For thirty years, Fabio Cinalli has been the steady, quiet presence behind every semester, every cohort and every chapter of the University of Dallas Rome Campus.
By Silvia Di Lazzaro and Anna Liza Denny
For three decades, one man has been a constant presence in the University of Dallas Rome campus story. He has quietly kept the grounds beautiful, the buildings running and the campus feeling like home for generations of American students living and learning in the hills outside Rome.
His name is Fabio Cinalli.
There from the beginning
Fabio was born in Rome, near Trastevere, and raised in Castel Gandolfo, in the storied Castelli Romani area southeast of Rome. It is a region of volcanic lakes, papal villas and ancient hilltop towns, and it would become the backdrop for most of his life and career.
In May 1994, Fabio began working at the Due Santi property just as construction and renovation were being completed to prepare for the campus's very first semester.
The fall 1994 cohort arrived in August of that year under the direction of Randy Lee Irlbeck, whose name is still memorialized on a plate at the campus forno, and whose children would later become UD Rome students themselves.
Before the Due Santi campus opened, the University of Dallas had run earlier versions of its Rome program out of rented hotel spaces in the city. Due Santi represented a permanent home, and Fabio was there as that home was built.
When asked if his life has been intertwined with the university practically since birth, Fabio smiled and said: “Insieme a questo campus, sicuramente,” said Fabio. In English: “Together with this campus, certainly.”
The property itself had previously been an agricultural site owned by the Pica family, consisting of only the Villa and what are now the Cafeteria, Business Office and nearby shelter. The Aula Magna, dormitories, amphitheater and Capp Bar were all constructed and completed in time for that inaugural fall semester. Among those who worked on the campus's realization and renewal was Architect Enzo Vannini, who can still be seen on campus from time to time and who celebrated his 90th birthday this year.
Thirty years of service
For his first ten years at Due Santi, from 1994 to 2004, Fabio worked through an external company contracted by UD to manage the grounds, including the gardening, the vineyard and the upkeep of the campus's exterior and buildings.
Around 2001 to 2005, Fabio and his wife Roberta actually lived on the Due Santi campus, serving as guardians and keepers of the property at the request of then-director Wayne Ambler. It was a period that deepened his already intimate relationship with the campus and the community it serves.
In September 2004, UD brought him on as a direct employee, appointing him Facility Manager, a role he holds to this day, having been asked to take it on by the director at the time, Allyson Wright.
Over the decades, Fabio has witnessed the campus grow, change and welcome generation after generation of UD students. In a particularly touching testament to the continuity of the UD Rome experience, he has met students who are the sons and daughters of people he worked alongside years earlier.
"Over the years, I have seen this campus transform in remarkable ways,” said Fabio. “What I love most about my work is contributing to a campus that is truly beautiful. Keeping these spaces welcoming and enjoyable for students, faculty and visitors brings me great pride and joy every day."
The only witness to all thirty years
Last year, the University of Dallas celebrated the 30th Anniversary of its Rome Campus. Among all those who gathered to mark the occasion, Fabio stood apart as the only person who had been present for all thirty years of the campus's history — every semester, every cohort, every chapter.
It is a distinction that speaks to something deeper than longevity. The Due Santi campus is not simply a facility. For thousands of UD students, it has been a transformative experience, a place where they encountered beauty, community and a way of seeing the world that stays with them for life. That experience has always depended, quietly and steadily, on the work of people like Fabio Cinalli.
Thirty years on, he is still there.
