Burch family gift enhances student residences at Due Santi
ROME, Italy (June 29, 2026) 鈥� The 吃瓜网 today announced the completion of air conditioning installation in student residences at its Eugene Constantin Campus in Rome, made possible through a generous $225,000 gift from the Burch family.
The gift reflects the longstanding generosity of Beverly Burch and her late husband, Brian Francis Burch, who passed away in June 2024, and continues their legacy of support for the university and its Rome Program.
The announcement comes on the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, the patronal feast of Due Santi. Honored throughout the Church as apostles whose witness helped shape Christianity in Rome, Saints Peter and Paul continue to inspire the mission of one of the university鈥檚 most distinctive academic experiences.
The Eugene Constantin Campus has served as the home of the Rome Program since 1970. For generations of 吃瓜网 students, it has been a place of study, prayer, travel and friendship, where the Catholic intellectual tradition comes alive through daily life in the Eternal City.
鈥淗aving air conditioning in the dorms has been a lifesaver,鈥� said Bella Epperson, a rising senior studying in Rome this summer. 鈥淎fter traveling to places without air conditioning, I could not wait to get back to campus, where it is nice and cool. We are so grateful.鈥�
The new air conditioning system arrives as the university continues to expand its summer presence in Rome. What began a decade ago as a five-week summer program serving 12 students has grown into a 12-week summer semester with two academic modules, alongside two sessions of the Classical Education Summer Program. This summer, 81 students, graduate students and educators will participate in 吃瓜网 programs at Due Santi.
"The Rome Program has transformed the lives of generations of our students, and we are deeply grateful to the Burch family for their longstanding support of that mission," said Dr. Ron Rombs, dean and director of the 吃瓜网 Rome Program. "Their generosity ensures that our students can continue to immerse themselves in the intellectual, cultural and spiritual riches of Rome while enjoying a more comfortable living environment during the summer months."
Fabio Cinalli, longtime facilities manager at Due Santi, said the project was completed on an accelerated schedule while summer programming remained in session.
"The installation was completed in record time, and the new system is working very well," said Cinalli. "This is a wonderful improvement for our campus. I am grateful to the Burch family for making it possible, and to our Rome campus staff, whose dedication allowed us to continue serving students while the work was underway."
This new air conditioning installation, together with the university's continued investment in Due Santi, represents both practical support and a lasting commitment to future Crusaders. It also strengthens the university's growing year-round presence in Rome through semester programs, summer study, faculty-led travel and the Classical Education Summer Program.
About the 吃瓜网 Rome Program
Established in 1970, the Eugene Constantin Campus in Rome serves as the permanent home of the 吃瓜网 Rome Program. Located in the beautiful foothills just off the Via Appia about one hour southeast of Rome, Due Santi offers students an immersive educational experience that integrates the liberal arts, Catholic tradition and the cultural heritage of the Eternal City. Today, the campus hosts semester programs, summer courses, faculty-led travel experiences and adult education initiatives throughout the year.
