Welcome to the
Italian Club of Salt Lake
GET TO KNOW YOUR LOCAL ITALIAN CLUB!
About Us
THE ITALIAN CLUB OF SALT LAKE IS 501c3 NON-PROFIT
Benvenuti!
A number of Italian scholars and professionals living in the Salt Lake City area ensure a strong pool of teachers, presenters, and seminar leaders that help share their knowledge and passion within the ICSL. Past and present University of Utah students and staff also ensure the maintenance and proper functioning of the Italian club. Students often volunteer their time and energy for various activities making the ICSL successful in all its endeavors.
The purpose of the Italian Club of Salt Lake is to preserve, celebrate and foster pride in Italy and Italian culture. We provide opportunities to participate in the authentic Italian experience by sponsoring lectures, classes, study groups, and cultural activities devoted to Italian language, history, literature, cuisine, art and all things Italian.
Italian Classes
Annual Calendar
Events
Fun 5K bike ride to kick off Festa Italiana 2023. All riders are welcome, no skill level required. $1000 + in Prizes Best Outfit Best Vintage Bike
Team
Get To Know Us!
GIULIANA MARPLE
Club Officer-President
joined the ICSL as a teacher in 2008. Her enthusiasm for teaching has carried over to her leadership of the club. In describing her goals, she says, “I love to see a piece of my Bel Paese in Salt Lake City, a place where people can get a sense of Italy, read Italian books, watch Italian movies, eat together and share inspiring stories”. Giuliana holds a Master’s in Foreign Language Teaching from the University of Utah where she teaches Italian and Italian Civilization. Her favorite period in Italian history is the “Risorgimento”.
GAETANA CUMMAUDO
Italian Teacher, Calendar Administrator
Originally from Catania, Italy, in the beautiful region of Sicily, she has an M.A. in Linguistics and a TESOL Certificate from Brigham Young University, where she also taught Italian for 5 years. She has taught at Salt Lake Community College and currently, she is an adjunct instructor at the University of Utah. She’s had various experiences as a translator, interpreter, and voice recorder. Some of her passions are good food, dance, environment, quotations/proverbs, and transformative conversations. She is a true Italian (especially her accent 🙂), proud of her homeland's flavors, culture, and language. She loves being part of the ICSL team, and always looks forward to the annual Italian Festa, a great opportunity for spreading the Italian language and culture in this beautiful community. One of her favorite quotations is... «One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way» (Frank Smith)."
CAROLINA GANDOLFO McKENNA
Club Officer- Coordinator, Italian Teacher, Social Media Coordinator
Carolina is from Sicily and was raised in Palermo where she studied law. In 2018, she moved to the United States, and in 2021, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy and Administration. She minored in European Languages, studying Spanish and French, and she had a cluster in Ancient Languages (Latin and Ancient Greek). She has a passion for linguistics, art, and good food. She enjoys singing (although she is bad at it), going to the beach, visiting museums, cooking, but mostly eating good Italian food. She goes back to Italy every year to visit her family and friends. Forza Italia!!!
Natasha Pengue
Italian teacher
Originally born in the U.S, her family is from Benevento in Italy. She moved to Como, Italy when she was 15 to study and eventually work and live before returning to back to Utah. She has taught Italian and English for 10 years and loves music, traveling, nature, theatre and spending time with great company.
LAURA MARONE
Italian Teacher, Conversation Lab Organizer
Laura is from Napoli, Italy, where she worked as a pastry chef and cake designer in her small catering company. When she moved to the States, she completed her M.A. in Spanish Literature at the University of Utah. She is trilingual and taught Culinary Arts at college level for 9 years and first, second-year and upper level Spanish classes at the at the University of Utah, Salt Lake Community College, Utah Valley University and Westminster College. Currently, she is a full-time Adult Services librarian at the Salt Lake City Library and is teaching online Spanish courses at SLCC. She loves traveling, reading, cooking and photographing landscapes.
ISABEL ZAVALA
Secretary
Ciao! I am Isabel, I am a pre-nursing major and world languages In Italian major at the University of Utah with a minor in nutrition and Italian. I did a study abroad in Italy and fell in love with the culture, the language, and the people. I'm the vice president of the Italian club at the U of U and would love to bring that passion for the culture to the university.
Kathy Andrus Schalter
Club Officer-Administrator
Although Kathy was born American, at her soul she is Italian. Her Bisnonni (great grandparents) were both born in Italy in a small town in the Dolomites, Auronzo Di Cadore. When she was little her Nonno, (Grandpa) spoke Italian to her and this along with her interest in opera fostered a deep love of all things Italian, especially the beautiful musical language. She hopes to one day speak like a native as well as maybe one day obtain her Cittadinanza, (Italian citizenship). She has been to Italy many times and been fortunate to travel all over. Some of her favorite places are Rome (certo!) Apulia, the Mediterranean Coast (north and south) Capri, and Termoli, a small town on the Adriatic. She is thrilled to be volunteering with the Italian club of Salt Lake and this amazing group of people!
Make A Donation
