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The Guarducci-Soria "My Roots" Scholarship

The "My Roots" Scholarship was created and funded by the Guarducci family for semester-long study in Florence or Tuscania through the Institute of Italian Studies.  The Guarducci scholarship has been named in honor of Simone and Mario Soria.  Awards are given to one student per semester each year, excluding the summer session.  The scholarship will provide the recipient with full tuition for one semester in either the Florence or Tuscania program. 

The scholarship's goal is to encourage students to do research and gain further knowledge about their own cultural, ethnic, or language background and family traditions.  The "My Roots" scholarship has been designed for students who have their cultural and family roots in any of the various cultural backgrounds found in Italy.  Students will design a semester course load with a combination of courses specifically related to their cultural heritage and will hopefully travel to surrounding areas that relate to their cultural background, whatever it may be. 

Students will need to submit an application and essay supporting their intent to study abroad with the goal of gaining knowledge of their cultural background.  Please note that the "My Roots" Scholarship provides for tuition only and does not cover room and board or travel-related expenses.  All applications are reviewed by the IIS Scholarship Committee.  Recipients will be notified in writing.  

For details regarding the Guarducci-Soria "My Roots" Scholarship, please refer to the Scholarship guidelines or contact the IIS Office at 515-225-2998.

Guarducci-Soria Scholarship History

The Guarducci family, a generous, caring family from Florence, always valued education. Fabrizio and Annie Guarducci in the early 1970 s created the Centro Lorenzo De' Medici School in Florence, which is now one of the largest and most prestigious Studio Art and Language schools in Europe.

During the conception stages of the school, Dr. Mario Soria and his wife Simone  Soria, who were educators and world travelers, were visiting Florence. They met the Guarducci family and became friends and family for over 30 years. The Institute of Italian Studies was created in the early 1980s which the Soria's and Guarducci's collaborated on. The two families have had a caring relationship, dedicated to
education. Both families agree that it is critical for a student to have a study abroad experience to complete a college education.

In December 2001, Simone Soria, a dedicated Foreign Language Teacher and survivor of the Holocaust from Belguim, passed away. She often spoke proudly to her family, classes and groups about her heritage and how important it is to never forget your "roots."

Dr. Mario Soria, who was director for Drake University's International Programs for several years and is currently International Consultant for the Institute of Italian Studies, has dedicated his life to sharing his heritage, culture, and his "roots" with others. He does this with his storytelling, his cooking of meals, writing books, and traveling with his family.

After Dr. Soria's wife, Simone died, Mr. Guarducci generously created a scholarship in honor of Simone and Mario Soria for their dedication to enriching people's lives with culture through the sharing of their "roots." It is with great pleasure that the Institute of Italian Studies is able to offer the Guarducci-Soria "My Roots" Scholarship.

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