We Made It Together
In every society, there is a tension between what we inherit and what we can build. Between origins that risk determining one’s destiny and the potential to change people’s life paths. It is within this space that social mobility is measured. And it is within this space that a university must reflect on its role.
Education remains one of the most powerful tools for expanding opportunities. But simply opening the doors is not enough. We must ensure that talented individuals know those doors exist, are able to walk through them and, once inside, find the conditions to stay, grow and aspire. This means recognising merit even when it is less visible, reaching out to them before they exclude themselves, supporting them financially and accompanying them every step of the way.
For Bocconi, this responsibility is not a recent development. It is part of its history. From its very beginnings, the University has combined selectivity with openness, excellence with inclusion, in the belief that one’s starting point should not limit the possibility of realising one’s potential. Today, this mission must address new and more complex inequalities: economic, geographical, informational and relational. These are barriers that not only prevent access but, even before that, narrow the scope of what a person believes they can become.
Social mobility, however, is never the result of an isolated act. Behind every student who realises their potential there is a family, a school, teachers, classmates, alumni, donors and institutions. There is a community that supports, guides, encourages and makes the transition from an aspiration to a life plan possible.
This is the meaning behind ‘We Made It’. Not merely ‘we’ve made it’, but ‘we’ve built it together’. The verb ‘made’ does not merely indicate a goal achieved: it speaks of something that has been created, made real, built through the contribution of many. It therefore does not merely celebrate those who have arrived, but recognises those who made that journey possible and the responsibility to transform the opportunities received into new opportunities for others.
A university cannot, on its own, rectify all inequalities. It can, however, choose whether to limit itself to selecting talent that is already visible or to help bring out further talent. It can accept that social mobility remains an exception, or work to ensure it becomes a more tangible and frequent possibility.
This is the commitment we renew as we mark the start of Bocconi’s 125th year: to continue building a university that is selective on merit and open in terms of opportunities. Together.
