About

Before coming to CWRU in 1989 to teach Italian, Denise Caterinacci had been employed in executive and employee language training and re-location at several multinational corporations with headquarters in Ohio. She also did studio work as a voiceover and voice soundtrack professional. She earned graduate and undergraduate degrees at Kent State University and Lake Erie College in Italian, the Teaching of Foreign Language, Art, and Psychology, also completing courses at Middlebury College in Vermont. Her research interest focused on the role of motivation in learning. She has been awarded grants to develop conversation immersion and to facilitate translation of dramatic writing. She was a contributing writer to the Cengage Learning first-year course in Italian, PIAZZA, 2020, 2015.

She studied in Italy at the Centro Linguistico Italiano in Florence and the Università per Stranieri in Siena. She is a translator accredited by the American Translators Association. She was also licensed as a State of Ohio Department of Education secondary instructor of Italian.

As the Academic Representative for the program in Italian at CWRU, she has expanded course offerings and introduced the May Term study abroad course in Italy. She is the advisor for the Minor in Italian.

What she enjoys most about being at CWRU is the atmosphere of diversity and the intellectual stimulation. She has been named a Mortar Board “Top Prof” and “Outstanding Faculty Advisor” for the campus Italian club “La Dolce Vita”. She also advises the CWRU chapter of Slow Food on Campus.