Here is what he had to say about the Montclair experience in a message from 2015:
“I studied at Montclair along with both of my brothers. As a student, I took advantage of the campus activities, clubs, and opportunities, and was lucky enough to study abroad in Nice and Chambery over the summer. Before graduating, I also had the opportunity to do an internship at the International Institute of New Jersey working with French-speaking asylum speakers. After graduating, I left to complete my master’s degree in Brussels – the capital of Europe. Studying in Brussels helped me build the research and analytical skills that I developed at Montclair State. In this Northern European city, I also had the opportunity to (re)connect with my Italian roots – I quickly got involved in the Italian community and had the opportunity to meet family in different parts of Europe.
Keeping up with the Red Hawk spirit, I became involved in young professional networks, such asÌýYoungÌýAmbassador SocietyÌýin Italy, theÌýYoung European Health ForumÌýGastein,ÌýYoung European Leadership, and theÌýOne Campaign Youth AmbassadorsÌýprogram.Ìý Through these experiences, I got to work with Italian students on recommendations for the G8 and present ideas for a sustainable Europe in the European Parliament.Ìý. Upon completion of my Masters, with merit, I worked in a migrants’ rights organization, an NGO working in the field of public health, and a network of public authorities working on health inequalities. These experiences allowed me to gain insight into the European Union decision-making process, and the policy design and implementation process. Working for European networks, I have had the opportunity to travel to Germany, Austria, Greece, Latvia, Romania, Croatia, France, Luxembourg, Spain and Portugal as well as Taiwan.
This year with the One Campaign, I will be travelling to the G7 in Germany and organizing awareness-raising activities on malaria.
I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to study at Montclair where I had professors who challenged students to think critically and pushed them to excel academically.Ìý My research and critical analysis skills serve me well in a fast-paced political environment. My time at Montclair also familiarized me with working in a multi-cultural environment. For students of international relations, this is essential, and now I make use of this skill in interactions with decision makers from 28 different member states. I would encourage Montclair students to learn about a new culture and travel as much as they can as students.”
– Posted 9/8/2015