Dear School of Architecture Community:
I am very pleased and honored to share with you some wonderful and important news in the life of the Detroit Mercy School of Architecture.
As most of you know, after many years of running a wonderful study abroad program in Volterra, Italy, we were blessed in 2013 through the generosity of the people of Volterra, to have the opportunity to open our own private educational facility and residence. Many alumni and friends donated generously to make the project feasible at that time, but as most of you also know, we still hold a significant debt from the renovation project that we have been paying down through the revenue generated by the use of the facility.
Today I am very pleased to inform all of you that through the leadership and incredible generosity of Beth Jevitz Pagnotta ’74 and Steven Pagnotta ’74 and ’76, the debt will be fully retired in the next few days.
This marks a truly momentous occasion in the 54-year history of the school and is perhaps the one initiative that most clearly illustrates the stability and continuity that we have enjoyed through a succession of only three deans.
Beginning with our Founding Dean Bruno Leon’s vision over 30 years ago, extending through Dean and Distinguished Professor Steve Vogel’s leadership, which was instrumental in realizing this project, through the present day, we have maintained a consistent commitment to the life-changing value of study abroad.
We are so thankful for Professor Wladek Fuchs, a product of our longstanding exchange program in Warsaw, Poland, for his unbelievable dedication to the project. Without Wladek’s faith, courage and tenacity, hard work and vision, we would have never been able to realize this amazing project.
We are also forever grateful for our Program Director in Volterra, Giulia Munday, who has been our guide, caretaker, teacher, project manager, leader, and muse from the very beginning through today (without compensation I think you should know). Without Giulia we truly would not be in a position to celebrate both this legacy and future in our wonderful home-away-from-home.
Reaching this milestone in the history of the program will mean we can now ensure the long-term future of our Tuscan home-away-from-home and also expand our program offerings there. The revenue that we generate from the operation of the facility can now be invested in maintenance and improvements as well as appropriate compensation for Giulia and our faithful building caretaker Marco Bruchi. And on top of all that, the most impactful outcome is that we will now be in a position to invest much of that revenue where it matters most – our students – by providing a significant level of scholarship support every year for students participating in our programs. Simply put, this is literally a dream come true.
To all of you who have supported this effort – the Volterra Detroit Foundation Board of Directors, Cherry Peirce, Warren Loranger, Michael Marz, Paul Britten, and many other donors, Teri Carroll our Director of Advancement, the SOA Alumni Council for all its efforts, support, and donations, faculty, colleagues, and other supporters and volunteers, former longstanding Study Abroad Director Tony Martinico, Professor of History Sarah Stever, Steve Vogel, Giulia, and Wladek, and most importantly today, Steve and Beth Pagnotta — our gratitude, and the impact that your time, talent, and treasure will have on future generations of students is beyond measure.
Buon Natale.
Your faithful servant,
Prof. Will S. Wittig, AIA
Dean
WOW!!!