From Roman statesman Marcus Cicero to pioneering activist Angela Bambace to accomplished music composer Henry Mancini — Italy’s contributions to the world stage are legion, and Robert Barbera is determined to shine a light on them.

A frequent and long-time donor to California State University, Northridge (CSUN), Barbera has most recently made a contribution to the CSUN Foundation to create and support the Mentoris Project Pilot Program in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures in the College of Humanities. The program is designed for students who major or minor in Italian Studies, giving them an opportunity to broaden their understanding of notable Italian figures.