Life in the Fast Lane: Alumna Camilla Voltolini
Camilla Voltolini, from Verona, Italy graduated in 2017 with a degree in Communications. Camilla worked as an intern in the Special Projects office at JCU, before landing a job for a company that organizes events for Ferrari N.V. Camilla is now an intern in the Commercial Training and Master Maserati department at Maserati Spa.
Camilla Voltolini
How’s life after graduation?
Life after graduation is a continuous surprise. Right after graduation, I started working at JCU as an intern in the Special Projects office, which has increased my interest in the events management field and has also improved my professional skills in this area. Thanks to the JCU Center for Career Services, I have just finished an internship with a company that organizes events for Ferrari N.V. I traveled around Europe for three months and experienced hands on what it means to run a major event. There were days where we had 15 to 20 clients try out the latest car model and days where we ran test-drives at the local dealership. It was the kind of event where everyone is very demanding and expects excellence down to the tiniest detail. It’s unbelievable how many things one has to pay attention to. Contrary to popular belief, the luxury industry is a matter of both aesthetics and substance. Besides the fanciest locations or the top-level service the clients were receiving, at the end of the day, it all came down to whether the car was worth it.
What brought you to JCU?
After studying abroad in the US for a year during high school, I wanted to find a way to get an American education. JCU was the perfect compromise between going back to the US and staying relatively close to home. I did some research and I felt that the American education system fit me much better than the Italian one. I found that it combined theory with practice in every subject and this approach gave me the confidence to start looking for a job right after graduation.
What made you decide to major in Communications?
Honestly, I have always been very indecisive about what I wanted to study. When I applied to John Cabot, the major in Communications was the one I felt closer to my interests. It turned out I couldn’t have made a better choice! I have learned so much, not only academically speaking, but also on a personal level from my professors and classmates. I had the chance to learn something from each of them and that has made me a better version of myself. For instance, I have observed how my fellow students would go about an idea, how their perspective was sometimes different than mine, and this has taught me to take into consideration several points of view in every situation. Besides, I think this is very important especially if applied to the media today: it’s fundamental to be able to gather all the information that is constantly thrown upon us, distinguishing the real from the fake, and once we do, we can elaborate our own opinions with all the facts at hand. From my professors, instead, I learned how everyone’s path can be the exact opposite of what one thinks it’s going to be: their stories, their careers, inspired me to believe that every opportunity can be the key to discovering what I am meant to do.
What’s your ultimate career goal?
I’d say my ultimate career goal is to find what I am really passionate about and make a living out of that. I can’t imagine growing up and turning into someone who has a hard time getting out of bed in the morning because she doesn’t like what she does. So far, my goal is to learn more about events management while taking into consideration other aspects of marketing and communications. It is such a broad field that I believe I must take some time and try different things before deciding what the right one is.
Do you have any advice for graduating students?
Whether you are furthering your education or entering the job market, do not hold yourself back. Strive for the top-level schools or companies, and do whatever it takes to embrace the choices you make. I believe that it’s very important to be able to look back and still be proud of everything you have done.
