,

Samuel McIntyre

I can’t believe how generous Jesus has been to me! I became a follower of Jesus early at school in Australia – he transformed me and took away my big reasons to fear eternity and death.

After wrestling through big questions while studying philosophy and law, Jesus still persuades me that he is good and trustworthy – the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords – so now I want to worship him and share his huge love.

My Nonna lived across the road growing up (she is one of my closest friends). When I finished university in 2024 I wanted to come to Italy where she grew up to learn more from the GBU staff Simon and Jess Cowell and their kids about what it means to follow Him.

I Praise God daily for how he has provided for me to do this through generous Australians. I’m a bit clumsy, so have had to learn to laugh. I love chatting about philosophy and science! I’m still learning to love sundried tomatoes.

,

Zach Taylor

Hi! I’m Zach and I’m from Leeds, England. I was very blessed to grow up in a Christian family and started following Jesus for myself at around twelve years old.

Before coming to Rome in September 2024, I studied History of Art at the University of Birmingham. During that time, I was very involved in the Christian Union (the equivalent of GBU in the UK) and through the support and training of
older Christians, God helped me grow in my love for Him and my confidence in sharing the gospel.

I graduated in 2023 and spent the last year as a Relay worker with UCCF, helping students in Birmingham to share their faith. Over the past year, my heart for world mission has greatly increased and when I heard about the opportunity to come and work with GBU through IFES InterAction I was really excited!

Now that I have arrived in Rome, I’m learning to depend on God in a new way with the practical challenges of living in a new country for the first time but I’m so grateful God’s provision of very kind friends and colleagues. I’m already learning much from Italian believers and so far I’ve greatly enjoyed meeting the students in GBU Roma, and I’m looking forward to helping them share the gospel through Bible studies and outreach on campus. I have a strong love for art and I’m excited
about the opportunities to help students engage with Italy’s rich art history as a starting point for talking about the gospel.

In my times of rest, I enjoy painting, cooking (and eating!) and going for walks in the countryside.

Miryam Giorgianni

Miryam was born in 1997 in Messina in a Christian family and from an early age she established a personal relationship with Jesus, choosing to be baptised at the age of twelve.
She got to know the GBU when she was still a teenager, thanks to her cousin who was then attending the GBU group in her city. In 2019, when the GBU started in Messina, Miryam began working as an assistant student leader, and then became student leader in 2022.
For Miryam, the GBU was an encounter that deeply touched her heart, which is why, after graduating with a degree in literature in 2024, she chose to answer the call to serve Jesus in the mission of spreading the message of the gospel within the university.

,

Aoife Beville

Aoife Beville is a post-doctoral researcher in English Linguistics at the University of Naples L’Orientale. Her main research interests include: pragmatics; stylistics; language and deception.

She has been involved with IFES (GBU) since her time as a student leader in Ireland and Italy. After her Erasmus she moved to Italy to serve with IFES InterAction, and never left! Now as a lecturer she is pleased to support and help students. She began to serve on the board in 2024.

With her husband Luca, who she met through the GBU, she is a member of the Chiesa Evangelica Neapolis in Naples city centre.

,

Katie Bouckley

Katie has moved to Italy from the UK this year to work alongside international students in Turin.

She studied Creative and Professional Writing at Bangor University in Wales (2019-2022). For the past year she has been serving as a student worker with UCCF (British GBU) in Glasgow.

Rocco Dalia

Sicilian by birth, but raised in Piedmont, Rocco graduated in Educational Sciences in Bergamo and then studied theology both in London and in the USA. Serving alongside other GBU students full of passion for the gospel of Jesus Christ – in Turin first and then in Bergamo – had a profound impact on his life.

After ten years abroad and working with other student ministries and as a pastor, Rocco returned to Italy also to serve in student ministry. He is deeply convinced of the strategic importance of the evangelistic and discipleship work among university students. His desire is that they may become faithful followers of Christ with a distinct evangelistic passion for the rest of their lives.

Rocco has been married to Madalina since 2011.

, , ,

Manuel Ardolino

Manuel was born in 1999 in Rome. He came to know Christ as Savior and Lord at the age of 14, even though he was born and raised in an evangelical family.
He comes into contact with GBU in 2018 working as a GBU coordinator in the Tor Vergata University of Rome.
In 2020, he decided to abandon his studies in Civil Engineering to begin his studies at the Italian Evangelical Biblical Institute (IBEI), earning a Bachelor’s degree in Theology with a focus on Biblical Languages in 2023. His heart has always been sensitive to Mission, joyfully welcoming the opportunity to serve among university students, especially internationals in Rome.
He serves in the “Alpha Omega Christian Church” as the teenagers’ leader.
He loves reading, music, MARVEL superheroes, movies and TV series.

,

Valentina Ferraris

Valentina was born in Asti and from a young age begins to devote herself to three great passions: studying literature and history, singing, and reading the Bible. At the age of 14 she decides to follow Jesus and from that moment began a journey of growth and continuous discoveries that still fills her life.

A lover of Latin and ancient Greek, she studies Classical Literature at the University of Turin and in 2018 begins attending regular meetings of the GBU group in the same city. The GBU’s mission involves her more and more, until she works as the group’s coordinator between 2020 and 2021.

She receives her master’s degree in April 2022 and, in the same year, she also starts working as a teacher at secondary schools and gets married in July. Once she finishes her studies, however, she wants to continue her contribution in the GBU-she has learned so much through the GBU that she feels she wants to serve God in this area. She therefore decides to begin the path of staff in training in Turin.

In addition to her involvement with the GBU, Valentina is also involved in service at her home church, where she is in charge of leading worship and youth group. She also still cultivates her passion for singing by singing in a Christian-based gospel choir, the By faith.

,

Rebecca Iacone

Rebecca was born and raised in Naples in a Christian family, but decided to follow Jesus during her teenage years.

During her studies she worked with GBU in Naples, an experience that made her realize the importance and urgency of sharing the Gospel with other students. In 2022, she graduated in Specialist Translation and began working with GBU as Staff in training. Her desire is to encourage and help students to share Jesus
in the context in which God has placed them.

Since 2017, she has been working with the youth ministry of her local church

,

Hannah Fairclough

Jason and Hannah are Australians from the most remote city in the world; Perth (what most people call “the other side of Australia”). During high school Hannah did two exchanges to Italy, not knowing that God would later make use of these experiences. Both Jason & Hannah were part of Christian student groups like GBU while studying at university and found the experience transformative for their walk with Jesus. Both of them are convinced that sharing about Jesus at university is a great privilege!

They are in Florence serving university students. They aim to train, equip, and stand alongside Christian students as together we share the gospel on Italian university campuses. They long to see more Italians working together in the one Spirit to proclaim the gospel on campus and beyond.

They have three children: Elena (2018), Samuel (2020), and Miriam (2022).

Jason loves walking in nature, passing time with friends (including students!) and visiting the park with his children.

Hannah loves cooking, having guests, singing and creating with the kids.