Gordon in Orvieto

Gordon in Orvieto invites students into a dialogue about the interplay of faith, art, community, and society—and to learn from the lives of artists, poets and saints of the past. As a part of the program, students encounter places that were formative to Christian civilizations in the West. These encounters spur Orvieto students to reflect on contemporary cultural influences and the ways in which they live, further orienting them toward a life that seeks to listen closely and respond thoughtfully to the people and ideas around them.

Perfectly positioned between Rome and Florence, in the heart of Umbria, the history of Orvieto as a site of significant geographic and cultural intersection is utterly unique. Continuously occupied for at least two and a half thousand years, Orvieto is a place deeply connected to the roots of its own history, tracing a lineage from Etruscan, Roman, Medieval, Renaissance, and Modern times until the present day.

Located in a newly renovated 13th century convent, the Orvieto semester is positioned in the historic city center just steps away from the ruins of an Etruscan temple and spectacular views of the valley below. We want our students to live well and to enjoy all the opportunities of living in a foreign country. It begins with hospitality.

The curriculum in Orvieto hinges on dialogue between the verbal and the visual. We orient our curriculum around the arts and the humanities so that we are better equipped to engage the relevance of communication and ideas that suffuse our world with meaning.