Massimo Bonavita Scholarship

 The Scholarship was awarded in 2022 to Ben Brantner.

I’m originally from Crookston, MN. I’m studying business at the U, with a major in finance and minors in strategic management and Italian studies.

I chose to study Italian because of Italy’s (and the Italian peninsula at large) impact on world history, fashion, music, cuisine, and soccer, as those are five of my biggest interests.

I’ve never been to Italy before, and I couldn’t be more excited for my trip.

I specifically chose Bologna because I wanted a language-intensive program, and I believe that studying there will be much more immersive than more touristy cities like Rome or Florence.

I also found the idea of studying at the world’s oldest university to be highly romantic, and I couldn’t pass it up.

Lastly, I’ve heard Bologna described as the culinary capital of Italy, and I can’t wait to test that claim. 

I have now officially been admitted to the Bologna Consortial Studies Program at the University of Bologna. Thanks again to the ICC for their generosity!

We congratulate Ben and look forward to reading about his learning adventures in Italy!