Montclair, New Jersey

The Theresa and Lawrence R. Inserra Endowed Chair was created through a major gift of Lawrence R. Inserra, Jr. and thanks to the support of UNICO National and individual donors. It is affiliated with the Italian Program and housed in the Spanish and Italian Department at Montclair State University.This endowed position is devoted to the promotion of Italian culture with particular emphasis to its meaning and relevance in the international scene, and especially in the U.S. and in New Jersey, as a result of people’s migrations and exchanges of ideas, practices, and goods over the centuries. The Chair offers a regular series of free cultural programs that serve both MSU students and faculty and the residents of the NY/NJ area at large. Since 2011, major artists and scholars from Italy and the U.S. have presented shows, lectures, exhibits, films, dance performances, etc. on a wide array of Italian/Italian American themes (the Humanistic Legacy; Migrations; Futurism; Slow Food) in disciplines as diverse as visual arts, film, theater, music, fashion, art history, design, nutrition, and history.