The Coccia-Inserra Award honors a teacher of Italian at the K-12 level, and is generously donated by Coccia Foundation in the name and memory of its founder, Cav. Joseph Coccia, Jr., and by Mr. Lawrence R. Inserra, Jr. Founded in 1994 by Joseph and Elda Coccia, and now under the leadership of President Elisa Coccia, Coccia Foundation aggressively p...

With a heavy heart, the Joseph and Elda Coccia Institute for the Italian Experience in America and the Montclair State University community mourn the passing of Mrs. Elda M. Coccia.  Along with her husband, Cav. Joseph Coccia, Jr., Elda co-founded the Coccia Institute for the Italian Experience in America at Montclair State University, which advanc...

Students at Montclair State University have been creating a documentary television series focused on Italian American cuisine, airing on the school's new streaming service, Hawk+. The first episode of "Red Sauce: An Italian American Culinary Journey," premiered in October last year with two more episodes set to be released this spring.  Mark Rotell...

Join us Sunday, December 4th at 2pm at Watchung Booksellers (54 Fairfield Street in Montclair) as we celebrate the launch of Rossella Rago's newest book Cooking with Nonna: Sunday Dinners with La Famiglia, followed by an exclusive Q&A session with the author herself, book signing, and FREE food tasting from da Pepo in Montclair. RSVP Here. Host of...

On Sunday, December 4, The Coccia Institute for the Italian Experience in America, at Montclair University will present Rossella Rago’s new book, “Cooking with Nonna: Sunday Dinners with La Famiglia!”, in collaboration with Watchung Booksellers. The book launch, which will take place at 2 pm, will be followed by a Q&A session with the author hersel...

The Coccia Institute for the Italian Experience in America wishes you all a happy Italian Heritage Month! We invite you to celebrate with us this month in attending the world premiere of “Red Sauce: An Italian American Culinary Journey”. The Coccia Institute for the Italian Experience in America is thrilled to announce the premiere of Red Sauce: An...

Wednesday, April 27 1 to 3 pm ET. Italian Hand Gestures: The Art of Nonverbal Communication with Luca Vullo. Sponsored by The Coccia Institute for the Italian Experience in America. Feliciano School of Business Room 140. 1 Normal Avenue, Montclair, NJ. Please join the Coccia Institute as Luca Vullo, notable film & theater performer, and director ch...

October 3 (Sunday) 5:00pm. The Coccia Institute will hold a joint event in partnership with the Montclair Literary Festival featuring an exclusive talk with Stevie Van Zandt, former actor on The Sopranos and Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band guitarist. Regular admission includes a signed copy of Unrequited Infatuations. VIP tickets include VIP seat...

The Director of the Coccia Institute is delighted to announce the 2021 Coccia-Inserra Award for Excellence and Innovation in the Teaching of Italian (K-12). Recognizing the importance of acknowledging and motivating excellence in the teaching of Italian, the Coccia family and Lawrence Inserra, Jr., have established this significant award. Our donor...

Thursday, April 22, 2021 • 12pm ET. Free event, register here. Mark Rotella, director of the Coccia Institute at Montclair State University, leads a discussion with Anna Celenza, professor of music at Georgetown University, and John Gennari, professor of English at the University of Vermont, on the impact and influence Italian Americans have had on...