Graduating seniors at Kent State’s Florence program recently participated in a unique Italian commencement ceremony at the end of their final semester at the university’s Florence center.
This tradition began in 2018 to celebrate and crown the graduating students during the final dinner at Palazzo Borghese. The simple ceremony features a congratulatory message from Fabrizio Ricciardelli, Ph.D., Kent State University Florence Center director.
Students’ names are announced as they come forward to receive a laurel crown, (symbolizing victory) that is placed on their heads and worn for the rest of the day. This tradition, which traces back to ancient Greece, originated at the University of Padua (Italy) more than 200 years ago and is found at all Italian universities. Faculty, staff and other students attend the ceremony and reception that follow.
During the 2023-24 academic year, 600 students participated in classes in Florence. Ranait McGuire, ’24, spent the spring semester in Florence and participated in the graduation ceremony. “I was pleasantly surprised about the graduation ceremony,” said McGuire. “I heard about the possibility of a celebration, and it made me feel so included in Italian culture. It was a wonderful day!”
McGuire majored in fashion merchandising with minors in marketing and sustainability. She is from Syracuse, New York, and studied in Los Angeles and New York City as part of her Kent State experience.
“My Florence experience was more than I ever could have imagined, and I was able to fully immerse myself in the lifestyle and culture that ultimately changed my life forever,” she said. “Studying fashion in a place where it is so clearly valued was a gift, and I found myself inspired by the world around me.”
McGuire was impressed by the special commencement ceremony. “The ceremony was very intimate on a beautiful sunny day,” she said. “My favorite part was walking around Florence after the ceremony and being celebrated by kind strangers speaking with us about graduation and sharing their good wishes. It made Florence feel all the more like home.”
She will spend the summer in Knoxville, Tenn., as a merchandising intern with Altar’d State, a fashion and lifestyle brand. She also plans to focus on growing her blog, The Environista, and furthering her entrepreneurial ventures.