Cassandra Berardi: An Adventure in Rome

Cassandra Berardi is a perfect example of "life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

An Adult and Organizational Development major who has just days to go until she graduates from Temple, it's still not difficult for Berardi's thoughts to travel back to a fall 2014 study abroad adventure in Rome.

"I had the opportunity to finish a number of my elective at the Rome Campus. My boyfriend, Jason Domingues, was studying Landscape Architecture at Temple and was also heading to Italy to study abroad for the fall," said Berardi, 29, of Ambler. "It was actually Jason that pushed me into college in the first place — I was going to be a personal trainer, I'm a certified trainer and yoga instructor, but it's very difficult to build up a client base. The opportunity to continue my education in Rome, explore Europe and spend time with Jason between classes wasn't something I was going to pass up."

While it had all the makings of a true storybook adventure — complete with a likely marriage proposal — with a nice helping of educational advancement on the side, events didn't quite go as planned, according to Berardi.

"We had been there for about two weeks when we planned a trip to the Amalfi Coast; it was a whole excursion — the Blue Grotto, Pompeii. That night, I felt this sudden leg pain that dropped me to the ground," said Berardi, who transferred to Temple from Ocean County College. "Back in 2012 I had to have emergency back surgery for a herniated disc or I would have suffered permanent nerve damage. I knew what this pain was; I knew what it meant."

According to Berardi, the Temple Rome coordinator had her at the hospital very quickly, "taking care of the arrangement and providing constant support."

"I really can't say enough about how supportive Temple was through all of this. They helped my mom Diane get to Italy to be with me — she had never even been out of the country before," she said. "I was in the hospital for a while and then went through 20 sessions of physical therapy all while in Rome. When I was able to go home (in Rome), I was only allowed 30 minute walks a day — gelato and pasta were my life for a while there."

As time passed and her healing progressed, Berardi said she and Jason were able to do a bit of exploring while overseas.

"We visited Venice; we went to Florence. We visited Barcelona, Spain, and we were able to visit some of Jason's family in La Coruna," she said. "Despite the pain, it was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had. I had an incredible support system in Jason, my mom and Temple. I wouldn't trade the opportunity that Temple provided me for anything."

Despite her unexpected detour, Berardi was able to make up her course time, achieve Dean's List for four semesters and will graduate Cum Laude. She was also recently honored with an Ambler Gold Key Award, recognizing "conspicuously high academic achievement while at the Ambler Campus."

She also already has a job lined up after graduation with cityHUNT in Philadelphia, a business where she helps to create citywide scavenger hunts to promote teamwork, leadership skills, conflict resolution and more for any size business or organization.

"I've always wanted to work with people; it's the reason I decided to pursue a degree in Adult and Organizational Development. With cityHUNT, there is a great deal of team building, facilitating and organizing," she said. "I've been involved with team processing — figuring out how people work together. Working together outside of the office can really have a positive impact for businesses and organizations. It's an opportunity to resolve some common issues and reach common goals in a much less formal, and less intimidating, setting."

Berardi said her experience at Temple has been "more than I could have expected."

"The advisors at the Ambler Campus have been my rock. You receive so much support from staff and faculty — there is a wonderful sense of open communication," she said. "Temple has helped shape me into the professional woman that I am today — you have to be fearless and put yourself out there! I don't think I'd be where I am today without the guidance I received at Temple."

And in case you're wondering, Jason Domingues did pop the question — something he had planned to do on that fateful Amalfi Coast trip — and Berardi did indeed say "Yes!"

Her wedding date is set for May 6, 2017 — exactly one year to the day after she graduates.