Category: Sterling Foster

ACB Social Inclusion: Innovators in Service

For our final site visit, my Innovators in Journalism classmates and I visited the office of ACB Social Inclusion. This nonprofit organization, founded in 2006 and reintroduced as ACB in 2014, has a very fitting name. Their mission is “promoting the inclusion and enhancement of diversity by responding to the needs of the territory.” While there, we learned that one of their major focuses is supporting migrants in Arezzo. According to their website, they aim to “devote ourselves completely to the listening desk to support the most vulnerable people, to the activity of linguistic-cultural mediation, particularly with schools in the area, and to many training activities for adults and educational programs for children, all with the goal of improving Italian language skills among migrants.” A beautiful mission, and the first of its kind in Arezzo. How’s that for innovative?

One of the ways ACB helps migrants is with QR codes to helpful videos in their language.

This week, I was assigned the “origin and motivation” theme of innovation. I told Paola Miraglia, the director of ACB and the person we interviewed, that I thought it was the best topic to have for this week’s site visit. After hearing her speak about their work, I felt even more confident about this.

When I asked how the organization started, and whether there was a gap in the market, Miraglia quickly responded that in Italy, “a gap is the normality.” In other words, the system is full of barriers. ACB’s founder recognized just how complex and confusing Italian immigration laws could be for foreigners, and the lack of resources that could help them navigate.

“People coming here can’t understand Italian law, and the system is very difficult for them,” Miraglia told us. “And in our opinion, it was very important to have someone who could explain, but also assist these people, and accompany them.” For migrants coming to Arezzo, “there was this need for a kind of specialization,” she said. And so ACB Social Inclusion was born.

The staff of ACB with local leaders and experts on World Refugee Day. “With events like the one on June 20, we reiterate our daily commitment to creating a more just, inclusive and open society in compliance with the laws and its institutions.”

That response, that desire to step in where government institutions failed, is innovation. ACB wasn’t created to offer services and make a profit; it was made to help real people who were struggling in a new, unknown environment. They noticed a hole in the system and they patched it, purely based on compassion, empathy, and community-building for this often marginalized part of the population. To me, that’s the best kind of innovation.

Naturally, I wanted to know what drives such a team. I wanted to know what keeps this team getting out of bed in the morning and bringing them to ACB everyday. So I asked.

Miraglia told me it basically came down to one thing: solidarity. Especially during the early days of COVID-19, she said, there was this powerful feeling among the team that together, they could make a difference. “That sort of feeling of being a group really helped,” she explained. While they couldn’t fix the pandemic, they could support each other and the people they were working with. The feeling of knowing they weren’t alone in the effort gave them the motivation to keep showing up, even when things were hard. In this case, innovation looked like resilience, teamwork, and refusing to let a global pandemic stop them from helping people.

Inside a meeting room with trophies won by some of the kids ACB has helped.

“What’s your favorite part about your job?” was my final question. “It’s not an easy answer,” she started.

In the end, her favorite part of her job is knowing how crucial her role is to ACB’s effectiveness. Now that she’s in more of an organizational position, she’s a bit more removed from the personal stories of the people they help. But in a way, this distance has allowed her to be more productive and effective. When support workers come to her with specific cases, she’s able to stay sort of detached and focus on organizing the steps that need to be taken without getting emotionally overwhelmed. She mentioned that it’s been a natural shift for her, and she’s realized that she’s now more helpful in this role than she was in her original role at the front desk. She’s found a balance that’s still deeply connected to the mission, but with a better perspective that allows her to make a real difference in a different way. This is a reminder that sometimes the best way to help is by finding the place where you can have the most impact, even if it means stepping back a little to get a bird’s eye view.

At its core, this is the very essence of innovation. ACB recognized the needs of others and used the resources they had to make a real impact. They didn’t just see a “gap” in the system, they saw real people struggling and stepped up. By focusing on the human side of things rather than the profit side, they’ve created a space that’s truly making a difference in the lives of those who need it most.

My biggest takeaway from this interview was how powerful having empathy for others can be in driving innovation. ACB proves to me that the most impactful innovation starts with compassion for our fellow humans.

My classmates and I with Paola Miraglia.

