From JCU to the World: Six Alumni Tell Their Story
“I wouldn’t trade my time at JCU for any other undergraduate journey, not even at the University of Oxford.”
Federico Giordani, Class of 2017.
John Cabot University invited six alumni to a panel discussion organized for the JCU Open Day on July 15, 2019. The alumni talked briefly about their experience at JCU and how it prepared them for graduate studies and the job market, and they concluded by sharing advice with prospective students.
Professor Michèle Favorite introducing six JCU Alumni.
Emily Sabbadini, who graduated in 2015 with a degree in Business Administration, is now working as External Relations Officer – PR for Fragrances & Press Events at Bulgari in Rome, who helps create and implement the company’s communication strategies. Emily was the first to suggest that fragrances at Bulgari should be publicized with distinctive in-house promotions. One of the classes that prepared her well for this job is Professor Michèle Favorite’s Business Communications, where she learned to write effective press releases. Emily said that enthusiasm and curiosity are essential qualities when entering the job market.
Giulia Campagna majored in Business Administration and graduated in 2012. She currently works as a project manager within the Credit Suisse Compliance Department in Zurich, Switzerland, and reports directly to the COO of Compliance. Giulia leads projects aimed at complying with regulatory requirements of anti-money laundering measures for the financial industry. She said that one of the things that she learned at JCU is how to write a good resume, which turned out to be useful in her job as a project manager because she can easily navigate through the numerous applications she receives.
Angelo Cerqueti graduated in 2016 with a degree in International Affairs. In 2017 he earned a Master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy in Geneva, Switzerland, where he currently works for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS). “My time at JCU prepared me really well for graduate studies,” said Angelo, who encouraged prospective students to challenge themselves and to be proactive.
Top row from left: Angelo Cerqueti, Cinzia Monetta and Federico Giordani. Bottom row from left: Emily Sabbadini, Giulia Campagna and Christine Modafferi.
Cinzia Monetta, a 2015 graduate, majored in International Affairs with a minor in Economics. She holds a Master’s degree in Food Security and Human Development from Roma Tre University and currently works at the World Food Programme in Rome as a Food Security Analyst. Cinzia just returned from Syria where she was doing fieldwork. She believes that JCU prepares its students well for graduate studies and the workforce since they get used to working in teams, supporting their arguments with evidence, meeting deadlines and remaining focused.
Christine Modafferi graduated in 2015 with a degree in English Literature and a minor in Communications. While earning a Master’s degree in Digital Publishing at Oxford Brookes University, Christine was offered a full-time position at Penguin Random House in London. About a year later, she joined Bloomsbury Publishing, where she currently works as Assistant Editor for the Children’s Non-Fiction category. “My job ranges from discovering new talent to overseeing the artistic direction of book covers,” said Christine, who added that in order to be successful in the job market today, it is essential to get out of your comfort zone and to try new things.
Federico Giordani, who graduated in 2017 with a degree in Economics & Finance, currently works at Qi4M Global Equity in Rome, a company that applies artificial intelligence to finance. After his time at JCU, Federico earned a Master’s degree in Financial Economics at the University of Oxford. “The faculty is the strength of this university,” said Federico, who said that his professors’ passion and dedication motivated him to challenge himself and trust his abilities. Professor Stefano Arnone’s advanced mathematics classes were particularly useful for his career because they gave him a solid quantitative base to build upon.
All of the panelists recalled their time at JCU fondly and said that graduation was actually a bittersweet moment for them. Professor Michèle Favorite, who coordinated the event, thanked everyone for their participation and said, “Although these alumni studied very different subjects and have taken various paths, what they have in common is that they graduated in the last 5 years and have successful careers. We are all proud to see how far these exceptional young people have come in such a short time.”
