Emma Bonino: Her Journey at Bocconi
Following the recent passing of Emma Bonino on 11 September, Library & Archives has brought together a selection of documents chronicling her student years at Bocconi.
Her student record booklet bears the date 19 October 1966, marking the beginning of her journey at Bocconi, where she enrolled in the degree programme in Foreign Languages and Literatures after completing her classical secondary education at the Liceo Classico “G. B. Gandino” school in Bra (Piedmont).
The University’s Yearbook lists Bonino among the graduates in English Language and Literature for the 1969–70 academic year. Her thesis explored the theme of the ghetto through the works of Malcolm X and James Baldwin, under the supervision of Professor Giuseppina Restivo.
In an interview published on the University website in March 2024, Bonino described her university years as simple and happy. “When we could afford it, we would go to the Derby in the evening. That’s where our love for Gaber, Jannacci, Cochi and Renato began.”
Her relationship with the University reached another significant milestone when she received the 1998 Bocconi Alumna of the Year award. At the time, Bonino was European Commissioner for Consumer Protection and was also responsible for the European Community Humanitarian Office.
The award ceremony took place during the ALUB Convention, attended by faculty members, representatives of Bocconi’s business community and University leaders, including the then President Mario Monti and the then Rector Roberto Ruozi.
