In an attempt to expand its presence in Europe, St. John’s is moving its Rome campus to a new, more spacious facility.

A mass on the new Rome campus featuring members of the St. John’s Board of Trustees, Board of Governors will be held Oct. 12, followed by a Blessing and Dedication Celebration to christen the new building.

The University’s new Italian residence is a 4-story, 75,000 square foot building with 200 resident beds, 13 classrooms, administrative offices, a chapel and courtyard. The building is also located near the Vatican.

Elizabeth Reilly, Assistant Director of Media Relations, said the move was a necessary to maintain the growth of the University’s global study opportunities.

“We have been in Rome since 1995 and since then the number of students has increased,” she said. “As a result, we are moving to a new building to help accommodate the growing number
of students.”

Although the relocation occurred recently, a long-term lease agreement for the faculty, which is owned by a Vincentian Community of priests and brothers, was signed in December 2007.

Dr. James Pellow, St. John’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said in an official University statement that he believes the St. John’s will benefit from direct collaborations with the Vincentian community.

“By living, learning and serving along side our Vincentian family members in Rome, we unite students with the missionary roots of our founder, St. Vincent, as they pursue a rigorous academic program and rich culture emersion,” he said.

University president, Donald J. Harrington, C.M, said also in a statement, that he feels students will have much to gain from the move in the long run.

“Our presence in Rome is a commitment to our students to provide quality study abroad opportunities as we continue to seek new locations to combine academic enrichment and service-learning in different parts of the world,” he said.