Innovating Innovation at Esimple

On a beautiful spring Monday in late March, my Innovators in Journalism class went to the office of the minds behind Esimple, a company that digitally transforms other businesses to stay current in today’s market. This service can include everything from websites, to augmented reality, to virtual reality. We got to talk to Francesco Marcantoni, pictured below on the right, one of the founders of Esimple, and learn all about his innovative business.

The first question we asked, as has now become standard for our interviews, was “What is your definition of innovation?”

Marcantoni: “I think the innovation should be something that gives more, something that gives an advantage. I think it’s only useful when it gives an advantage to those who use it. So a lot of innovation takes time to reach the target because it’s hard to understand early on that the real use of the technology can be an innovative thing.”

I think his definition couldn’t be more perfect to set up for the rest of my questions. It almost foreshadows the main thing I learned from this interview: the fact that innovation can innovate on top of itself.

I pointed this out directly, asking him, “It sounds to me like you guys innovate based on other people’s innovation. How do you navigate relying on other innovation for your innovation?”

Marcantoni acknowledged this reality, explaining, “It’s true, because obviously we couldn’t afford the cost to create innovation talking about hardware or engines because it costs too much money to make it. So you have to use something that is made by someone else and you have to be fast to understand what you can do with this kind of innovation.”

He gave the example of Apple Vision Pro, pictured left, noting that even Apple doesn’t fully know where the product will go in the next few years. He compared it to the launch of the iPhone, where the real innovation wasn’t just making a smartphone but realizing that a touch interface could completely change how people interacted with technology.

This perspective was interesting to me. Innovation isn’t just about inventing something brand new? Turns out, it’s also about recognizing potential and pushing existing technology in unexpected directions. In Esimple’s case, that means adapting tools like Unity, hand-tracking, and augmented reality to fit business needs. I learned that true innovation isn’t just creating it’s also about seeing what exists and asking, “What more can we do with this?”

I then added, “When I look at this technology, all I see is potential and more potential. Obviously, some businesses are skeptical, but which industries are the early adopters? Who is really embracing this?”

Marcantoni explained that while virtual and augmented reality are still emerging in many industries, the automotive industry has been using them for years. “For example, the Vario headset, which was the best before the Apple Vision Pro, was primarily used in the automotive industry for prototyping, to assess comfort, size, and design. Flight simulation is another example. This kind of technology has been used in that field for over 20 years, long before VR became commercially available.”

But when asked, “Who should be using this that isn’t yet?” Marcantoni pointed to an unfortunate, but important, point: many companies already have the necessary 3D models and tools but aren’t using them. “The biggest challenge is creating the digital assets. This technology could work in any industry, but companies that already use 3D modeling, like those designing mechanical equipment, aren’t fully utilizing what they have. They don’t understand its potential.”

As we know in innovation, not understanding the potential of something can be a serious roadblock.

Even when businesses have the resources, he explained, the biggest resistance often comes from leadership. “In Italy, many companies are still run by 70- or 80-year-old men who don’t want to hand over control to younger engineers. They say, ‘I’m the owner, you’re the employee.'”

Businesses can “Trasformiamo la realtà” with the help of Esimple.

This final point stuck with me. A huge part of whether or not innovation is implemented is about the mindset of the person who has the power to innovate. The tools exist, the potential is limitless, but without forward-thinking leadership, the most groundbreaking advancements go untapped. (Don’t think about that point too hard, it’ll make you go down a rabbit hole of all the things that we’re missing out on right now.)

All in all, at Esimple I learned something important: their work proves that sometimes innovation is about seeing beyond what already exists and daring to take the next step with it. And sometimes, that next step is esimple: embracing change. Did you see what I did there?

Touring Teletruria and Turning Risk Into Innovation

https://youtube.com/shorts/M8YCIBYOBAE?feature=share


On Monday, March 10th, my Innovators in Journalism classmates and I once again loaded into a van and drove to the Teletruria Studio, one of Arezzo’s main news networks. When we got there, we were greeted by Maddalena Pieroni, a charming journalist with gorgeous hair that made us feel instantly comfortable. We introduced ourselves and explained our majors to her, and then her boss, Alex Revelli, came down and kicked off the grand tour of the studio.

