Testimonial - Cinzia Prencipe

From classical roots to economic realities: my journey to finding a “multidisciplinary home”

The "humanity girlie" with a global goal

Ever since I can remember, I was set on becoming a doctor. Coming from an Italian liceo classico background, I was a "humanity girlie": I loved literature, philosophy, and the study of human culture. However, life has a way of shifting your perspective when you least expect it. At 17, during my exchange year in Hungary, something snapped: I realized that even if I wanted to help people, the medical path wasn't for me. I was confused, yet I already knew I had an immense will to learn. I set a goal to become fluent in five languages (I’m currently at four!) and started looking for a degree that offered a challenge as big as my curiosity. When I discovered Social-Economic Sciences (SES), it felt like the perfect sign: a bridge between the "human" world I loved and the "analytical" world I wanted to understand.

Bridging efficiency and humanity

One of the most valuable lessons SES taught me is that efficiency and humanity are not mutually exclusive: they are simply two sides of the same coin. During my 'FSS honours programme'-internship I found myself in a unique position: the team around me was deeply focused on the "humanity" side of our mission, but often lacked the analytical grounding needed to make it sustainable. My SES background allowed me to bring a necessary perspective to the table: I was able to analyze the data, provide a solid content foundation, and identify the financial strategies required to secure funds. I became the person who could not only help develop a vision, but could also translate it into a concrete, fundable reality.

SES gives you a unique kind of intellectual versatility, and I have to admit that is a certain satisfaction in sitting at the family dinner table and being able to explain the complexities of global policy (like why a government cannot simply "print more money" to solve its problems) by combining economic theory with sociological views.

Leadership and communication: the FSW Honours Programme

During my time at the University of Antwerp, I also participated in the FSS Honours Programme. As a co-coordinator in the event organization, I managed high-pressure logistics and various expectations, ensuring the strategic vision remained intact. Simultaneously, I was the "marketing girl" and content creator, responsible for the digital storytelling and visual identity of our initiatives.

It was here that I realised I was even more interdisciplinary than I had imagined: I wasn't just analysing systems; I was learning how to lead them and communicate their value effectively through creative content.  

The academic environment here played a huge role in the development of those skills: I was lucky enough to encounter professors who didn't just lecture, but who were genuinely passionate about the intersection of media, society, and markets. It was through their insights that I fell in love with the world of communication – a field I previously hadn't considered a career path, but one that I now see as essential to my future.

What’s coming up: my next chapter and future plans

Looking back, SES was the perfect stage to discover who I am in my 20s: it provided me with the empirical basis and analytical skills to work productively across different fields and translate ideas between experts of different backgrounds. As I prepare to embark on an MBA followed by a second master's in communication, I feel incredibly prepared: this programme didn't just give me a degree; it gave me the versatility to work in a way that is both meaningful and impactful.