Paola Lorenzi is Assistant Professor of Italian and Director of the Italian Language Program at Pepperdine University where she successfully established a minor and Bachelor of Arts in Italian Studies. A native of Italy, she received her Laurea in Foreign Languages and Literature from the University of Florence. She also attended Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California for post-graduate studies in art, design and photography. In 2007 the Italian government honored her with the distinguished title of 'Cavaliere della Repubblica Italiana'. Her translations of various works have been published in journals of Italian studies. Luisetta Elia Chomel is Professor of Italian Emerita at the University of Houston where she was the director of the Program of Italian Studies. During her thirty years on the faculty of the University, her activity was directed toward the expansion of the program of Italian, as well as research. She introduced a number of new courses and, in 1992, established a Bachelor Degree in Italian Studies. Dr. Chomel is the author of a book on D'Annunzio's theater and numerous articles on Italian literature, theater, and cinema.