In the video above, you’ll get to experience the tour with me as he guides us through Teletruria’s impressive space, which was absolutely amazing to experience first-hand. We explored the journalists’ offices, the editing rooms, a photography studio, and intricately designed sets, where each space revealed a different part of the news production process. It really takes a village! I think the most surprising stop was the fully stocked kitchen set, equipped with every appliance a guest chef might need for a live cooking segment. After wrapping up the tour, we had the chance to squeeze in a quick interview before our big moment: stepping in front of the cameras ourselves. That’s right, we were about to be on the news. Live.

But let me back up for a moment—before our Italian newscast debut, we sat down for an interview with Alex and Maddalena. We asked them all sorts of questions on innovation, with my area of focus on the risks taken in order to innovate. Going around in a circle to ask questions, I was last in our group to ask my question. When my turn came, I asked, “In the span of your 51 years on air, what has been your biggest risk taken?”

He didn’t hesitate: “The money.” He went on to explain that, over the course of the 50 years Teletruria has been around, everything has changed. The advertising landscape is new, and audiences are consuming content in more ways than in the past.“The advertising is not on the same level. It depends on the people that are working in the advertising office.” Their team had a huge impact on this aspect, but before they could innovate, they needed a problem to fix: “Two years ago, during COVID, the government cut our funding and we lost €300,000. That was big money for us.” To combat this, the Teletruria team crafted a new strategy centered around ramping up their advertising and making up the lost revenue that way. He mentioned that the quality of the commercials have improved and they are now on a sustainable business path. “Now, we’re not just a leader in Tuscany. We’ve become the top television station in central Italy in terms of advertising revenue. Previously, we relied solely on government funding,” Alex told us.

The lesson here is that sometimes you must take a financial risk when it comes to innovating. In Teletruria’s case, when their traditional revenue stream was seriously disrupted by external factors like COVID and the subsequent government cuts, the network confronted the problem head-on. They chose to address the problem, even though it was a financial risk for them, and they rethought their business model. And now they are the top earners in central Italy. It quite literally pays to innovate.

We wrapped up the interview after that, and then the moment we’d all been anticipating arrived. It was time to transition from behind-the-scenes to in front of the camera to make our Italian daytime television debut. We saw the monitor count us down, and then suddenly we were live and on air. Instantly, I was worried about how my hair looked on camera. But hey, sometimes you’ve just got to take risks.



A Bottle of Innovation with Leonardo Bihal

On a cloudy day in late February, I piled into a van with the other students in Innovators in Journalism and we drove up a mountain to our first site visit interview location. As our van climbed higher into the mist, the winding mountain road gave way to the breathtaking view of Pomaio Winery. Leonardo Bihal greeted us at the top holding an umbrella, which he generously pawned off to one of us while he gave us an outdoor tour of the winery. You’d think that the rain clouds might ruin the view, but let it be known that the views from the top of the mountain were nothing short of stunning.

Bihal proved to be an exceptional host and tour guide, which makes sense given that he mentioned to us that hospitality is a major part of Pomaio’s business and how they stay profitable. He guided us through the winery’s underground storage, where their wines age to perfection, and even offered us a taste of their signature rosé straight from the barrel. Once back above ground, we were treated to fresh bread straight from the oven drizzled with Pomaio’s own small-batch olive oil. And after all of that, he still generously took the time to answer our questions. Now that’s a host.

During this interview, I got to ask Bihal questions about something every innovator faces at some point: failure. Specifically, I asked him if there had “…been any innovations you attempted that ultimately failed, and what did you learn?”

Bihal: “Yes. I’ll give you one example: I tried a new label for a type of wine we have here, and some people loved it and some people hated it. Of course, we try to reach as many people as we can, but sometimes you cannot please everybody.”

I pressed him for more information about this mystery label, asking, “Whatever happened to that label? Is it still here? Did you change it?” And this, dear reader, is where I found the true innovator in Bihal.

Bihal: “No, no, I still have the label. Basically, we tried to make the wine for young people. So for that wine, we’re going to try something more fun. A lot of people start to drink wine when they’re young.”

Bihal, like any good business owner, recognized a shift in consumer habits. Young people today aren’t drinking wine the way older generations have in the past. To keep Pomaio relevant and thriving for generations to come, he saw the need to innovate, even in something as seemingly minor as a label. The goal was to make wine feel more accessible, more fun and exciting if you will, for a younger demographic, rather than something reserved for special occasions or your grandparent’s collection you aren’t supposed to touch.

