From Luiss to diplomacy: twelve Luiss Alumni pass the 2025 exam

The recent outcome of the 2025 diplomatic service entrance exam brings 12 new Secretaries of Legation on probation from Luiss classrooms, further confirming how our University’s academic path successfully transforms technical preparation into a strong vocation for international public service.

This achievement tells the story of a journey shaped by skills and preparation developed over years of study and dialogue within the Luiss community. We gathered reflections from some of the successful candidates to retrace the steps that led them from the classroom to the Farnesina.

For many, the spark was ignited during pivotal moments and encounters in their university years. While Marco Inzerillo cites Professor Magnani’s International Economics course, Giovanni Petruccio gives particular thanks to Professor Gianni Toniolo’s course: “It helped me understand what is sometimes overlooked in the analysis of international and economic relations.”
Matilde Fabrizio fondly recalls a meeting organized with Embassy Counsellor Simona de Martino: “The stories of her experience as a diplomat reignited and gave new momentum to my dream. In this sense, Luiss represented a fundamental space for dialogue with professionals, allowing me to maintain a close connection with the world of work and to keep the fire of ambition alive.”

Beyond technical skills: the values of diplomacy

The diplomatic exam is one of the most selective challenges within the public administration. To succeed, academic preparation must be combined with deep human qualities.
Navigating complex global dynamics requires more than knowledge of treaties: it calls for listening skills, the ability to synthesize, and a profound understanding of others’ perspectives.

For Alessia Lubrano, the university experience meant learning that “listening means suspending judgment, cultivating genuine curiosity, and having the courage to question oneself.”
Gabriele Giannini speaks of passion and depth:
“I have never been satisfied with superficial study or simplistic explanations. University taught me to seek depth.”
Guglielmo Di Nino instead emphasizes the importance of a broader vision:
“The value of interdisciplinarity is one of the most meaningful lessons. In an international context that is increasingly complex and fragmented, reading phenomena through a systemic approach—one that cannot be reduced to individual categories—is essential for interpreting reality more clearly and developing more balanced responses.”

Global challenges

The new diplomats preparing to represent Italy around the world enter the profession at a time of profound transformation.
Referring to the climate emergency, artificial intelligence, demographic change, and mass migration, Gabriele Giannini points to “an urgent need for dialogue and mutual understanding among peoples, and for shared solutions,” reaffirming diplomacy’s role as a tool for cooperation and peacebuilding.

Along the path of education and growth, the theme of inclusive leadership also emerges. For Mathilde Galli, “female leadership in diplomacy goes beyond gender representation; it enriches the State’s ability to interpret international reality through a plurality of perspectives, sensitivities, and skills.”
This view is echoed by Serena Poggi, who recalls that “as highlighted by the historic United Nations resolution on Women, Peace and Security, women play a decisive role in conflict prevention and resolution, demonstrating strong negotiation skills grounded in dialogue, empathy, and active listening—qualities that make peace processes more effective and long-lasting.”

A shared responsibility

Looking to the future, our Alumni express a strong sense of mission, conveying a vision rooted in responsibility, commitment, and passion. For Mattia Colombini, the key lies in the combination of listening and responsibility: “Only by bringing these two dimensions together will we be able to contribute to building something meaningful for our country and for the international community.”

Finally, belonging to the Alumni Network remains a constant point of reference.
In this context, cooperation among professionals becomes a core value. The Alumni Network is not only a source of professional support but also of inspiration and guidance within the diplomatic community. Gabriele Giannini expresses pride and enthusiasm in being part of the “Luiss-trained diplomats,” while Marco Inzerillo recalls: “From our university days, we learned to value cooperation over the strong individualism of modern times. These values are reflected in our Alumni community and represent an important response to today’s complex global scenarios.”

The stories of our Alumni demonstrate how a Luiss education goes beyond the transmission of skills, helping to shape a vision, a method, and a sense of responsibility toward the international community—now more than ever called upon to address complex contemporary challenges.

To all the new diplomats, the Alumni Network extends its warmest congratulations, proud to accompany them as they embark on this new chapter.