A Legacy of Global Engagement
1966 | The Mud Angels of Florence
In November 1966, the Arno River overflowed its banks, flooding the city of Florence, Italy, and submerging centuries of art, history, and culture beneath mud and oil.
In the aftermath, a group of international students and young volunteers—including CSU IP students—became known as the "Mud Angels" (Gli Angeli del Fango). Many were young people who didn’t wait to be told to help. They saw a crisis, showed up, and acted with courage, compassion, and purpose.
Armed with buckets, shovels, and a deep sense of solidarity, they helped rescue thousands of priceless books, artworks, and historical records from devastation.
No official program. No credit. Just humanity in action.
Their contribution was not just physical—it was symbolic. They represented a new generation of global citizens: individuals who saw themselves as part of a shared human heritage and responded to the call to protect it.
That moment didn’t just rescue art and architecture. It launched a legacy—one that continues today through CSU International Programs.
Mud Angels in Action – Florence, 1966
Photo via Wikimedia Commons — Public Domain
Volunteers carry artwork to safety after the 1966 flood.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons — Public Domain
Restoration efforts in the aftermath of the Arno flood.
In spite of the challenges that CSU IP students faced in Florence due to the flood, here are some of the words that alumni used in the video below to describe their year in Florence:
Hear the stories from CSU IP’s Mud Angels:
What Global Community Engagement Looks Like Now
- Volunteering with NGOs and community partners
Whether raising funds for schools in Ghana, working with youth in South Africa, or supporting women and children at a shelter in Florence, CSU IP students listen, learn, and act.
- Participating in academic service-learning
Some CSU IP programs integrate community-based coursework so students can earn credit while tackling real-world issues—from health disparities to sustainability.
- Advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
From clean water and gender equality to climate action and quality education, students contribute to global solutions—locally.
A Legacy You Can Be Part Of
Whether you're volunteering for a day or working on a semester-long project, your work joins a long line of CSU students who have chosen to show up, speak up, and give back.
It started with mud and a city in need.
Now it continues with you—and wherever you go next.
Voices from the Field
“The Mud Angels taught us that when history calls, students can lead. Today, we answer that call not with shovels—but with empathy, service, and action.”
— CSU IP Student, Florence
“Community engagement transformed my year abroad into something far greater than travel—it became about purpose.”
— CSU IP Student, South Africa