With more than 400 members, AMICI or ‘Friends’ is not just a college diversity organization, but a huge family. AMICI, which stands for Association to Maximize Italian Cultural Influence, celebrates Italian culture with many events and activities throughout the year.

One of their biggest events is the AMICI feast, which was held on Nov. 5 2007. Alumni Hall was filled with red, green and white balloons and tons of Quinnipiac students.

“The feast was a time for everyone to come together, put aside their own agenda’s and enjoy each others company,” senior health science major and Vice President of AMICI Veronica Fiore said.

Students paid $5 at the door to feast on a smorgasbord of pasta, meatballs and pizza, listen to Italian music and get personalized Italian postcards made.

“We wanted our Italian culture to shine through at the same time as letting students from other cultures come to hang out and have a few laughs,” Fiore said.

To raise money for the feast, AMICI participated in Parents Weekend and sold Italian pastries and coffee.

“Parents weekend was a huge success and it made our feast better than we even expected,” Nicole Pascale, criminal justice major and President of AMICI said.

AMICI has worked with CAP during Halloween, recently worked on a poster to be a part of Montage’s “I Heart Art” Festival and are also working with the student diversity board for Cultural Week.

“We like to get involved with as many other organizations as we can,” Pascale said.

This year, AMICI is trying its hardest to work together with the outside community.

“In past years, AMICI events were confined to the Quinnipiac campus, so I wanted to make sure we expanded outside of campus to share our love of culture with as many others as we can,” Fiore said.

AMICI is taking part in Albertus Magnus College’s International Food Night on Feb 26.

“We are going to cook food for their celebration and even teach them an Italian dance,” Fiore said.

Following their motto, “Finché c’é vita c’é speranza” which means, “Where there is life there is hope,” AMICI is going to come together this semester to help our troops.

“We are going to make Italian Valentine’s Day cards and also care packages to send to Iraq,” Fiore said.

Another idea Fiore had to bring members of the community together was to make a cookbook out of a collection of member’s homemade recipes.

“I want to take a little bit of home from everyone and put it together in one big book for all to share,” she said.

AMICI meetings are held on Monday nights at 9:15 in the café and anyone can join.

Want another incentive? The E-Board gives out Cannoli points to the most active members, and for members who hold the top amount of points? They get to have an end of the year walk around New Haven’s Little Italy and a meal at Pepe’s pizza.