Bihal: “There’s a crisis in the wine business, and it started a couple years ago for the first time in 30 years. Some studies revealed that young people are not drinking wine. And that’s something we really want to bring new people and young people into: the wine world. And to do that, everything matters. The label and the product. So make a fun label, an interesting label that brings you in. And once you’re in, you taste the product and you like it.”

I think Bihal’s approach to innovation is a lesson of adaptability. He understands that in order to sustain a business, winery or otherwise, you have to pay attention to the shifting trends in your market and then be willing to take risks. A wine bottle label might seem like a small detail, but in an era like today where branding and marketing play a massive role in consumer choices, it’s a crucial factor in attracting new people to, as Bihal calls it, “the wine world.”

Innovation isn’t always going to be about a radical change. Sometimes it can be as simple as changing the way you present something to the world to pique the interest of new audiences. By adding a touch of modernity to the wine bottle label, Bihal is ensuring that Pomaio continues to evolve with the changing times and doesn’t get left behind. And isn’t that what innovation is all about?

In the winery business and beyond, the willingness to take risks and adapt with your market is what really sets true innovators apart from the rest. Bihal isn’t simply keeping up with his market, he’s getting ahead of the curve.

Innovation as an Opportunity with Arslan Khan

This past Monday, I had the chance to interview Arslan Khan, one of five panelists from South Asia who works as the CEO of an event planning organization called JJ Decorators and Event Managers in Pakistan. We discussed everything from what a typical day looks like for him, his favorite events that he had a hand in creating, and his innovative approach to this business. We even shared a laugh while briefly touching on the viral American woman who claims she will reconstruct the entire country of Pakistan.

To kick things off, Dr. Elanie Steyn asked all the panelists to describe innovation in one word. Khan was quick to answer: “Opportunity.” Intrigued, I pressed him for more information on his chosen word, asking “what made you say opportunity?”

Khan: “This event management industry is one of the industries in this country that is actually booming in terms of business. So this is an opportunity because people spend a lot of money on weddings, on events you have no idea about. People spend a lot of money here, so you just have to look and find that opportunity.”

Khan then shared details with me about a recent wedding organized in Pakistan with an eye-catching $25 million budget over three days. This example highlighted just how much potential there is within Pakistan’s event planning industry and how recognizing and seizing opportunities like these has been key to his success.

I think his perspective highlights an essential part of innovation: it often stems from identifying and capitalizing on emerging trends. Sometimes innovation isn’t just about who can be the most creative, it’s about recognizing the business potential in cultural traditions and consumer behavior. “We have two girls in our company whose job is to identify changing trends,” he told me. Whether it’s designing extravagant wedding experiences or adapting to new demands in the industry, he continuously looks for ways to push boundaries and elevate his business.

One of those ways, he explained, is in the specific type of chairs used in events.

Khan: “When I went to the United States, I worked with an event management company there. The chairs they were using were made of cedar wood, and people don’t do that here [in Pakistan] because they don’t know what that looks like. So what I did was I took a picture, took the dimensions, and came back. Then, we made 100 of those chairs to start with, and said ‘let’s just see how this one pans out.’ And that worked out really well.”

His approach shows how innovation can be as simple as introducing something interesting and new from another market. By observing and implementing successful ideas from the United States, Khan found a way to set his company apart. This willingness to experiment and take risks is what keeps his business ahead in a competitive industry.

Khan: “I looked at it and I was like, ‘wow, this is something different. I should do that.'”

But beyond physical changes, Khan made sure to point out that technology has become one of the most important drivers of innovation in his industry. Social media has transformed the event planning industry, and since people want what’s trending at the time, social media is making inspiration and trends more accessible than ever.

Khan: I think if social media was not here in this era, my business or this industry would not have been as big as it is now. Because like I said, people are just looking at it everywhere [on social media]. There are companies who are actually making websites. Like if you go to a website, you can book everything on that website. You can choose a caterer, you can choose a florist, you can choose a venue. You can even set the themes for the type of drapes that are being used in the wedding center or even the cloth that we put on the chair to give it a proper theme.

