The Impact of Giving Back: A Quick Q & A with our Boston and New York Chapter Leaders

We are delighted to share the leadership thoughts and Alumni wisdom of two Bocconi Alumni Chapter Leaders in the US, Francesca Coloni in New York and Nicole Cutrufo in Boston, who are driving impact through community engagement and giving.

Q:What inspired you to take on the role of Chapter Leader? What does this role mean to you?

Francesca: I had been involved in the New York Chapter’s leadership team for years, and it was quite an organic transition for me to step in as Chapter Leader when the prior leader concluded her tenure. I have always been very involved with increasing engagement among new Alumni, and I see great opportunities for everyone in expanding active membership in the Bocconi Alumni Community. It comes very naturally to me to create connections and bring value to our community; it’s part of my personality. Bocconi has been a passion of mine since I joined the university in 1993. Wherever I’ve lived, I have enjoyed getting involved in Alumni chapters to find “home” and a group of like-minded professionals who share a lot and have much more to share through work (network), wisdom (knowledge) and wealth (fundraising).

Nicole: Milan is one of Europe’s most international hubs, where design, culture, and technology converge to attract talent from around the world. Bocconi was my first real step into that environment, where I learned that ideas travel further when they are built across borders, a lesson that has stayed with me throughout my life and career. When I moved to Boston without a local network, I found my footing by turning to those who had come before me. Boston is home to a strong and cohesive Bocconi Alumni Community. Serving this warm, effective and growing community as Boston Chapter Leader felt like a natural extension of my commitment to welcoming and supporting others in their journey. I am deeply proud of the community we are building together.

Q:How has being part of the Bocconi Alumni Community shaped your desire to give back?

Francesca: I believe in the flow of energy that expresses itself in the power of the network. The Alumni community has enormous capacity to support scholarships for deserving students that will help them to imagine and then realize significant change in their lives and in the lives of others through education. The mission of the Bocconi Alumni chapters is to create value through its members and for its members, and today’s students are tomorrow’s Alumni. Generous giving to benefit scholarships for Bocconi students is deeply meaningful at the individual and the community levels.

Nicole: For me, giving back is inseparable from growth; it is how growth happens. Every interaction in this community expands my perspective on resilience, ambition, and the great things that become possible when talented people actively support one another. Sharing opportunities, offering guidance, and celebrating our heritage alongside the accomplished professionals in this community are things I deeply value. My involvement with the Bocconi Alumni Community is connected to a broader belief that guides everything I do: Access changes lives. I have seen this firsthand in the communities where I teach AI literacy, in the mentees I support, and in my own journey as an Italian professional building a career across the ocean.

Q:Can you tell us what inspired you to make your first gift to Bocconi?

Francesca: I celebrated my 50th birthday by supporting scholarships at Bocconi. It was important to me, and still is, to share the Bocconi experience with young talent. It is their turn, and supporting scholarships felt personally meaningful and memorable. Helping students to complete their degrees and embark on their careers is a gift that will outlast any material object.

Nicole:I deeply admire Bocconi’s commitment to scholarships and social mobility. Contributing to that mission felt like the most meaningful way to give back. That conviction was reinforced during an event we organized at the Italian Consulate last April, during Rector Francesco Billari’s visit to Boston. On that occasion, we also welcomed Emilia Fazzalari, co-founder with her husband, Wyc Grousbeck, of the WE Dream Fund, an initiative supporting scholarships for young women, including Bocconi students. Emilia’s story is a powerful testament to the great things that access to education and opportunity can unlock. A first-generation Italian American and daughter of Calabrian immigrants, Emilia’s journey reflects the transformative impact of opportunity. The Rector, himself a first-generation university student, shared compelling data showing that Italy’s youth unemployment and NEET rates are among the highest in Europe. His words underscored the role of education as a catalyst for social mobility. That evening brought the impact of education into sharp focus with greater force and clarity than any statistic alone.

Q: What motivated you to launch the regular giving campaign in your Chapter?

Francesca: The New York Chapter launched our first campaign in 2020-21, and we decided to “Go Big or Go Home.” We were ambitious and aggressive, and we rallied the Chapter to establish a full scholarship. We succeeded through small, “grass roots” donations and the meaningful participation of active members who are major donors. The vision of having something concrete to celebrate and the anticipation of meeting the student who would benefit through the scholarship we had established definitely encouraged donations. I think all donors want to make a difference, and we did.

Nicole: From the very beginning, our team believed that impact is built through consistency. For this reason, we created a regular giving campaign connected to our events and professional gatherings, making it easy for Alumni to contribute to scholarship initiatives that shape lives and future trajectories. As Emilia Fazzalari’s story and the Rector’s data highlighted, small and sustained investments in access to education compound over time. For the Boston Chapter, giving back is an expression of who we are, our identity and our gratitude. With that identity comes the responsibility to contribute to a community that has given so much to each of us. We want our Boston Chapter to be an active and substantial part of the impact of Alumni philanthropy, and we are.

Q:  What message would you share with Alumni who are considering making their first gift to support scholarships at Bocconi?

Francesca: There are many ways to give, and all are valuable: time, experience, networking engagement and scholarship support. It’s important that we all participate in keeping the Alumni Chapters alive and kicking. In addition to designing and delivering engagement for Alumni, the chapters are essential for raising scholarship support for Bocconi students.

Nicole: I can say with sincerity that every contribution matters. I have seen firsthand how access to education and opportunity can transform lives, not only for individuals, but for families and entire communities. Our Boston Chapter now includes over 500 members, each representing the strength and spirit of this community. As we connect and grow together, giving back becomes a natural extension of that shared identity. By contributing to scholarships, Alumni help to pave the way for the next generation of Bocconi students. Last year, our Boston Chapter reached the €3,000 milestone in scholarship support raised, earning us a place on the columns of the Bocconi Alumni Clubhouse in Milan. This year, we are proud to continue this journey together. No contribution is too small. Life-changing philanthropy begins with the intention to support students who are at the start of their path, just as others once supported us.