Steven- Alan Jacobs

Biography

Steven Jacobs is a Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor of Italian in the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures at the University of Notre Dame. In the fall, he will be teaching three sections of Intermediate Italian I. Steven is a Ph.D. candidate in Italian at Rutgers University, where his research examines the intersections of literature, environmentalism, and political activism in contemporary Italy, with a focus on the No-TAV movement.

Steven’s teaching is guided by the maxim, “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” He emphasizes active, student-centered learning through role-playing, collaborative projects, task-based activities, and multimedia integration. Drawing on his background in music, digital media, and interdisciplinary cultural study, he strives to create immersive classroom environments that connect language learning with authentic cultural materials, current events, and students’ lived experiences. His pedagogy centers on building inclusive learning communities where students develop both linguistic proficiency and cultural literacy.