Honoring Prof. Judy Raggi-Moore
Digital Memory Book
Join us in celebrating Judy, her life’s work, her vision, and her unique touch on so many Emory students like you. If you’d like to submit your memories of the TRACE program and Judy, please visit our submission page.
To make donation in Judy’s honor, please visit our Make A Donation tab or go directly to our online payment page here.
I will treasure my time learning with her, the incredible faculty, and my classmates in Italy forever.
I heard about Judy’s program before even starting at Emory; multiple upperclassmen I met during an interview weekend and during orientation told me, “Take Italian. Judy is amazing.” So I did. And that decision freshman year of college defined the rest of my college experience. I came from a a relatively small town and didn’t have any experience with classical art or politics or big debatable topics until college. My summer with Judy in Italy opened my eyes to the beauty Italy (and the world around me in general) has to offer. Judy was caring and demanding and thoughtful and completely committed to her students. I’ve never met anyone else with her life force (and her walking speed amidst massive crowds). I will treasure my time learning with her, the incredible faculty, and my classmates in Italy forever. I so wish I could do it again. Most of all, I treasure my relationship with Judy. Because of my experiences early in my college years, I was able to work with Judy on various projects throughout my time in college (and her dedication to everything she takes on is just as energized and full-throttle as her walking speed). Judy is a remarkably kind, loving, and special person. My life would not be the same without her wisdom, guidance, and continual support during my time at Emory and in the years since. Grazie, Judy. And much love to you. – Laurie Ann
Education is, first and foremost, a partnership . . . a covenant . . . a life-long pilgrimage
I had the a-b-s-o-l-u-t-e delight of being a student in the Summer Study Abroad Program in Italy for a number of years . . . and to say that I learned so very much from Judy is such an understatement. Okay – so I was actually a professor for the program who taught the Religion-Medicine-Bioethics course . . . but I was a student – and a very fortunate student to say the least – drinking in volumes of practical wisdom. Judy is a champion of integrative, place-based learning and goes beyond the call to make certain that students are given every opportunity to constructively engage. Judy is of the mind that learning requires all of the human senses . . . the study abroad program had little to do with desks, screens, chalk, laptops, and the struggle to keep students from nodding off during lectures. This was art and science, analysis and debate, reading and communication (in so many different ways); this was an investment of the whole person in integrative pedagogy where students and faculty walked side by side as we tested our preconceptions, mulled over our worldviews, and came to appreciate the wisdom of the people and ecology that enveloped us. For Judy – and for those of us who have taken up her banner – education is, first and foremost, a partnership . . . a covenant . . . a life-long pilgrimage of seeking, questioning, and building . . . together with those who share our convictions and with those who prompt us to grow by challenging them. Grazie mille. – Cory LaBrecque
One of the Happiest and Healthiest Times in My Life
Judy Raggi Moore is one of the most amazing teachers and mentors I’ve ever had. It was because of her that I studied abroad in Italy. I was worried about studying abroad. She encouraged me to do it and accommodated every concern I had. Now, almost 20 years later, my study abroad trip with her to Italy is still one of my most favorite and memorable experiences! I am so grateful! Judy’s passion for everything Italy was contagious. She instilled in our class a love for Italian art, history, food, language and culture. From early in the morning until the moment we went to bed, she took us to museums, Ancient Roman and Etruscan ruins, gardens, beaches, churches and temples, and she provided meaningful insights and thoughtful guidance about what we were seeing. She took us to places where we feasted on pizza, pasta, fresh pesto, marinated vegetables, olives, bruschetta, gelato, limoncello, and countless other delights all prepared by locals. We visited more than 40 cities in six and a half weeks. Thanks to Judy, our class learned, prospered and developed a very special and lasting camaraderie. It was one of the happiest and healthiest times in my life. I cannot thank her enough for making the trip possible for me and for sharing her extraordinary country with us! – Kim
Grazie Infiniti to Judy for Your Dedication
