Recognition of Academic Excellence: JCU Students Receive America Award

On October 10, 2019, the Italy-USA Foundation granted three John Cabot University students the prestigious America Award, in recognition of their academic achievements and service to the university community. The students who received the award were Djuna Lyle Carlton, Adriana Morgan DeNoble, and Micah Katherine Hinnergardt.

From Left: Dean Mary Merva with Students Djuna Carlton, Adriana DeNoble, and Micah Hinnergardt

From Left: Dean Mary Merva with Students Djuna Carlton, Adriana DeNoble, and Micah Hinnergardt

Student Djuna Lyle Carlton is an Art History major from Taos, New Mexico. After graduation, Djuna plans to return to the US and work toward a career in museums. She is especially interested in the growing trend of US museums becoming accountable for possessing looted objects. Her Roman experience will definitely be an influence in her career as she strives for greater respect and consideration of other cultures’ artworks in US museums.

Adriana Morgan DeNoble is an undergraduate student and writer from New Jersey. She is majoring in English Literature with a minor in Creative Writing. She has also studied fiction writing at Columbia University and Oxford University. In addition to her studies, Adriana is the Editor in Chief of The Matthew, John Cabot’s student-run newspaper. She also works as a freelance writer for different local magazines and has had her creative work published in literary journals and anthologies.

Micah Katherine Hinnergardt is from State College, Pennsylvania. Passionate about the Mediterranean, Micah chose to study International Affairs and Economics at John Cabot University because of its multicultural nature. She is involved with John Cabot’s Community Service program and regularly volunteers to teach classes to migrants and refugees at the LDS (Latter-day Saints) Charities Friendship Center in Rome. After graduation, Micah hopes to join the Peace Corps and later study human rights with the ultimate goal of helping to create a more understanding and accepting world.

“I was extremely proud of our recipients, who embody the openness to the rich intellectual and intercultural opportunities that John Cabot offers them as students and that Italy offers them as Americans,” said English Literature Professor Shannon Russell.

The Italy-USA Foundation is an independent institution established to honor and promote friendship between Italians and Americans by playing a bipartisan public role on both sides of the Atlantic. Each year, the Foundation confers the America Award in order to acknowledge and encourage initiatives aimed at favoring relationships between Italy and the United States.

Other recipients of this year’s award were Manuel Agnelli, musician, producer; José María Aznar, former Prime Minister of Spain; Laura Cioli, CEO of Gedi; Carlo Cracco, chef; Brunello Cucinelli, fashion designer; Marcello Foa, president RAI; Maria Latella, journalist; Danny Quinn, actor; Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia, president Prince of Venice Foundation; Curtis M. Scaparrotti, former Supreme Commander of NATO.