Commencement Day April 16 and April 24, 2010

The Bocconi Community welcomes its new graduates...

A special day of celebration in which the Bocconi Community welcomes its new alumni. The event takes place in the Aula Magna of the University in the presence of University academic authorities.

The program includes an official welcome address to the new graduates followed by prominent professionals discussing job market trends and questions and answers from the public.

The aim is to bring colleagues together and to continue creating the networking opportunities that have always distinguished the Bocconi community. After the ceremony, participants are invited to the Aula Magna foyer for a toast and to exchange business cards.

The event is also an opportunity to find out about the services that the University provides to all its alumni, meet representatives of the Bocconi Alumni Association, and find out about career services and post-graduate education opportunities.

Bocconi alumni are awarded the alumni card and University badge as a mark of pride and belonging to the Bocconi alumni community.

April 2010

View pictures in the photogallery

 

370 alumni from the Graduate School and School of Law attended the Commencement Day (17th Edition) on April 16 and April 24 2010. Special guests: Pietro Guindani, (President Vodafone Italia and President of the Bocconi Alumni Association) and Annibale Marini (President Emeritus of the Constitutional Court).

 

Rector Guido Tabellini opened the meeting and, in his welcome address to the new alumni, spoke about the value of personal talent. "Your talent, vitality and creativity are not just rhetoric. They are recognized by employers in the job market and by our faculty who come here to teach from different parts of the world." (...) "We often ask companies what are the main qualities they look for in graduates, and the answer lies in the individual talent that Bocconi seeks to cultivate. In order to improve, the University experience must be lively, stimulating and full of opportunities for growth; this is why an exchange between students and alumni is essential. We look forward to your contribution".

And again: "You will be recognized first and foremost as ‘Bocconians’ more than for your specific graduate degree, because now you belong to a community of values - intellectual honesty, passion and the recognition of pluralism. A community based on networking among its members, which is why our guest this evening is Pietro Guindani, President of the Bocconi Alumni Association".

 

Guido Corbetta, Dean School of Law, highlighted the importance of education applied to the new realities of the world’s job market: passion, interest in research, a proper balance between ones professional and personal life, merit, giving value to relationships, ethical rigor, commitment to team work, spirit of community and openness to different countries. He concluded by thanking all the alumni for their commitment and thanking the faculty and families present.

Giovanni Iudica, Dean Bocconi School of Law, recalled the ancient roots of law in the first Universitas and retraced the advantages of pursuing this degree in Bocconi: teaching methodology, international dimension, the study of mathematics (the jurist has to deal with entrepreneurs and managers and it is essential for him to speak their language), the economic analysis of law and the quality of administrative services. He added "We only started a few years ago, but we already have a Judge and our first Notary, both women". He then highlighted the benefits of being part of the Bocconi community. "You have reached a starting point and now you must face life. Bocconi will not leave you alone or abandon you, but instead hopes that the relationship established in these five years may continue, even though in a different way. The Alumni Association is an essential tool for your protection and safety."

Bruno Pavesi "This is a very special day in your life you will never forget "said Bruno Pavesi, CEO Università Bocconi, pointing out that a graduate degree is a point of arrival but also a new beginning. "There will be important challenges that you must face with confidence (and without presumption). You have a unique academic and professional background. Go join the workforce but stay close to Bocconi, remember every now then to come back home, to rekindle that Bocconi feeling that binds us together. You are our greatest ambassadors in the world, the leaders of today and tomorro".

Pietro Guindani President of Vodafone Italia and President of the Bocconi Alumni Association closed the program on April 16, by recalling his Bocconi graduation in 1982. In addressing the alumni he highlighted the following important points from his own experience: - Choose a job you believe in and where you think you can do your best as an individual and a professional. - Consider your work experience as a journey of growth - Always aim for excellence and quality in your work, even if the task is apparently small. - Take action: execute. Italy gives us a sense of passiveness, but what is needed is to prove the validity of your ideas. - Develop a culture of service, which does not mean subservience - Share your knowledge - Nurture the value of diversity: the exchange of ideas, culture, language and tradition is an enriching experience.

The President concluded his speech by speaking about the Alumni Association:
"I wish you a pleasant journey, but you are not alone. The value of our community is not only a sentimental value which brings us back to the years we pleasantly spent together as students. There are many reasons why I chose to join the alumni community and why I invite you to do so. Bocconi will stay with you forever; it brings a cultural matrix (....). In the future, based on the common values you have acquired, and with your diverse work experiences, you will have a lot more to share. This exchange will be valuable both for those who listen and for those who share their experience". 

Finally he reminded alumni of his commitment to increase the alumni community membership a community that wants to be a positive source in society.

Special guest on April 24, Annibale Marini, President Emeritus of the Constitutional Court. In his general assessment and with a bit of disenchantment, he reviewed the advantages and disadvantages of a law degree. At first, he referred to those phenomena that harm Italy’s reputation: a growing number of graduates who are inadequately prepared, the unemployment and under-employment of jurists and the inadequate management of state competitions. He then added "the advantages are represented by those young graduates whose cultural and academic level is higher than the norm. You are an important example of how a graduate must be: taking your studies seriously, properly attending your course, with a spirit of emulation, intelligence and a healthy cooperative spirit. You should be proud to belong to this University and faculty, which in my eyes today stands for what a University should be. "