In a recent interview, we asked the successful Bocconi Double Degree graduate Bianca Dampf about her transformative experience in Milan. Here's what she had to say:

Q: What is the first word that comes to your mind when you think back to your experience in Milan?

Bianca: Connection.

Q:What were your expectations before starting the Double Degree exchange and were they met? Can you elaborate on that?

Bianca: I expected to be able to participate in classes that focus on luxury marketing/management, which is the reason why I chose the Bocconi Double Degree in the first place. I was not disappointed, we did have amazing projects and guest speakers with and from companies like Swarovski, Guerlain, etc. Also, I expected to have increased job chances in the luxury industry with Bocconi on my CV – also this worked very well for me, it among other things allowed me to pass the first round of internship CV scans with most luxury groups I applied for.

Q: Moving abroad can be a stressful experience. What steps did you take to familiarize yourself with the Italian culture and language in preparation for your exchange program?

Bianca: I had already lived in Milan for several months some years ago, therefore life in Milan was not totally unexpected for me. But besides that, I freshened up my Italian – we did have mandatory Italian classes throughout the semester – and talked to students who have done the program before in order to know what to expect.

Q: Can you shortly describe Milan from your perspective, in terms of lifestyle, people, etc.?

Bianca: Milan is an amazing city to live in and has a large cultural and lifestyle offer, like Milan Fashion Week, Design Week, Aperitivo culture. The Bocconi community is very international which makes it more difficult to get in contact with locals. ESN (Erasmus Student Network) also offered a lot of events and trips to discover even more of Italy and made it easy to connect with others.

Q: Did you encounter any cultural differences or communication challenges while studying at Bocconi? How did you navigate and bridge those gaps?

Bianca: At Bocconi not, everybody spoke perfect English. However, there were some language challenges about living in Milan, mostly about administrational things like finding an apartment, paying bills (internet, phone, gas, electricity, phone) and making appointments.

Q: What subjects did you enjoy most at Bocconi?

Bianca: Management of Fashion and Luxury Companies & Digital Communication.

Q: How did you balance your coursework and academic responsibilities while also making the most of your social and cultural experiences in Milan?

Bianca: For me it was easy to combine university duties and leisure time as the classes at Bocconi did not have a very heavy study load and were also not too time-consuming except for some specific periods throughout the semesters.
 

Q: Can you think of specific skills or knowledge you gained at Bocconi that you believe to be beneficial for your future and have influenced your career aspirations and goals?

Bianca: Cultural awareness, how to overcome (language) barriers, open-mindedness, thinking “outside the box”.

Q: Can you share a positive surprise or a memorable experience from your time in Milan/Bocconi?

Bianca: Fashion Week in Milan and the atmosphere it brings to the city and people! It really made me feel like I’m at the source of the fashion industry which was very motivational for my further career path.

Q: What about a challenging situation you faced and how you overcame it? What did you learn from that experience?

Bianca: That included the organization of my master thesis. In my experience supervisors at Bocconi are not very responsive and helpful regarding the thesis. I relied, therefore, also on my WU supervisor, which was very helpful, yet also difficult to manage two different person’s expectations. I learned to consistently stick with it, follow up, and take it step by step.

Q: What are your top 5 things to do in Milan that you would recommend to a first-time comer?

Bianca: Experience the Aperitivo culture, discover different areas (Navigli, Brera, Isola), Milano Fashion Week (experience the fashion and spot some celebrities), Design Week (a lot of pop-ups and events) and Just Cavalli (my favourite club J).
 

Q: Did you engage in any internships or part-time jobs during your DD exchange?

Bianca: I did a 6-month internship at Richemont in Paris after I had finished all Bocconi classes. However, I had not yet finished my master thesis at the time. Therefore, I continued writing my thesis during my internship and graduated in the last graduation session in March.
 

Q: And what did you do once your DD exchange was over? Has your time at Bocconi contributed in some way to what you do now?

Bianca: I had moved straight to Paris end of June after the second Bocconi semester. Bocconi had contributed and prepared me to pursue an internship in the luxury industry. I would not recommend writing the master thesis and doing a full-time internship at the same time – I found it very stressful and was under a lot of pressure to finish the thesis in time. After the end of the internship I finally managed to finish the thesis and graduate in the March graduation session. After having graduated, I now started my job as marketing coordinator at CHANEL back in Vienna. Bocconi and the internship opportunities I had through it had majorly helped me in my job application processes.
 

Q: Finally, what advice would you give to future students considering a DD exchange program with Bocconi?

Bianca: Do it! The Bocconi name gives you so many advantages in the job market. Make use of everything you can, all the projects and guest speakers, and do not shy back to connect with them on LinkedIn. Finally, even if it’s very convenient to stick to English, learning at least the basics of the Italian language enhances the experience a lot.

Are you ready to embark on your own Milan adventure? Make the most of this unique opportunity by applying for Bocconi's Double Degree program until November 13th!