This is now a page devoted to the Alumni of the Florence Program. Until December 2011, the Florence Program was a learning consortium headed by the University of Michigan in partnership with the University of Wisconsin and Duke University. The program has been permanently closed. Note: the villa is a private property and is closed to visitors. Campus and legal seat of the "Florence Program" is Vil
la Corsi Salviati, a privately owned national monument, located in Sesto Fiorentino, a town of 47,000 inhabitants (2002) some six Roman miles—about 5½ US miles—from the center of Florence. The "Florence Program" has been legally and specifically recognized by the Italian Government as a tax-exempt non-profit organization. In addition to taking academic course work and participating in program excursions to cities like Rome and Venice, students had the opportunity to closely interact with the local community through Italian-English exchange conversation partners, internships in elementary schools, at cultural institutions, and in local medical centers, and through their daily comings and goings in Sesto. During its tenure, the Program was intended primarily for juniors, seniors, and the conception behind the Florence Program had been that of creating a residential college that could focus on learning the Italian language, culture, art and history. Students and faculty lived, shared meals and had classes in the Villa, fostering a close learning community.
