KSU and Comune di Montepulciano

KSU has partnered with the Comune di Montepulciano (City Administrators of Montepulciano), Il Sasso Italian Language School, Terre Toscane, and many others since the first program to Montepulciano in 1999. In collaboration with the Comune di Montepulciano and Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, KSU helped renovate the town's Fortezza Medievale in return for a 25-year lease of extensive classroom space as well as a scholar/director apartment. With the Fortezza being home base for KSU, we are able to have a successful educational site in Italy for our KSU community. 
 
Over the many years of programming in Montepulciano, the university has also made relationships with many businesses, organizations, and people who live and work in Montepulciano. These relationships have helped grow and enhance our academic programming for students and faculty.

Our Friends

  • The Comune di Montepulciano (City Administrators of Montepulciano) has been a partner and supporter of KSU Italy from the beginning even before the Fortezza renovations began. In February 2013, Kennesaw State signed an agreement with the Comune of Montepulciano, under the leadership of Mayor Michele Angiolini, to contribute to the cost of renovating the town's Fortezza Medievale in return for a 25-year lease of extensive classroom space as well as a scholar/director apartment. 

    Oftentimes the Comune and KSU Italy will partner to help host various groups and events throughout the year in Montepulciano. This not only helps our students, faculty and staff, but also the entire community. 

  • Il Sasso Italian Language School is our partner for Italian language classes and onsite organization for our programs. For over 30 years, Il Sasso Italian Language School has been running courses in Montepulciano, in the heart of Tuscany. Students from around the world come to Il Sasso, which is recognized by the Italian Education Ministry, to learn Italian language and culture. Heike Wilms is our main partner at Il Sasso and oversees arranging accommodations and itinerary for our KSU programs. She is originally from Germany but relocated to Italy in 1997. 
  • Terre Toscane, an inbound travel agent based in Montepulciano, has worked with many organizations, and private travelers for trips to Italy. Virginia Vannuccini is our main partner at Terre Toscane and arranges most of the excursions, attractions, and logistics for our programs. 
  • The Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano shares the Fortezza with KSU Italy. Founded in 1965, the Consorzio aims to protect, promote and educate others about Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (and later, Rosso di Montepulciano and Vin Santo) in Italy and the rest of the world. There are currently approximately 270 members of the consortium (of which 78 bottlers) representing almost the totality of the vineyards in the region.
  • Programs that include weekly group dinners are held at Trattoria di Cagnano, which partners with KSU Italy to provide students with an authentic family-style meal. Students love to recount the week鈥檚 events and look forward to adventures still to come while dining at the 鈥淭rattoria.鈥�  
  • Cantina Crociani is a family-owned winery founded in 1955. Students will visit to learn about how wine is produced from grapes to glass. Learning about the process of fermentation, the history of wine making in the region, and seeing the fourteenth century cellars brings a new appreciation to the art of wine making.  
  • In the neighboring town of Chiusi is longtime friend, Lucia Mancini and her family鈥檚 business La Farida. La Farida manufactures shoes for many well-known brands, including Burberry. Lucia also guest teaches business courses for KSU focusing on international business culture.  
  • With Montepulciano being a small town, KSU has made many friends with various community members throughout the town and the surrounding areas. For many years, the community has welcomed KSU with open arms. Many members of the community rent out their apartments for students and faculty to stay in for their program duration or offer their services for our programs. With their kind support and partnership, our program participants are able to feel at home in Montepulciano.