Office of Study Abroad

Profile: Karissa Bergin '25

Major/minor: Art History and Psychology majors, Legal Studies minor

Study abroad program: Brandeis in Siena, Summer 2024

Reason you chose this program: I chose Brandeis in Siena because I wanted an experience abroad that both enriched my knowledge in art history and also allowed me to understand how painters during the Late Middle Ages to Early Renaissance created their works. In addition, being in a country where art history is so rich was a big reason! Being able to visit locations such as the Uffizi in Florence or the Venice Biennale furthered my passion and curiosity upon art in Italy and its vast history.

Favorite classes: It was hard to pick a favorite class; I'd have to pick both! We had two classes offered during Brandeis in Siena. One was an art history course called "Early Renaissance Art in Tuscany from the Age of Dante to the Medici." We would do a lot of on-site visits and discuss the works of art in person which was really enriching and changed my perspective on the works. We also took a studio art course called "Painting in Siena" which taught us specific oil paint techniques, including underpainting in different colors based on the type of subjects being displayed.

How did you incorporate your Brandeis areas of study into your study abroad experience? I was able to use a lot of the knowledge I previously learned at Brandeis while looking at the Sienese and Florentine works we discussed in class. I took a course during my Sophomore year at Brandeis called "History of Western Art II: From the Renaissance to the Modern Age" where the first artwork we talked about were Sienese works in combination to Florentine work. Artists like Duccio, Cimabue, and Giotto and their work would be discussed in class. Having access to prior knowledge from my classes at Brandeis and analysis from other art history courses made me really happy to participate during the art history course offered at Brandeis in Siena.

Housing situation: The housing situation at Brandeis in Siena was Casa Di Alfredo. It's usually a Bed and Breakfast most of the year, but there were three apartments for Brandeis students to stay in. Usually we would have 6-8 roommates per apartment and share a kitchen within it.

What were some parts of your identity that you thought about while considering study abroad that other students may want to talk to you about? Having dietary restrictions abroad was at first very scary, mainly because it was my first time abroad alone in the sense of not being with a family member. I was really worried about what I was going to eat, where to get food, etc. but in Siena there were a lot of options for grocery stores. In addition, having a kitchen was really helpful because I was able to make my own food along with other roommates who had dietary restrictions. Also learning phrases in Italian was quite helpful in communicating with restaurants!

Favorite memory: My favorite memory was when we went to the Palio (which we expected to happen), but it ended up raining and got postponed to the next day. It was really funny (and a bit sad because I didn't get to see the Palio before I left Siena), but it was a bonding moment between all of us and we just hung out together instead!

Did you apply for any scholarships? How did they impact your time abroad? I applied for the Sachar Scholarship and the Van der Meid Scholarship. I am grateful to have received the Van der Meid scholarship to help aid my ability to study abroad. The Van der Meid scholarship allowed me to be able to go abroad, as financial difficulties was something that I was concerned about. Having my tuition covered gave me the opportunity to be able to take classes in Italy in art history, which I am very passionate about! I was able to really take in everything to the fullest and am very thankful for the opportunity to be a part of Brandeis in Siena.

What do you know now that you didn't know before? There are a lot of niche facts about Siena and Sienese art I didn't know before going to Siena! Our art history professor, Roberto, is from Siena so he knew a huge amount about the city!

Fact about Italy that you think people would be surprised to learn: Italy is very chill, so during lunch and mainly dinner meals may take around two hours!