The Grand Tour
Victor Squitieri
University Writing Program
Born into an Italian immigrant family, Victor Squitieri grew up in New Jersey, read Shakespeare’s works twice before finishing high school, attended Montclair College where he considered a major in herpetology, then transferred to UC Berkeley as an English major and went on to get his doctorate there, specializing in Shakespeare and film and writing a dissertation on Orson Welles’ film version(s) of Othello. While in graduate school, he lived in Paris for three years, first studying at the University of Paris III (Censier, La Nouvelle Sorbonne), and then teaching English at L’Ecole Supérieure de l’Informatique in Montreuil. Victor has taught writing, literature, history and culture at UC Berkeley, Armstrong College, the University of San Francisco, and UC Davis, where he is currently a lecturer in the University Writing Program. Victor met his wife Michelle on the stage of the Greek Theater during the graduation ceremony in which they were both receiving their doctoral diplomas from UC Berkeley, and they were married the following year. They pioneered the first-ever UC Davis Grand Tour program in the summer of 2007 and have taught this program regularly since.
A Message to Students and Parents
"We love these cities and enjoy sharing them with students. Grand tourists travel and study and play together. We see lots of beautiful art and many beautiful places; we develop a historical perspective on our own travels. The course and travel are demanding so we all practice discipline; we take care of each other; and we have a lot of fun. Grand tourists stay connected with each other long after the course is over."