Chi Siamo | Who We Are
Chi Siamo | Who We Are
Scholarships & Grants
VICA Grants
Promoting knowledge and appreciation of Italian culture in our community
is at the heart of the Vermont Italian Cultural Association's mission.
VICA awards grants to support projects and endeavors consistent with our mission.
Individuals who are seeking to broaden their knowledge of Italy, including the Italian-American experience, the Italian experience, Italian language, arts, music, history, and culture are encouraged to apply.
2025 Grant Recipients
Nicole Mandeville
Receiving the Senator and Marcelle Leahy Award in 2025 contributed to my ability to participate in a very meaningful experience in Italy which will greatly affect the future of our school, The Burlington Forest Preschool in Vermont. The award allowed me to attend the NAREA (North America Reggio Emilia Alliance) conference in Reggio Emilia which had a profound impact on me both personally and professionally and influenced how I view my own role at the school. The overarching sense expressed repeatedly throughout my time in Reggio is that we are doing something important in this work, for individual children and for society simultaneously. Every teacher, presenter, and piece of literature we encountered conveyed this shared sentiment in one way or another. I want to express my deep gratitude to the VICA community for supporting my learning journey. Grazie!
Stacey Hopkins
Receiving a grant from VICA to attend Alchimia Contemporary Jewelry School in Florence Italy, was a godsend. I discovered Alchimia when attending their annual jewelry show in 2002 and was profoundly inspired. The students’ imaginations and clever use of various materials created mystery and intrigue that challenged my traditional concepts of jewelry making. Since then, it had been my dream to attend Alchemia; and thanks to VICA, I did! Guided by incredible instructors, I spent two weeks intensively learning over ten new techniques and completed over 25 new pieces. As Florence is well known for artisanal traditions, I had access to some of the best raw material and casting facilities possible. And as a grand finale, I contacted Spazio TUM Gallery, in Florence and had a solo show of my final work. This was truly an experience of a lifetime. Thank you VICA!
Past Grant Recipients
Cristina Escobedo
Being a recipient of the VICA's grant opened a great opportunity for my personal growth and an amazing experience for my career as an Opera Singer. With the generous help of the association I was able to attend the summer program "Classic Lyric Arts of 2024" (CLA) in Novafeltria, Italy and spent one month, immersed in the beautiful Italian culture, learning its language and its traditions. There, I received high-level music training on the bel-canto repertoire and presented five concerts through the region of Rimini as part of the Festival "Voci nel Montefeltro" I performed on ensembles and solo pieces from artist such as Verdi, Mascagni, Puccini, Donizetti, and others. This experience has allowed me to discover many aspects of the Opera World and about my own voice. At the same time, it reinforced my actoral skills. I am more than grateful to the Vermont Itlaian Cultural Association for making this possible and supporting my learning process of being a good artist.