Matteo Bagnasco BSc Management with Entrepreneurship 2017

The wide variety of modules offered throughout the three years really helped me in shaping my interests towards my future career

Nationality: Italian

What made you choose Southampton?
Southampton’s outstanding reputation was surely one main factor when choosing the University. Additionally, being an international student, I really appreciated the University’s international environment, which ultimately allowed me to meet many other students and professors from different backgrounds and in turn share my experiences with them. That such aspect enriched my personal wealth of experiences. 
What were your Southampton ‘highlights’ whilst studying here?
To be honest, it is not easy to mention all of them. However, I believe that under an academic perspective my greatest accomplishment while at University was to graduate with a First Class and in turn get accepted for my Masters at LSE for next year.
What opportunities did you take up?
I took up various extra-curricular opportunities by joining the University volleyball team, by participating in the Dragon’s Den event and by taking part in the Fish on Toast society. All the above rendered me more aware of my capabilities and reinforced my interpersonal skills.  
What did you enjoy most about your course?
With regards to my course, I can say that the wide variety of modules offered throughout the three years really helped me in shaping my interests towards my future career. Additionally, I also believe that the courses undertaken helped me gain and improve both practical and interpersonal skills that can be re-deployed in my future working career.
What networking, employment and work experience opportunities did you undertake and did they enhance your Southampton experience?
I attended various networking and employment events from many firms such as Ernst & Young and PWC while studying at Southampton. These events have been significantly helpful in making me understand what these kinds of companies expect from graduates.
What is Southampton like as a place to study?
Coming from a big and crowded city like Milan, I really appreciated the possibility to live in a city customized for the needs of students like me. Additionally, the city also offers a very good selection of clubs and bars at a low price. In summary, living in Southampton has been a great experience.
What advice would you give to a student starting their degree at Southampton?
My advice to new students is to exploit all the possibilities that the University ecosystem offers. In particular, I would suggest them to participate in as many activities as they can, which range from sports activities to more academic ones. I would also tell them to have an open-minded attitude towards life as this kind of behavior really helped me to create a unique network of people.