"Shortly after I joined Esselunga in 1998 and after my experience as a buyer in the commercial department, I was offered the opportunity to create the company's first internal press office. Since I had not formally studied communications, this represented a real challenge and learning opportunity," Lidonnici explained. "In building the new internal press office, I was very fortunate to be able to work with a very well-known external public relations consultant, Toni Muzi Falconi, and I learned a great deal during those years with Esselunga," she said. "When I came to Politecnico di Milano last year, I saw an opportunity to use my practical experience, but also to learn more."
Lidonnici said her six years of practical communications experience with Esselunga and her Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Economics from Bocconi University have served her well so far, but she made a decision last year to join MScom in order to gain a broader, more strategic view on communications management.

"I first read about MScom in the newsletter of the Italian Public Relations Federation (Federazione Relazioni Pubbliche Italiana) and was intrigued because it sounded like a great educational opportunity, and it's just an hour's drive from Milan to Lugano," she said. "After visiting the MScom campus, attending some lectures and being interviewed, I was accepted for a place in MScom9."

Competitive communications market

Why take on the commitment of pursuing a postgraduate degree during her first year in a new job? Lidonnici her education is an investment in not just her career, but the communications profession.

"Today in Italy, there are 50,000 public relations and communications professionals. It's a very competitive communications market. Unfortunately, when the economy recedes, communications investments are the first to be cut by companies," she explained. "I believe it's very important for me, as a communications professional, to be able to speak to the concerns of various stakeholders, to sustain my institution and contribute to its performance. Also, although I am quite fortunate to be a woman in a senior communications management position, this is not so common in Italy. Pursuing an MScom education is an important step toward improving my own understanding of communications."

Meeting the demands of MScom in parallel with meeting the challenges of her new job is a balancing act, she said.

"Politecnico di Milano Alumni gives me the time to be in Lugano for lectures but there is much more to MScom than lectures: passing the examinations requires many hours of preparation," she said. "At the same time, in my daily work, I pursue our goal of increasing the alumni association's membership from 2,000 to 6,000 in the next four to five years and to create an internal placement office for our architectural, engineering and design alumni who are at a midpoint in their careers together with many other services tailored to their needs. It is a balancing act, but meeting these challenges at the same time is fascinating and it's also a learning experience."

Scholarship recipient

Lidonnici pointed out that MScom is not only a commitment of time and energy: it's also a serious financial commitment which, in her case, was lightened a bit by an MScom scholarship. Sponsored by the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communications Management, an organization encompassing more than 60 public relations and communication professional associations with more than 160,000 practitioners worldwide. The scholarship, amounting to half of MScom's tuition, is available to communications professionals living and working outside of Switzerland.

I would have chosen MScom without the scholarship, but without the scholarship, I would have had to get a bank loan to cover my tuition," she said.

In fact, when she accepted her current position at Politecnico di Milano, her employer offered her the opportunity to obtain that university's Master's in Business Administration, but she declined in favor of MScom.

"I think it speaks highly of MScom that my Italian university understands the importance of what MScom offers me and what I, in turn, am able to bring back to Politecnico di Milano Alumni as a result of my MScom education and experience," Lidonnici said.

A strategic view

What she's bringing to her employer is a more strategic, senior level view of communications.

"MScom is giving me a 360-degree view on communications. This program's greatest advantage is that it's an executive program. I'm studying finance, marketing and many other subjects quite far from the core topic of communications. Together, these many various topics afford a broad overview," she said.

Lidonnici recommends MScom highly.

"If you already have some solid professional experience in communications and are looking to gain a broad, strategic overview of the field, consider MScom. Be aware that it's intense: whether you're male or female, you'll need a strong support system both at home and at work," she explained. "I consider MScom a good investment. The days of going to college and thinking that's all you need to do for the rest of your career are long gone. Today, a career is about lifelong learning. MScom is part of that for me."

Text based on interview carried out in March 2007.