Italian

Master in Social Psychology at the University of Padova and Bachelor in Philosophy at the University of Paris-Nanterre

Ilaria has explored a wide range of programs at VIU, including the Summer Session three times, a Graduate Seminar on Critical Phenomenology, and two Summer Schools. We sat down with her to talk about her rich experience at VIU and what keeps bringing her back. For Ilaria, VIU is above all about encounters: meeting new people, and finding a place to learn freely.

Her first visit to VIU was for the Globalization Program Summer Session during her first year of university. She took a course on "Globalization and Health," taught by Roberto De Vogli, professor of psychology at the University of Padova. The two discovered they shared similar research interests, and he later became the supervisor of her thesis.

The following year, she returned for a course on literature: "Romantic Love in Japan and Europe" taught by Adrian Pennington from Waseda University. This experience revealed connections between her studies in psychology and the other fields in humanities, and underlined the importance of exploring other disciplines.

Returning for a third consecutive year, she took a course on social psychology that would go on to shape her academic path: "Form follows function! – Social Psychological Concepts and How They Uncover the Logic of Group Dynamics, Conflicts and Ways towards a Solution" and was taught by Mechthild Schäfer, professor at Ludwig Maximilians Universität. The course inspired her to choose social psychology as her master's specialization.

After her experiences in the Globalization Program, Ilaria came back to try a different type of VIU activity, the Intensive Graduate Activities. These are one-week intensive programs designed to encourage interdisciplinary work around transversal topics.

For her first graduate activity, Ilaria came to the Graduate Seminar on Critical Phenomenology, where, by the end of the activity, she felt empowered to engage, discuss and contribute to the discussion alongside PhD students as a master's student. That opened something in her: why not pursue a PhD? It also gave her a deeper understanding of the discipline, that would later draw on in her own thesis.
 
Ilaria and other VIU alumni students - GS Critical Phenomenology

The following summer, Ilaria joined San Servolo for two Summer Schools. The first, "Ethics and Health Care: End of Life from a Global and Multicultural Perspective" brought fresh, multidisciplinary perspectives and concepts for her master's thesis research. She also had the opportunity to present her work and receive feedback on what was working well and where she could improve.

A few weeks later, she was back for the second Summer School, on "Global Mental Health and Human Rights," this edition focused on "Confronting 21st-Century Authoritarianism and Racial Supremacy." It was for her a different experience, she encountered "alternative ways of teaching, learning and doing research." What she valued was finding a group of people she could count on: people who shared her approach to academia, and with whom she could talk and exchange advice.

Much as she had found her thesis advisor through the Summer Session, history repeated itself here: this time, a professor invited her to be supervised for a PhD. VIU, it seems, has a way of making these encounters happen.

When asked to describe VIU, Ilaria uses the metaphor of "a nest." No matter where her academic path takes her in other universities, and in other countries, she always finds her way back to VIU, a place that's always open to her.

People arrive at VIU as strangers, and by the end, everyone is fully engaged with the program, the material, discussion and learning together. "Openness" is a word she returns to often. Everyone comes to "enjoy the experience itself of the program, learning from each other, exchanging ideas, and getting inspiration," which creates a unique atmosphere between the students and professors.

Ilaria also highlights the flattened hierarchy that's unusual in academia: shared coffee breaks and lunches between students and professors create a safe space for dialogue.

On the learning experience itself, Ilaria describes VIU's community as "a place where borders can be crossed easily: both borders between disciplines, and between cultures and nations." She describes her time here as enriching both academically and personally, thanks to the reciprocal these exchanges. The connections she's built go well beyond the university, a real, human connections that have given her friends around the world.

Her advice to future students? "Have the courage to stay with the discomfort." It can be challenging to step into an international, interdisciplinary environment for the first time, but she encourages students not to fear asking questions, and to move forward with courage. No one is here to judge you; it is an opportunity to enjoy learning together. To make the most of the VIU experience, she says, you have to let go of any performative mindset, and have the humility to open up and listen to others, receive what they offer, and share in return through questions and discussion.

For Ilaria, the essence of VIU comes down to its "strong openness to diversityin discipline, cultures, languages, methodologies, and experiences."