Student Guidebook

Download the 2007-2008 Handbook in PDF Format

If you are a student living in Bernardi or an overnight guest at our center, you are about to encounter situations that are different from what you are used to. I encourage you not to avoid the uncomfortable, but embrace the challenge. The purpose of being abroad is to expand your horizons and view our world from a different perspective. Embracing cultural differences will help you gain awareness of how people in other cultures go about their everyday living. Make a positive effort to get acclimated to the Roman culture and environment, mix with the locals, learn some basic language essentials, and take the time to absorb the beauty of a centuries-old civilization. If you strive to make your time in Rome meaningful, you will develop both as a student and as an individual, gaining a wider vision of our world. And as Rome was not “built in a day,” it cannot be enjoyed and absorbed in a day either. Despite the hectic vitality of the city with its traffic, noise, fountains, piazzas, restaurants and shops, there is still that scent of an ancient era. Make Bernardi Campus your home away from home, and accept the challenge of adapting into a new set of community standards, procedures and policies that create that a unique community in the residence. My staff and I look forward to getting to know you.

Buona Giornata,
Thanos Zyngas
Bernardi Campus Director
tjzyngas@stthomas.edu