Fabiana Nacci was shortlisted among the Forbes list of best Under 35 lobbyists. The Luiss graduate shared her experience at Luiss and what that brought her to achieve the prestigious recognition.
Fabiana reported she followed a relatively traditional university route and the turning point occurred when she engaged in a specific activity. “I started with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and then I enrolled in a Master’s in International Relations. At the end of my undergraduate degree, I took Professor Pierpaolo Settembri and Marzia Basili’s course where I engaged in two-day European Council simulation”.
This experience kickstarted her career and earned her Forbes’s recognition. “After completing the course, we were notified of the internship opportunity at Utopia. I was curious to apply theory to practice and I went for it. I did an interview and began working at Utopia, first as an intern and then as an employee. I’ve been working for the company for about 10 years. This together with my age is what attracted the attention of Forbes”.
She is very happy about her experience at Luiss. Fabiana stated: “Luiss is the best university in Italy for Political Sciences”. According to Fabiana, the University’s strengths are many. She reported: “the teaching staff that is a group of professionals from whom you can learn, the environment where students establish long-lasting relationships, the many activities offered for students to explore and engage in, and the links with the world of work”.
Fabiana recalled the relationships she established with her professors, especially her “theses supervisors, Ugo Villani, Giovanni Rizzoni, Professor Luciano Pellicani, who unfortunately passed away, and Marc Lazar”. Fabiana continues to have great esteem for them, despite time has passed since her time at university. “They not only taught me theoretical concepts, but they managed to transmit their passion and enthusiasm for the profession to me”.
Fabiana acknowledged another great merit to the Luiss family, specific to her area of work. She reported: “having a network made up of prestigious graduates is a significant advantage. Being able to rely on the relationships established with Luiss Alumni is very important. Most of my Utopia colleagues studied at Luiss and the shared university background unites us”.
Fabiana has a clear career plan ahead of her. She stated: “I would like to work at Utopia for a long time and improve my skills, to match the needs of the company as it transforms and, the changes in the markets and political context in which we operate”.
To students embarking a similar career path, Fabiana advises “to study and explore opportunities, even outside the University. Be curious, engage in non-traditional routes, and experience things first-hand, this will allow you to understand how to work in the field of lobbyists”.