Meet JCU International Affairs Student Liliana Ferreri
Born and raised in Rome, student Liliana Ferreri is pursuing a B.A. in International Affairs and two minors in Gender Studies and Legal Studies. She is president of STAND and a Resident Assistant at JCU.
What brought you to JCU?
I first heard about John Cabot University in high school. I participated in a program designed to provide students with practical work experience that my school was offering in collaboration with JCU. When I graduated from high school during the COVID-19 pandemic, going to university abroad seemed more of a challenge than a possibility. When I was applying to college, I found out that an old friend of mine was attending JCU, and he introduced me to it personally.
What made you decide to pursue a B.A. in International Affairs and combine it with minors in Gender Studies and Legal Studies?
When I was in high school, I was very active in different activist movements, and when it was time to apply to university, I immediately thought of continuing in that direction. JCU’s B.A. in International Affairs was the perfect choice because it offers courses in both politics and law. The decision to do a minor in legal studies came next, prompted by the possibility of studying criminology, which is one of my main interests. The gender studies minor did not exist yet when I started, but I really enjoyed my Introduction to Gender Studies class and when the minor became official, I added it to my course of study.
You are the President of STAND. What projects are you currently working on?
For this semester, we organized a clothing donation, an event we had never offered before. I proposed holding this because, working in housing, I noticed how much waste there is and I wanted to do something about it. We are also organizing an event with the Arab Student Association and the Asian Culture Club named Living in the Diaspora, to discuss the issue and collect donations for Morocco and Libya.
You are also a Resident Assistant at JCU. How have all these extracurricular activities enriched your experience at JCU?
Being a Resident Assistant is an essential work experience in my journey as a student. I am very busy within the University, and I am also a leader of TuttoBlue Arte e Sociale, an organization that distributes food to those in need, so managing my time is not always easy, but this job helps me get organized. It has improved my skills to work in a team, collaborating with other RAs and the housing office, and has given me office work experience. I also deal with students either to help them with their problems or to handle an emergency.
What advice would you give to Italian students who are thinking about applying to JCU?
My advice would be to exit your comfort zone as much as possible. In Italian schools, people often think they have to choose a box and stay in it. Instead, you have to get out of your shell, go to club meetings, talk to people, and take the classes you are passionate about. You should not be discouraged by the language barrier or the new environment, because it is the best way to get to know yourself.
What are your plans for the future?
For now, the only thing I know for sure is that I want to continue working with NGOs, as I already do with STAND. In the meantime, I am applying for some master’s degrees in migration and criminology around Europe. We will see how that goes!
