The Heart of the Language Wing: Signora Rullo Retires After 25 Years

The foreign language wing looks to be quieter next year, with the retirement of Signora Mirella Rullo. She closed out a 25-year career at Saint Viator, which included starting the Italian program, teaching at all levels, including the AP section, and serving as department chair for the last 13 years.

Her colleagues in the Modern World Languages Department all described Signora Rullo’s classes as “lively.”

“One of my favorite observations was when she introduced a song to her class, and after the bell rang, her students continued singing in the halls as they went on to their next class,” said Mr. Kurt Paprocki, Spanish teacher. “As a language teacher, it’s sometimes a struggle to get our students to speak to their peers in another language, but Mirella seemed to have solved this challenge years ago.” 

As a native speaker, Signora Rullo shared her love of the Italian language and culture with her students, and the feeling was contagious. Yet, ironically, she began her career at Saint Viator teaching Spanish. She started in 2000, and one year later, at the urging of Fr. Daniel Lydon, C.S.V., then Assistant Principal, she started an Italian program. 

Within two years, Signora Rullo facilitated the start of the Italian Club. In 2003, she took her first group of students to Italy and continued to do so as recently as 2018. 

One of her favorite memories, she says, was over spring break in 2013. Through the intercession of Fr. Robert M. Egan, C.S.V., she and her students could get tickets to attend Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, less than two weeks after Pope Francis had been installed.

In 2004, the College Board announced it would offer AP Italian for the first time for the 2005-2006 school year, and Signora Rullo’s students were among the first in the state to sit for the exam.

Her interest in the rigorous AP courses continued when, in 2007, the College Board asked Signora Rullo to be an Italian AP reader, a role she continued until 2014. One year later, in 2015, Signora Rullo started the Dual Credit Program with Loyola University.

To cap it off, Signora Rullo received funding from the Italian government, specifically from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), for her work in promoting the Italian language and culture. 

In most cases, the grants cover the costs of hiring Italian teachers, supporting Italian language programs, and funding study trips for high school students. In Saint Viator’s case, a scholarship was established, the Signora Mirella Rullo Scholarship, to honor an exceptional student in the AP Italian program each year.

All of which explains why her colleagues in the department admired Signora Rullo so much. 

“Mirella has been an incredible mentor, department chair, and teacher, said Mrs. Laura Klaw, French teacher. “What she has accomplished with the Italian program is truly remarkable. Some entire families have taken Italian at Saint Viator because of her.”

Ms. Elyse Slezak, Spanish teacher, credited Signora Rullo as her “go-to person” and mentor. 

“She was the heart and backbone of this department.”