Being part of the best Under 35 lobbyists chosen by Forbes is certainly an important achievement. For Valentina Cefalù, this was only the starting point of a career rich of projects. The Luiss graduate shared her experience at the University and how it brought her to reach this important milestone.
“I studied Law and engaged in various extra-curricular activities such as Professor Alberto Castelvecchi's Public Speaking course. During third year, I was involved in a project in Brussels, where I closely followed the work of the European Parliament”. This experience brought Valentina to develop an interest in international relations that affected her academic and professional career. “I wrote my thesis in Comparative Law supported by my supervisor Professor Barbara De Donno. My dissertation explored the Law of agency, comparing the Italian and American systems”.
Valentina recounted one of her most cherished memories at Luiss was “Professor Severino’s lessons, a mentor and a very charismatic figure”. Valentina reported one of the University’s strengths is the professionalism of the teaching staff. She also mentioned Luiss’s “outlook towards the world of work, advertising internships, hosting career events and meetings with companies that support students to understand how they envision their working career and how companies and institutions operate”. Another aspect that caught her attention was “the networking opportunities and the strong sense of belonging: Luiss is like a big family”. Valentina continues to follow with interest the meetings organized by ALL and reported “it is inspiring to listen to the success stories of the Luiss Alumni”.
Valentina commented her achievement being shortlisted by Forbes as one of the best Under 35 lobbyists. “I am very proud of this achievement, being shortlisted alongside outstanding colleagues. My experience at Formiche and the skills I developed at the Center for American Studies (Centro Studi Americani) caught Forbes’s attention. During these work experiences, I came into contact with the work of embassies and international institutions, two worlds that interacts with that of think tanks”.
Valentina’s future plans are “to deepen the issues related to digital transformation, because digital innovation is a driver for social inclusion”. Valentina is committed to placing herself at the service of the country, engaging in activities that can support economic development. She recommends students interested in embarking a similar path to believe in themselves and work hard to make dreams come true, because perseverance pays off in the long run. Another piece of advice from Valentina is “to be extremely curious and engage in the various activities organized by Luiss”. She reported: “I recommend you take advantage of all opportunities, including those that address issues that seem distant to our field. Those skills will make the difference in the future and your network will serve you to create channels for future projects”.