I have so many fond memories from my classes with Judy at Emory and in Italy during the summer program. From singing Volare in Italian class, to learning about the Etruscans in Tarquinia, to building campus life programs, she left an indelible mark on my education and time at Emory. I still have my book from the 1999 summer program in Italy and have enjoyed the memories and teachings evoked flipping through it recently. The summer program led to my choice of graduate school where I spent another year in Italy studying international relations. Grazie infiniti to Judy for your dedication to Emory, the students, the community, and the Italian program. I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from you and be inspired by you. – Elizabeth
Love of Learning, Love of Italy, and Vitality
Summer in Italy 2003: This trip was formative for so many reasons – my first travel abroad and experience of new language and culture. My first adventure, meeting new friends, and connecting in a more personal way with admired professors. Professor Raggi Moore’s love of learning, love of Italy, and vitality were inspiring. My time in Italy remains a highlight of my time at Emory. My summer in Italy is also where I first met my husband Dan – and for that I am forever grateful. – KC
Honor and Privilege
I had the honor and privilege of learning from Dr. Raggi Moore both in the classroom at Emory and the boundless classroom of Italy. From the moment I met Judy I knew she was special and had a limitless passion for teaching. Dr. Raggi Moore helped expand my mind from being more than a “science person.” She gave me the tools to further appreciate, analyze, think, and formulate opinions on artwork, architecture, and even the “story of a city”. Being a student in your class I realized that with every question asked, three more questions emerge and no study is truly complete. You are like an eternal torch spreading your flames of passion to us students, the unlit torches in need of light in a dark room. I truly thank you for motivating me to expand my potentials and thoughts. Although we do not have much direct communication, I always keep what I learned from Dr. Raggi Moore close to my heart. –Dennis
She Opened My Eyes
It’s been almost nine years since my trip to Italy with Judy and the team. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without her. She opened my eyes on how to see the world. Her love for people and culture has made me also fall in love with humanity and its diversity everywhere I have traveled in all continents. I’ve finished medical school and am working in humanitarian aid to create a better world for future generations to come. I wouldn’t be where I am without her igniting the fire. Thank you so much for being such a vital part of my professional journey! Best, Stephen
A Seed Had Been Planted
I was Judy’s student from 1999 to 2003, attending the summer trip to Italy in 2001. I actually encountered Judy during my very first week at Emory. She made a presentation to a group of freshmen in (I think) White Hall, and she just had rays of confidence around her. I was undecided about what language to take for the foreign language requirement. After that day, I knew I was taking Italian. I wasn’t a great Italian student, but I enjoyed the class and her energy, so I kept signing up for courses. A seed had been planted.
After college, my Italian skills atrophied from relative disuse. About a year ago, however, I decided to really try to tackle the language again, and I found that the roots that had grown in Judy’s class were still there, just dormant since graduation. I watered them with Duolingo, and then began downloading Italian news programs to listen to in the car. Now I can understand just about everything they’re discussing–especially when the female conduttrici are talking. I think that might be because my ear was first trained to Judy’s voice. In any case, this daily practice has made me think of her on a regular basis.
The trip to Italy has also put deep roots into my soul. I’m particularly glad that she introduced me to the jewel of Sicily. I’ve been back several times since the summer trip, always visiting Vulcano and a particular cannoli shop in Monreale that someone who seemed knowledgeable (Judy? Her mother? Our bus driver–whose name was Carlo, maybe? But since his slogan was “Le donne hanno sempre ragione,” I’ll give credit to one of the former) steered me to that summer. And I always visit the Galleria Regionale della Sicilia to see the Triumph of Death and the bust by Francesco Laurana. Her mother saw me lingering in there, the last student to leave, and procured for me a poster with the museum’s name on it. I still have it. That trip also began a friendship between me and Veronica, who had studied at Emory that year. We are still in touch today.
One last thing. When Judy would have us over at the end of the year at her fairytale house that I was in love with even before I knew it was hers, she would always insist that we eat the pasta while it was hot instead of waiting patiently for the second batch to come out so everyone could eat at the same time. This is now one of the laws of any table I eat at.
As you can see, the rays of sun that Judy produced nurtured the seeds she planted, and that little garden continues to bear fruit. I am grateful to her. – Neil
Italy Speaks 