John Cabot University (JCU) is a private American university in Rome, Italy. The university offers undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, and study abroad programs taught in English to an international student body representing over 80 countries.
History
The college was founded in 1972 and it was originally located within a religious school called Pro Deo University (now Luiss University). It was named after the Italian explorer John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto), whose 1497 voyage to North America contributed to European exploration of the continent.
As of 1978, most students at John Cabot were business majors, though some were getting an Associate of Arts degree. From 1985 to 1991, the university expanded and created programs in Art History, International Affairs and English Literature. It was formerly academically associated with Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio. In 1991, the school became an independent university under the name John Cabot University and became accredited in 2003, thus endings its affiliation program with Hiram. The library moved, expanded, and was dedicated to benefactors Paul and Maxine Frohring in 1999. In 2026, John Cabot University was included in the Forbes article "15 Top International Colleges for U.S. Undergraduate Students."
Academics John Cabot University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Undergraduate programs The university offers 16 undergraduate degree programs and 25 minors. The Frank J. Guarini School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
The University has 11 academic departments:
Department of Art and Design Department of Art History Department of Business Administration Department of Communication and Media Studies Department of Economics Department of English Language and Literature Department of History and Humanities Department of Mathematics, Natural, and Applied Sciences Department of Modern Languages and Literature Department of Political Science and International Affairs Department of Psychological and Social Sciences
Graduate programs At the graduate level, the university offers two Master of Arts degrees, in Art History and in International Affairs.
Campus
The university's campuses are located in the Trastevere neighborhood of central Rome and include the Frank J. Guarini Campus, the Frohring Campus, the Caroline Critelli Guarini Campus, and the Franco Pavoncello Campus. The campuses are situated within walking distance of one another near the Tiber River and several of Rome's historic landmarks.
The Frank J. Guarini Campus, the university's main campus, occupies a former convent and features a three-story building surrounding terraces and courtyards. The campus houses classrooms, administrative offices, media production facilities, study areas, the Frohring Library, and the Aula Magna Regina auditorium, the university's principal lecture hall. The Frohring Campus, located along the Tiber River, contains classrooms, student services offices, and the university cafeteria. The Caroline Critelli Guarini Campus, the university's first owned property, houses classrooms, administrative offices, and laboratory facilities.
The Franco Pavoncello Campus contains specialized facilities for studio art and design, including studios for printmaking, painting, design, and photography, as well as a lighting studio, darkroom, computer laboratories, a screening room, and student services offices. The university also operates the Trastevere Art Studios, which provide additional facilities for art, design, and digital fabrication.
Additional university facilities include the Center for Graduate Studies and Il Foglio, which houses tutoring and academic support services. Student housing is provided through the Gianicolo Residence, located near the main campus, as well as additional university-managed residences and apartments in the Trastevere area.
Frohring Library The Frohring Library is located in the Guarini Campus. The library's collections include approximately 35,000 print volumes and 4,000 DVDs. In addition, its electronic collections count a total of 630,000 e-books and periodicals. In 2015, the library became the first institution in Italy to implement WorldShare Management Services (WMS).
Student Life The JCU student population is composed of about 60% degree-seeking students (undergraduate and graduate) and 40% visiting students.
Athletics JCU Athletics offers varsity sports, including men's and women's basketball, coed volleyball, men's 11v11 soccer, women's 5v5 soccer, cheerleading, coed padel and coed tennis. The JCU Fitness Center, located inside the Gianicolo Residence Hall, is open for students, faculty, and staff with a full array of free weights, machines, and open workout space, along with weekly classes in abs & legs, running, yoga, and kickboxing.
The JCU Athletic department also organizes trips and activities to locations such as Cinque Terre, Mount Circeo, or Sapri. JCU's athletics teams are known as the Gladiators and are represented by their mascot Maximus the Gladiator.
Notable alumni
Ali Reza Arabnia – Entrepreneur and industrialist Mia Ceran – Journalist and television presenter Eva Maydell (née Paunova) – Member of the European Parliament Bebe Vio – Paralympic athlete
Notable faculty
Federigo Argentieri – political scientist specializing in Eastern Europe Stefan Lorenz Sorgner – philosopher, expert on transhumanism and posthumanism
References Karen Donley-Hayes (17 April 2015). . Hiram Magazine. Hiram, Ohio: Hiram College. Retrieved 26 August 2022.