Two flags, one heart….Lead the game. These two quotes might seem unconnected but after a closer look, they represent the same visions and goals. Rome City Institute is an International University located in Rome, Italy, that has built a culture of bringing Americans and other International students to Italy, focusing on the combination of sports and education.
As stated in its name, ‘We The Italians’ represents this heavily, as the two flags in their motto are the Italian and American flags. There has always been a strong connection between Italy and the United States and that is evident with the amount of Italian-Americans that live their lives and create families in the United States.
We The Italians and Rome City Institute are proud of this connection, and will be renewing their partnership that will continue to strengthen and grow the connection between Italy and America.
There are many young Americans who have strong roots to Italy, whether it be from their direct relatives, or relatives who originated in Italy and made their way over to America.
While Italian culture in the United States is as alive as ever, evident from the massive celebrations in the streets of the U.S. following Italy’s 2020 European Soccer Championship victory, Rome City and We The Italians want to encourage this growth but in the opposite direction. Together, we want to make it possible for more young Americans to fly across the waters to Italy, and embrace their true heritage in honor of their families.
Rome City Institute offers a catalog of sports and educational scholarships for its students, but with the partnership of We The Italians, there will be additional funds for scholarships targeted specifically for these American youngsters with Italian roots.
Rome City Institute established itself in 2017, originally in Florence, as an outlet to combine education and sports at a University level, in a manner which is typically only found in the United States. Focusing on the goal of allowing American and International students to experience education in Italy the same way Italians can experience education in America, the University was moved to Rome after its first year, where it has established its home ever since.
Originally geared towards just soccer players looking to continue their education, Rome City Institute has continued to offer more options to continue its sports diversity. On top of Soccer, Rome City offers opportunities for Volleyball, Basketball, Lacrosse, Tennis, Track & Field, Rugby, Field Hockey, Swimming & American Football athletes.
Rome City continues to find new outlets for growth of these sports within Italy and all of Europe, offering different roles for their students depending on where their career interests lie.
President, CEO & Co-Founder Stefano Radio, is a Roman native himself, and was given the inspiration for the Institute after he studied at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, MO through a soccer scholarship. As an Italian who was given the green light to study and play sports in the United States, he knew immediately that he wanted to create this opportunity for Americans and Internationals outside of their home country.
With the long list of attractions that Italy and Rome have to offer, it’s easy to see why youngsters are eager to try their talent and live abroad. While these students might not remain in Italy forever, it helps boost the ongoing connection between the two countries. As a student returns back to the United States their pride and connection to Italy will be stronger than ever, as well as their knowledge and appreciation of Italian culture.
Moving forward, we want to highlight and celebrate these students as they make the brave move to Europe. Whether it be a 18 year old Undergraduate calcio player who has never been to Italy before, or a 24 year old Graduate student who has dual citizenship between the two countries, these are stories that must be heard. We want to encourage these students to continue to not only lead the game, but to do so with their two flags, and one heart.