Scholarships and prizes from regional institutions awarded to the best USI students and graduates

On Tuesday, 10 December 2024, the Aula Magna of Università della Svizzera italiana in Lugano hosted the award ceremony for the best USI Bachelor and Master students and graduates.

The awards ceremony featured Luisa Lambertini, Rector of USI; Monica Duca Widmer, President of the USI Council; Gabriele Balbi, Pro-rector for Education and Students' Experience; Henry Peter, President of the Foundation for the Lugano Faculties of USI, and Albino Zgraggen, Secretary of the Foundation for the Lugano Faculties of USI.

The Foundation for the Lugano Faculties of Università della Svizzera italiana awarded CHF 4,000 to the best students enrolled in the second year of each Master's programme based on their results at the end of the first year. A total of 21 scholarships worth CHF 80,000 were awarded. In cases where there were two ex aequo within a Master's programme, each received half the amount.

Below are the names of the students who received the awards, divided by course of study:

Master of Science in Architecture

Elena Lina-Sabrina Gisela Starke (average: 9.64)

Michele Christoph Blaser (average: 9.55)

Master of Arts in History of Art and Architecture

Elettra Pichler (average: 9.36)

Master of Science in Economics, Major in Finance

Jacopo Liberati (average: 9.61)

Master of Science in Economics, Major in Management

Edoardo Marzagalli (average: 9.43)

Master of Science in Economics, Major in Economics

Adele Bortoletti (average: 9.00)

Master of Arts in Communication and Economics, Major in International Tourism

Margherita Pucci (average: 9.23)

Master of Science in Communication, Major in Media Management

Silvia Grandi (average: 9.27)

Master of Science in Communication and Economics, Major in Marketing & Transformative Economy

Diana Vairetti (average: 9.35)

Alessia Vener (average: 9.32)

Master of Science in Communication, Major in Communication, Management and Health

Charlotte Herentrey (average: 9.12)

Master of Science in Communication, Major in Digital Fashion Communication      

Alessandra Di Felice (average: 9.19)

Master of Science in European Studies in Investor Relations and Financial Communication

Luca De Gasperi (average: 9.97)

Master of Arts in Italian Language, Literature and Civilisation

Coralie Schneiter (average: 9.78)

Master of Science in Computational Science

Andrea Prato (average: 9.32)

Master of Science in Informatics and Economics, Major in Financial Technology & Computing

Luca Rossetti (average: 9.20)

Master of Science in Informatics and Economics, Major in Management & Informatics

Behnood Masoudi (average: 9.02)

Master of Science in Software and Data Engineering

Lorenzo Varese (average: 9.85)

Master of Science in Cognitive Psychology in Health Communication

Jelena Pjeranovic (average: 9.35)

Master of Medicine

Nicolas Toth (average: 10)

Master of Arts in Philosophy

Pietro Berardi Gili (average: 9.83)

For the other Master's degree courses, the scholarships were not awarded due to a lack of candidates meeting the requirements.

Merit scholarships offered by Safe Capital Management SA for attendance of the first year of the Master in Finance were also awarded, presented by Augusto Valli and Gianmarco Alvisi, the company's Managing Director, to: Xhuljan Allhasa, Marco Gasparetti, Lapo Linossi and Francesco Pizzuto.

The following prizes were also awarded during the evening for the best Bachelor's and Master's graduates:

ABB Prize for the best Bachelor's degree in Communication, presented by Dr. Maurice Campagna

Chiara Imperiali (average: 9.19)

ABB Prize for the best Master's degree in Communication Sciences, presented by Dr. Maurice Campagna

Timo Luca Zollino (average: 9.83)

Alma Bacciarini Prize for the best Bachelor's degree in Italian language, Literature and Civilisation, presented by Dr. Giordano Zeli

Virginia La Monaca (average: 9.63)

Alma Bacciarini Prize for the best Master's degree in Italian Language, Literature and Civilisation, awarded by Avv. Giordano Zeli

Nathalie Molino (average: 9.85)

ACSI Award for the best Master's thesis on topics consistent with the statutory aims of the Consumers' Association of Southern Switzerland, presented by President Angelica Jäggli

Alice Iedà (Thesis title: Redefining the luxury paradigm? Gen Z's and second-hand luxury consumption)

ABT Award for the best average in the Bachelor of Economics, presented by Franco Citterio, director of the Associazione Bancaria Ticinese (ABT)

Chiara Galderisi (average: 9.47)

ABT Award for the best average among all the Masters in Economics, presented by Franco Citterio, director of the Associazione Bancaria Ticinese (ABT)

Annalisa Bissoli (average: 9.74)

Pietro Balestra Prize for the best average in quantitative subjects, presented by Patrick Gagliardini, Pro-rector for Research at USI

Chiara Galderisi (average: 9.71)

EY Award for the best thesis of the Master in Finance, presented by Erico Bertoli, Partner and Head of EY Lugano

Simone Ferracin (Thesis title: Integrating ESG principles in institutional investment. Case study of Cassa Pensioni di Lugano)

philosophie.ch Award to the best Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, presented by Dr. Philipp Blum

Sergio Cerutti (average: 9.90)

philosophie.ch Award for the best Master of Arts in Philosophy, presented by Dr. Philipp Blum

Andrea Lupo (average: 9.90)

philosophie.ch Award for the best thesis of the Master of Arts in Philosophy, presented by Dr. Philipp Blum

Andrea Salvador (Thesis title: The Metaphysics of Generic Truthmaking).

At the end of the ceremony, refreshments were offered to all participants.