Claire Biancalana established the Simona Ciarrocchi Endowed scholarship in May 2022 with a donation of $15,000 in honor of her longtime Italian friend and teacher, Simona Ciarrocchi. Simona had a great passion: her work, the possibility of teaching and spreading Italian culture, which she so proudly loved.

But even before being an excellent teacher of Italian language and culture for foreigners, she was a person characterized by a genuine sweetness and great goodness, which was often manifested in her profound ability to understand others and to help them, a natural empathy that resulted in her helping so many people around her.

Curious, deep, loving and empathetic, this is Simona for anyone who has been lucky enough to be near her. Despite suffering from a severe form of Multiple Sclerosis, the enormous fatigue disappeared while she was teaching her beloved students, who came from all over the world and from all walks of life. Simona was always happy next to her husband Giampiero, with whom she spent 35 years of her life, her sister Federica, and all of her dear friends and wonderful students such as Claire Biancalana who, in addition to having worked for a long time at Cabrillo College, has also established the scholarship in the name of Simona.

Simona passed away on May 1, 2022, surrounded by her loving family at the age of 53, after having fought for the past year with a lot of strength and courage against an aggressive cancer.

To make a gift

1) click the donate now button on the upper right
2) input the amount you want to give
3) in the special instructions or notes box type: Simona Scholarship