Meet Tioluwani Olatunji, a fourth-year Biology major who attended UGA Cortona’s Science and Art History Maymester program in 2024. While UGA Cortona is best known for its world-class art programs and historic studio spaces, its diverse curriculum offers students the opportunity to explore a wide array of subjects during Maymester and summer programs. 

For Olatunji, the experience was nothing short of transformative. “I think it offered a very unique perspective - doing education somewhere else. Going to a new country, chatting with people, and hearing their perspective of things,” he shared. Beyond the classroom, he found that simply walking through Cortona’s winding alleys and centuries-old streets was an education in itself. “I didn't realize how much history was going to be within Cortona,” he marveled. One of the most rewarding aspects of the program, he noted, was the immersion in Italian language and culture. “Being in the Tuscan Valley, the small cultural nuances you experience - those are things a bigger city like Florence or Rome isn’t necessarily able to offer. The small-town vibe, the personal connections you make in local restaurants... it’s something special.” His sentiments echo those of generations of students before him, who have left Cortona with an enduring connection to the city and its people. 

While Olatunji embraced the cultural education he received outside the classroom, he also found the Science and Art History coursework deeply engaging. As part of the science curriculum, he studied various cancers and the 12 most impactful infectious diseases in the world. What stood out most was how the course material intersected with the program’s European setting. “We were studying how some of these diseases played a role in European history and their impact - while actually being in Europe,” he explained. 

As a pre-med student, the science component was naturally within his wheelhouse, but the art history segment was a new and eye-opening experience. “Whenever I used to go into museums, I didn’t know how to look at art,” he admitted. “It was really cool to learn what makes these paintings so significant. It’s the life behind the artists that gives the artwork its meaning.” UGA Cortona students spend ample time in museums and historical sites, guided by an expert Art History professor who makes the subject accessible to students from all disciplines. Reflecting on the interdisciplinary nature of his experience, Olatunji summed it up perfectly: 

“Coming from the science student perspective, it’s really cool being able to take an art class and tie in a lot of things you’ve learned - not only in science but also your education overall - and tie that in back into a new avenue of history and see it all in a different country. It’s well worth it and I don’t think anything else you will ever do in your life will even be close to or comparable to it. So definitely worth stepping out of your comfort zone and doing it at least once.” 

But his time in Italy wasn’t all work and no play – Olatunji and his new friends became connoisseurs of one of Italy’s staples: Gelato! “Be on the lookout for gelato!” he advised enthusiastically. “We went on a hunt, venturing into back alleys, asking locals where to find the ‘real gelato.’ We found tiny shops with some of the best gelato ever.” He even had a friend that sampled nearly every flavor at one of Cortona’s beloved gelaterie, Snoopy’s! 

Overall, Tioluwani Olatunji’s time in Cortona was an unforgettable blend of adventure, culture, and education. His advice to anyone considering studying abroad? “Take that step out of your comfort zone. Why would you pass up an opportunity like this?”

All photos from Tioluwani Olatunji