Daniela Cunico Dal Pra

Daniela Cunico Dal Pra serves as Teaching Professor, Italian Program Coordinator, and Undergraduate Film Studies Coordinator in the Department of Languages and Culture Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. With continuous service since 2001—from Adjunct Lecturer to her current role—she collaborates extensively with the College of Arts + Architecture, Honors College, and Casa della Cultura Italiana of Charlotte to advance Italian cultural education through academic programs and community initiatives.

Her academic credentials include:

• Ph.D. in Romance Languages, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (2017)
• M.A. in Teaching Italian and Latin Language and Literature, Provveditorato agli Studi di Vicenza and Università di Venezia Ca’ Foscari, Venice, Italy (2000)
• M.A. Laurea in Lettere e Filosofia, Università degli Studi di Venezia Ca’ Foscari, Venice, Italy (1993), Summa cum Laude

Her research forms a rich interdisciplinary tapestry centered on Italian cultural identity, spanning Italian-American Mafia studies, Mediterranean migration patterns, and Italian business practices. She integrates Western Art History—particularly Venetian goldsmithing traditions—with Translation Studies and medieval manuscript analysis, while maintaining strong foundations in Italian Film and Latin Language. This multifaceted approach bridges historical scholarship with contemporary sociocultural phenomena.

Her scholarly recognition includes:

• Two National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) Grants (2007, 2008)
• National Prize for Best Dissertation Thesis on History of Goldsmith (1994) by Associazione Nazionale Industriali

Daniela directs comprehensive student development through curriculum design (all Italian courses at UNC Charlotte), advising, and immersive programs including the Spring Break Study Abroad to Italy (founded 2014) and Summer in Rome Program (founded 2018). She facilitates an annual $2,000 Casa della Cultura Italiana scholarship for study in Italy and leads a virtual immersion pilot project with Emory University. Her community engagement manifests through opera productions, art exhibitions, film festivals, and lectures that extend Italian cultural education beyond campus boundaries.