Global Engagement > Partnerships > Programs for Partner Institutions > Building Bridges: Fostering intercultural competence amongst Italian and American students

Building Bridges: Fostering Intercultural Competence Amongst Italian and American Students

​​​​​​​​​​​​​Project Summary:

This GLE project focused on how school and community mental health counselors (DePaul) and social workers (Università​ di Verona) collaborated with their cities to broker community assets for their students and their families. As such, students were placed in groups and assigned to a local neighborhood. They then analyzed the resources available within their assigned communities and created a community asset map. The purpose of this assignment was to help students identify all of the resources upon which they can draw when they enter their chosen professions. Each local group was assigned to a corresponding international community group. The students then analyzed differences and similarities between their map and their international partner group’s map and expanded their global perceptions about community-building and their professional roles through an applied case study activity. ​ 

​​​Project Length:

  • ​6 Weeks 

Technology Tools Used:

  • D2L Discussion Board
  • Google Maps
  • Weebly
  • WhatsApp
  • Zoom

​Interaction Mode:

  • Synchronous
  • Asynchronous

​Learning Outcomes: 

  • ​Students identified community assets (e.g., social-emotional, immigration services, legislative, etc.) that serve communities in Verona and Chicago.
  • Students d​escribed different global approaches to addressing mental/emotional health and immigrant student and family needs.
  • Students analyzed cross-cultural practice and implications for school and community-based assistance. 

​Faculty Feedback:

"It was a joy to work internationally with such dedicated professionals. Marta, Elena and Elisa were organized and highly motivated to complete the project. This project pushed our students to get out of the classroom and explore the neighborhoods which they will serve. Moreover, students thought critically about how community services in the United States compare with services in Italy and what we can do as a human family to better serve migrant children and their families.​​"  

~ Dr. Melissa Ockerman


​"Despite the language barriers of the Italian student group, a significant and positive level of interaction was achieved. In my opinion, this resulted from the commitment of the students, but also from the excellent organization of the project phases.​​"  

~ Dr. Marta Milani


​"The most important moment was collaborating with DePaul University and finding the best way to make two very different groups of students interact in terms of language and culture, crossing different skills such as pedagogy and counseling. And mapping work is a tool to be developed and disseminated.​"  

~ Dr. Elena Guerra​​

Dr. Melissa Ockerman

faculty name

Institution: DePaul University
Discipline: Counseling
Course name: Counseling Children and Adolescents

Dr. Agostiono Portera

faculty name

Institution: Università degli Studi di Verona
Discipline: Intercultural Education

Dr. Elena Guerra

faculty name

Institution: Università degli Studi di Verona
Discipline: Intercultural Education

Dr. Elisa Marie Francesca Salvadori

faculty name

Institution: Università degli Studi di Verona
Discipline: Intercultural Education

Dr. Marta Milani

faculty name

Institution: Università degli Studi di Verona
Discipline: Intercultural Education

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Partner Institution

DePaul University
Chicago, IL, United States

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