A Legacy of Empowerment and Inspiration

Women who change the world. Each in her own profession, one step at a time, in different eras and contexts, breaking down barriers and overcoming gender stereotypes. All distinguished by the determination to always move forward and the ambition to leave behind a legacy to the new generations. And also, of course, all united by the fact of being graduates from Bocconi University. They are the role models involved in Changed by Women, the project that Bocconi University launched on International Women’s Day last year to inspire new generations of female students, but also to support them through a fundraiser for scholarships, since an ever-increasing number of young women are crowding the university’s classrooms. 

One hundred and ninety-nine women to be celebrated on March 6, each with a different story, but a common denominator, success. “CBW is very important,” explains Antonella Carù, Dean for Development and Alumni Relations and full professor of Marketing at Bocconi University, “not only because it provides role models that female students can take inspiration from, but also because these women are all different from one another. And so it conveys the positive message that there is no stereotype of a female career and there are no contexts where it is easier to emerge. Women must be aware that no goal is precluded, thanks to their own preparation but also to their ability to interact with other people.” Many careers and all equally stimulating and exemplary, not necessarily only those who reach the top of corporate or government hierarchies.

The women who hold top positions in large multinationals, for example, are still relatively few, because we are still in a transition phase. If the CBW project had limited ourselves to them, it would have meant talking about a limited number of people and careers that are not easily replicable. There are important examples, but equally important, if not more so, are in my opinion those examples of careers that are already underway and promising, which give a greater sense of replicability, also because the protagonists are women who are closer, in age and attitude, to the students these project means to inspire. They tell of opportunities that can be directly experienced. Another fundamental component of Changed by Women is the female mentoring program, because for young women it is important to know about their careers, but also to have direct contact with the protagonists and understand from them how decisions were made at work and in the profession and how they dealt with family responsibilities.

You were one of the very first female faculty members to become a full professor at Bocconi. Are you also a role model?

I had never seen myself in that role, it wasn't something I had given a though. But it's true, I've heard students saying that we represent examples of women who have made it. I really believe in evidence, and being of example.

Over the course of your career, you have seen several generations of female students go through Bocconi. How have they changed?

There are some aspects which are in a certain sense contradictory. On the one hand, young women have acquired a greater awareness of themselves, of their role, of the possibility of being successful in many fields. On the other hand, however, I continue to notice a sort of fear regarding their own abilities, they sense they must be perfectly prepared otherwise they are afraid they won’t succeed. They are strong, they are confident but it is as if, perhaps in a latent state, the fear of not being up to par remains in them. Where young women have changed a lot, in my opinion, is in the way they present themselves in job interviews: they make their desires and objectives known with determination. It is also partly the fruit of our work in the classroom, the testimonies we bring, and the stories of those who have gone through certain experiences before them, especially in work environments traditionally hostile to women.

Role models can be high level or more down to earth. Who are the women who, on a personal and professional level, have inspired and provided positive models for Antonella Carù?

The first one is definitely my mother. She had a high school diploma, not a degree, and worked in the family company with my father while taking care of the kids. She always supported me and encouraged me to follow my own path. She was a strong and calm woman, who always put a great deal of effort into her activities, happy to do what she did and she was a constant reference for me. Another woman I want to mention is my friend and colleague Francesca Golfetto, with whom I shared years spent working in the same Department. A true example for me. If I think to more distant figures, I appreciate Emma Bonino for her battles for civil rights and her pro-European spirit, and I had great admiration for Tina Anselmi and for what she did for women's rights and not only that.

Changed by Women is an important initiative for the Bocconi community because it brings together generations of women who have studied, and still study, at the same University. According to Antonella Carù, will there be a need for a new edition in 50 years’ time?

I would like to say no, that there will no longer be a need then, because the messages we are giving with Changed by Women now will have been spread and metabolized. But I am not so sure. In many countries we have seen improvements in the position of women that seemed like points of no return, but then we have found out it is not like that. In the world of work, many things are changing and women are more aware and assertive, but we must keep the discussion on these issues alive, because there is the risk of regression. I believe that moments of open discussion, the sharing of experiences and solidarity will actually be increasingly necessary. Changed by Women will therefore transform itself, but will remain a model of inspiration for the future.