He explained that customers now expect seamless digital experiences. Instead of visiting these event planners in person, his clients want to plan their entire event from their phones.

Khan: People don’t want to come to the office now. People just want to sit in their homes. They want to do everything from their phones because they want luxury rather than something that will make them go here and there.

This has sort of reshaped how event planners operate, making digital presence and online convenience just as important (or more) as creativity and design. Khan recognizes that to stay competitive, businesses must adapt or innovate to these changing consumers, using technology to meet client expectations for ease of use.

Through both small details like chairs and larger scale technological behind-the-scenes work, Khan has built a company that embraces innovation in every part of itself. His story proves that innovation isn’t just about inventing something new, but it can also be about recognizing and seizing opportunities. That’s how he stays ahead.

Katie Ritchie’s Innovative Approach to the #1 City Park in America: Gathering Place

But as the saying goes, growing pains were inevitable. One of the park’s challenges stemmed from its location, which is situated in an affluent part of Tulsa. The issue, as pointed out by Ritchie, was that “it did not make it feel like everybody was welcome in the park.” And for a place called Gathering Place, that was a problem.

To counteract this predetermined idea that it was only for certain groups of people, the team had the immediate idea to host different cultural events that felt like “open invitation[s]” for different communities.

Ritchie: “I don’t want to use the word ‘pandering’ to specific audiences, but that’s what it really came to feel like–which was a lot more inauthentic than we had predicted. It was meant to be this unique invitation, but the result of that was…these different community groups felt like that was the only time they were welcome in the park instead of ‘This is your first invitation for a taste, but now you’re welcome here all the time!’ So that was quite unexpected but also a beautiful way to just learn about how the community responds to these different invitations.”

Ultimately, the solution was to create events that brought people together based on shared interests and demographics other than race or culture. Whether that be a painting class or a fitness course designed for the older population, Gathering Place found huge success in these new programs that seemed more welcoming to the general public. A couple years ago, the park celebrated its 5th anniversary, and these types of events were a big part of a fun way to commemorate Gathering Place’s birthday.

Ritchie: “But that’s part of being innovative and starting something new is just responding to the changes that you see.”

However, innovation doesn’t always mean replacing tradition. Sometimes, it enhances it. At Gathering Place, technology isn’t used to overshadow nature but to highlight its beauty. When I asked Ritchie how she sees parks evolving in the digital age, she emphasized the role of social media in encouraging people to step away from their screens and experience the world firsthand.

Ritchie: “A few of my favorite things when it comes to social media is just highlighting the beauty of a real-life experience. That moment of pause, of, ‘Oh, wow, look at the world that exists off of the screen!’ And I really think that that’s the beautiful thing you can create through social media when it comes to any kind of travel destination or natural attraction or green space, is creating a pause to make people shut their phone and go out and experience the pause in real life.”

At Gathering Place, social media isn’t purely about engagement. It’s a bridge, leading people away from their screens and into the park itself. In an era where technology often competes for our attention, Ritchie’s approach reminds us that sometimes, the best way to connect is to disconnect–and I think that’s extremely innovative.

The Gathering Place team also understands that innovation is not always about technology; it’s also about people. Gathering Place was built to be a park for all, but how do you ensure that a space truly feels inclusive? That’s where community engagement plays a crucial role.

When asked how community feedback drives innovation, Ritchie’s answer was clear: a brand isn’t just something that exists online.

Ritchie: “A brand is a community. A brand has legs. That’s the way I always think about it. Brand building has nothing to do with visuals and everything to do with people and making people really feel like they are part of something.”

For Gathering Place, this meant identifying the community members that weren’t already part of the conversation. Through school outreach programs and initiatives that brought the park to the community, rather than waiting for the community to come to the park, the team worked to ensure that Gathering Place wasn’t just a park people could visit, but a park they could feel involved in.

To celebrate this, they launched the Five Years of Gathering Place: A Park for All campaign. Inspired by the wildly successful Humans of New York, it invited people to share their personal stories and experiences at the park over the years, turning digital engagement into something deeply personal and real.

Ritchie: “That was really bringing that beautiful touch of humanity into a digital space, but then also into a physical space. It let people see that they were part of the park, not just invited to hang out here sometimes.”

