From left to right: John Smagula, Assistant Dean, Graduate & International Programs, Temple; Francesca Moschin, Area Coordinator, North America, Bocconi; Sabriya McWilliams, Assistant Director, Global Legal Studies, Temple; and William Ozbun International Student Desk, Bocconi.
On February 21, 2024, Temple Law renewed our partnership agreement with Bocconi University law school in Milan. This partnership, formed in 2014, is one of the law school’s earliest student exchange agreements. To date, 14 Bocconi students have come to Temple with one to study in Philadelphia in Spring 2025, and 8 Temple JD students have studied abroad at Bocconi with 2 to visit Milan in Fall 2024.
In the Fall 2023 semester, Bocconi was a popular destination for Temple Law’s JD exchange students who embarked on transformative experiences at the prestigious Italian institution. Lucas Mason-Moyer, Ingrid Xiomara Lopez Martinez, Kimberley Viveros, and Joan Fernandez, all of whom graduated in May 2024, shared some of the best things about studying in Italy and at Bocconi.
Lucas Masin-Moyer enthusiastically commended Bocconi for its exceptional support, highlighting their proactive assistance. He emphasized the diverse learning environment created by blending Italian and exchange students in classes, fostering cross-cultural friendships.
Ingrid Xiomara Lopez Martinez echoed the sentiment of the diverse and enriching environment at Bocconi. “I really enjoyed learning about a new legal system and having discussions with classmates from various backgrounds,” Martinez expressed. She emphasized that the exchange program not only fostered open-mindedness but also welcomed different experiences and perspectives, creating an atmosphere for insightful discussions among students from various countries.
Kimberly Viveros described the overall experience as “amazing.” Viveros was particularly impressed by Bocconi’s beautiful and modern campus, enhancing the on-site learning experience. She also appreciated the city’s well-connected public transportation, which made exploration of Milan seamless for students.
Joan Fernandez emphasized the exceptional support provided by Bocconi’s International Student Helpdesk (ISD). “Bocconi has a remarkably robust and responsive International Student Helpdesk (ISD). Anytime I emailed questions to ISD, it would respond within a day and provide detailed resolutions to my issues,” Fernandez praised. This responsive assistance from ISD further contributed to the positive experience of Temple Law students during their time at Bocconi.
“It’s a fantastic experience, and there are some great classes and professors. For those reasons, combined with Milan being a great city, I would highly recommend!” expressed Masin-Moyer.
These firsthand insights from Temple Law students feature the success of the exchange program, showcasing Bocconi’s commitment to a globally inclusive educational environment. The collective positive feedback reinforces the strong partnership between Temple Law and Bocconi, highlighting the significance of international exchange programs in fostering cultural understanding and academic excellence.
On March 14, 2024, Assistant Dean for Graduate and International Programs John Smagula and Assistant Director for Global Legal Studies Sabriya McWilliams visited Bocconi, meeting with Sonia Albertazzi (Director, International Relations), Michela Longari (Study Abroad), Francesca Moschin (Area Coordinator, North America), and William Ozbun (International Student Desk). The conversation was very cordial, and both schools agreed to continue to promote our collaboration and encourage our students to study at the other school.
Later that evening, at the Temple Law Italy alumni event, Temple-Bocconi partnership alumni Maria Stefani (LLM ’24), Nicolo Baruffi (Exchange ‘15), Paolo Laddomada (Exchange ’19), Claudia Sgobbi (Exchange ’23), and Leonardo Spinadin (Exchange ’21) all praised their time at Temple, explaining how the challenging curriculum greatly improved their legal research and writing skills, enhanced their international law reasoning, and built their network with many new American and international friends, giving them an edge in the workplace.
“I am very grateful to Dean Pietro Sirena and the Bocconi team for their great support of our partnership,” said Assistant Dean Smagula, “and we look forward to our ongoing work together where our students and faculty will continue to collaborate, learn from each other, and become skilled and thoughtful international law practitioners.” He added, “We also thank David Doty, JD ’19, for his work with the Justinian Society and serving as a bridge between our Italian students and the Philadelphia Italian-American legal community.”