DeBellis Named Director of Meredith in Italy

After a campus-wide search last spring, Assistant Professor of Spanish Callie DeBellis has been named director of Meredith in Italy. She began her new role this month.

DeBellis will still continue her teaching in the Department of World Languages and Cultures during her appointment with the Office of International Programs. Faculty who would like to learn more about the Meredith in Italy program are encouraged to contact her at debellis@meredith.edu. 

Since 2006, DeBellis has led 11 successful study abroad programs to Costa Rica, Italy, and Ghana. She regularly mentors new study abroad faculty and conducts workshops to share cultural activities and innovative approaches to teaching abroad. Through her recent sabbatical project, she is also a member of a highly respected global team of scholars who are examining study abroad assessment strategies.

As director of Meredith in Italy, DeBellis will serve as the primary liaison between Meredith’s Raleigh campus and the College’s study abroad site in Sansepolcro. She will oversee academic curriculum and new program development, as well as faculty recruitment and training for Italy. She will also serve as a member of the Office of International Programs’ emergency response team and provide critical support for colleagues and students who study abroad in Sansepolcro.  

DeBellis succeeds Professor Cathy Rodgers, who recently retired after leading the Italy program through a decade of tremendous growth and success. Thanks in large part to Rodgers’ dedicated leadership, Meredith College successfully hosted 65 students and faculty throughout summer 2022 on five different programs in Sansepolcro. This was the highest Italy summer enrollment we’ve ever had, and it was amidst unprecedented challenges for international travelers. The strong relationships we’ve built in the community of Sansepolcro are what allow us to continue offering transformative experiences for faculty, staff, and students across generations. Rodgers’ work in nurturing those connections will leave a lasting legacy for all of us who have called (and will one day call) Sansepolcro home. We will be honoring her career as director of Meredith in Italy and the immense impact she’s had on study abroad at Meredith with a celebration this fall. More details to come.