At its core, Gathering Place thrives because of the people who make it their own. And through intentional efforts to engage with the community, Ritchie and her team have helped transform the park from just a physical space into something much more: a living, evolving story, shaped by the very people who walk through it every day.

A Conversation with Kirk Duclaux, OUA’s Original Innovator

On an early February afternoon, Kirk Duclaux sat down with us for an interview about the humble beginnings of the University of Oklahoma in Arezzo study abroad program. Mr. Duclaux serves as director of the OU in Arezzo program, and is what we would consider to be the original OUA innovator. Today, OUA is an established program for students at OU to experience international learning, but in the beginning, there was no blueprint, no dedicated campus, and no guarantee of success. What started as a small, makeshift program evolved into a full study abroad experience, all thanks to Duclaux’s unconventional problem-solving and willingness to innovate.

Ramey Brinkman opened the interview, asking Duclaux to “walk me through the process on how you started talking to OU and how this program started.”

Duclaux: “I guess in general, people have the tendency to think that it just kind of like happened overnight. One day you’re walking down the street, next day you’re like director of all this nonsense. It’s really a bit more kind of tangential.”

He tells us that through his small business in Florence–luxury art history tours for wealthy tourists–he caught the attention of OU’s former president David L. Boren.

Duclaux: “And so I took him around and met him, and he said, ‘oh you should come to Oklahoma and talk about Michelangelo.’ Well, I did, but ultimately he was interested in ramping up study abroad.”

Duclaux explains that the former president Boren was a major figure in making education abroad at OU a thing. Boren wanted as many of his students as possible studying abroad, and he knew Italy was a hub for these experiences. Boren enlisted Duclaux to come to Oklahoma and teach a couple lectures to pique the interest of students.

Duclaux: “They were like, is this guy legit? What’s the story here? And so throughout this whole process, I kind of made my way meeting these people, just being myself, just trying to be passionate about what I believe in, which is really teaching art history.”

And so it started with a three week summer program with 16 students. President Boren was a part of the group, following the guinea pig students along this new uncharted path that Kirk Duclaux was enlisted to forge.

Duclaux: “There was no way to disappoint anybody because I didn’t know any better. It was perfect. All I knew was like this person was trusting me. And so I tried to build on that and kept doing the best I could.”

Today, this summer program has around 400 students, and from that foundation a semester study abroad program was developed. The next step?

Duclaux: “He [Boren] said, go find a city. What city works? So we chose Arezzo. And then from Arezzo, go find a place. We had this place. And so over the course of almost 20 years, it developed from something happening, kind of, out of, almost ad hoc, into something that became a dedicated program in the way that you see it.”

Before finding the San Francesco Classroom Annex, Duclaux did anything to make the program work. His hands-on approach set OUA apart from other programs. “I’ll pick up a broom if I have to. I don’t care,” he told us. That flexibility was crucial in the early days, as he had to make classrooms out of whatever space was available, whether out of his own basement or finding an office space.

“That ability to pivot and move around and do different things when it’s required…it’s the nature of the beast.”

Duclaux: “And so that’s kind of how it rolled out from very simple, kind of go-build-a-little-rinky-dink-program into, okay, here’s the big time.”

In regard to the location choice of Arezzo, which is different from the normal study abroad destination of Florence, Ashtynn Caldwell asked if there was “…kind of a motive behind choosing a smaller city such as Arezzo?”

Duclaux: “Absolutely.”

Duclaux explains that Boren understood that letting him take the reins on this project would mean that there would be a historical consciousness to how these programs have been built previously. Duclaux did not want to replicate a program that already existed, he wanted to make a program that used the industry standards already in place and expanded upon the shortcomings.

Duclaux: “When I’m building programs with OU, I find holes. I think holes are more easily filled than similarities. At the end of the day, finding these niches, where people need stuff, is where you can really get things to grow.”

Creating a program based in Arezzo, a charming town full of rich history, allows students coming from the University of Oklahoma to gain a unique study abroad experience, different from the fast-paced environment of a major city like Florence. The small community of Arezzo allows students to really engage in the culture around them, rather than experiencing a tourist destination. It allows students to learn cultural empathy and connect with the locals in a more authentic way.

“That cultural empathy, I think, is part of the personal impact that you will take with you wherever you go, any point in your life. If you don’t, shame on you.”

The physical location is not the only thing that drives innovation. When asked what accomplishment he was most proud of, Duclaux had a two-word answer: “My team.” When asked what he looked for when building this team, he had a longer response.

Duclaux: “Somebody who was creative, somebody who didn’t necessarily worry about what they were supposed to be doing. A lot of it had to do with how willing a person is to think outside the box.”

Sterling Foster then asks, “What do you think creativity’s role is in your job?”

Duclaux: “Oh, my. As an art historian, it’s everything.”

“I really, really believe you cannot be anything unless you’re creative.”

Duclaux then describes to us how creativity is everywhere and is in everything. Creativity, he explains, is what sets people apart from the rest. And what is innovation if not being creative? We challenge him to dive deeper, asking, “Do you have an example of your own creativity driving innovation?”

Duclaux: “Wow. I go immediately to art history for that. I don’t think of myself as an administrator. When I think of creativity and I think about this place and the bricks and mortar, I think story. I think narrative. My ability to talk about art and tell a story about art, I think is a creative gesture that applies to this place and how I would like people to perceive this place. I want them to see this as a part of a thousand years of creative energy.”

He dives into how his creative storytelling is how he talks to students on campus and it’s also how he gains support and funding. He uses this creative side of himself to be an advocate for this program.

Duclaux: “At the end of the day, you gotta convince them. And I do that by telling a story. In the same way I would convince you that Michelangelo is important. By telling you a story.”

At this, we all nod our heads and murmur in agreement. Aidan Jordan asks, “Speaking of the importance of creating a safe space to be creative, how did that go from your basement to what it is now?”

Duclaux: “Well, to me it was obvious. Taking it from something small to something big, or something that’s ad hoc into something more formalized, requires this, in my particular situation, this unwillingness to bow down to mediocrity. I don’t want to be a mediocre program. I can see where we can improve. And that takes pushiness, that takes advocacy, that takes not settling for somebody who may be above you who just wants the status quo.”

Ashtynn doesn’t miss a beat to ask him, “Where do you see this going for the future of OUA? How would you kind of maintain this idea of growth while keeping such an intimate experience with the students here?”

Duclaux: “I think part of the easy way out would be to say that numbers aren’t everything. I think quality is always better. Growth isn’t always great.”

He then delves into his desire for a graduate program, with them staying in apartments around the city. He wants more freshmen to study abroad. He also would like to see more people get financial aid to help cover the cost of studying abroad.

Duclaux: “Those are the types of students I think we need to think about when we think about numbers. We need to think about how to accommodate all types of students.”

Sterling then asks if he thinks another university would be a good challenge for OUA, and “Would it drive innovation for us here?”

Duclaux: “Yeah, it would. I think we would learn a lot more if we had more interaction with our peers. There’s 140 programs in Italy, so there’s a lot of innovative thinking already, but [in Arezzo] we chose well. We picked well and it’s worked out for us.”

When asked what would he say to a student that is thinking of studying here, but doesn’t necessarily see their major coursework reflected in the courses offered, the innovator in Duclaux gave an immediate response.

Duclaux: “My ego says, call me and we’ll figure it out. I think ultimately it’s like, where do you want to go? How far do you want to get outside your comfort zone?”

To wrap things up, Aidan asked one last question, “If present day Kirk could go back in time and tell yourself a piece of advice, when you first started this program, what would it be?”

Duclaux: “Get on the dance floor. I would say, put your ambitions aside and go dance. Don’t be a wallflower. Is that the advice you were thinking?”

We all laughed, because no, we were not thinking that. Ashtynn adds, “I wasn’t expecting that but I think I like it.”

But Duclaux’s metaphor is fitting. Innovation, like dancing, requires stepping outside your comfort zone. No one cares how you dance—they care that you showed up. People care that you made an impact. And in the heart of Arezzo, thanks to Duclaux’s vision, OUA is more than just a program. OUA is a testament to creative thinking, adaptability, and ultimately, Kirk Duclaux’s superpower of storytelling.

“But the point is, you go beyond what you’re comfortable doing, and nobody really cares how you dance. They just say, ‘Wow, we had a good time.’”

Thank you to Kirk Duclaux for sitting down with us for our very first interview.

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén