Amid mounds of spaghetti alla carbonara, malloreddus al pomodoro, Palermo-style fish in carta fata, stuffed portabella caps and strawberry tiramisu, it was easy to lose track of the purpose of Flathead Valley Community College’s Big Night.

For local students wanting to study abroad in Venice, the food was secondary to the results.

The third edition of the Big Night raised $20,000 (five $4,000 scholarships) for FVCC’s Venice study-abroad program.

“It’s so important for students to learn about the world,” FVCC President Jane Karas said. “This was our third one. Dinner was prepared by our students.”

Chef Howard Karp and the students of The Culinary Institute of Montana at FVCC provided the delicious eats, helping event-goers get the most of their $75 tickets.

In the fifth year of the Venice Program, FVCC continues to send students to study art, theater and language in one of the world’s most picturesque cities. This spring, 10 students traveled to the city in Northern Italy.

The classes offered include the History of Theatre in Venice, History of Italian Art and Architecture and Italian I and II.

“I suppose there has been 40 or 50 students through that program,” said Colleen Unterreiner, Executive Director of Institutional Advancement. “And they are getting 20 credits, it is a full course load.”

The $20,000 raised will allow five FVCC students to study in Venice. Other study-abroad programs at FVCC include Ecuador, London and Brazil, but Unterreiner was taken aback at the support Venice received.

“Apparently there are a ton of people who love Venice in this community,” she said. “That was a pleasant surprise at the event.”

FVCC students interested in the program can contact FVCC Art Department Director (and Venice instructor) John Rawlings at jrawling@fvcc.edu.

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.