PUBLICATIONS

Author: Kassandra Lippincott

Two GSE alumni, Alamelu Sundaram, Ed.M. ’16, and Jennifer Grom, Ed.M. ’04, have been selected for Fulbright programs, allowing them to take their teaching beyond their current classroom. They will travel internationally to learn alongside educators and experience different educational systems, in order to bring new perspectives back to their local students and communities.

For Sundaram, an ESL teacher and graduate of the GSE’s Language Education program, the opportunity builds on a longstanding interest in language and international learning.

“I’ve wanted to apply to Fulbright for a long time,” she said. “I’ve always loved traveling, learning languages, and getting to know people and cultures different from my own.”

As an undergraduate at Drew University, Sundaram studied in Bolivia through the School for International Training, an experience she says deepened her interest in learning firsthand from another culture. This year, encouragement from her assistant superintendent inspired her to pursue the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program.

When we think of popular tourist destinations, our minds jump to monuments, museums and iconic architecture rooted in centuries of history. But what about the less conventional places, the ones tucked just beyond the main squares and travel guides? The ones off the beaten path?

In Bologna, Italy, once you look beyond the tagliatelle ragu, Piazza Maggiore and picturesque palazzos, you uncover a deeper layer of the city, one built on hidden histories, cultural intersections and unexpected discoveries.

After countless miles walked, conversations with locals and deep dives into places to which even Google Maps doesn’t do justice, we’ve curated five places in Bologna that you probably haven’t heard of but, should know. From vital community resources to overlooked institutions of art, technology and religion, these are some of the quiet landmarks shaping Bologna’s soul.