Originally called the Cesare Barbieri Center of Italian Studies, the Cesare Barbieri Endowment for Italian Culture funds lectures, events, courses, and the publishing of books by and for Trinity's Italian Department. The Endowment also awards an annual grant to a United States citizen for research in Italy.

The Barbieri center was established by Vice President Albert E. Holland, Class of 1934, who named the organization after Italian immigrant and mechanical engineer/inventor Cesare Barbieri, who came to the United States in 1905. Holland approached the Cesare Barbieri Foundation, which typically supported scientific endeavors, in 1956 to ask for support in developing Trinity's Italian culture program by demonstrating Trinity's long history of Italian studies, which began as early as 1857.

In 1956 and 1957, the Barbieri Foundation awarded Trinity two $10,000 grants to support scholarships for visiting Italian students and to support undergraduate Italian studies and courses including prizes, library materials and organizing a club. President Jacobs appointed Michael R. Campo, Class of 1948, Hon. '96 the Cesare Barbieri Lecturer in Italian studies.

Campo organized graduate courses on Dante and with students, organized the Circolo Italiano, also called the Barbieri Italian Club, which became one of the most active groups on campus. Using Barbieri funds, he also brought prominent lecturers to campus such as Pietro Annigoni, a painter, Professor Filippo Donini, Director of the Istituto Italiano di Cultura in New York City, and Dr. Jerome P. Webster, Class of 1910 and Trinity Trustee.

In 1958, the Barbieri Foundation felt that Trinity had fulfilled all its expectations of the two grants, and awarded $100,000 to serve as a permanent endowment for the Barbieri program, which became the Cesare Barbieri Center for Italian studies with its own charter, by-laws, and board of directors. Professor Campo became the Director of the Center and it immediately began hosting events and activities such as a three-day conference on Italian music and Italian Art exhibition in co-sponsorship with the Wadsworth Atheneum. The Barbieri Center also supported the making of a documentary focused on the life of the 14th century poet, Dante, a collaboration between various professors including Michael Campo, and published a journal of Italian culture called the Cesare Barbieri Courier, which ran for over ten years consistently.

During the 1970s, the Rome Campus program began to develop – an inspiration of Michael Campo's - and it was a great success during its first summer in 1971, growing in popularity and expanding to other Italian cities over the years.

Cesare Barbieri Endowment for Italian Culture

Trinity College in the 20th Century (2000) by Peter and Anne Knapp, pp. 305-308.

The Trinity Reporter, Spring 2017.

Trinity Alumni Magazine, January 1963.