa