Student Clubs at SDA Bocconi are essential outlet for social impact and networking

The various Student Clubs at SDA Bocconi give students the chance to meet peers interested in similar fields, engage in professional experiences and participate in social impact activities. Student Clubs give participants an outlet to channel their creativity and classroom studies into real-life situations through events and projects.

“My involvement in our school’s management Consulting Club significantly contributed to both my personal and professional growth,” said Nikhil Tottempudi, MBA 48 and former member of the Consulting Club. “I believe that these learning opportunities also allowed me to develop my teamwork, communication, and leadership skills. On the networking front, the opportunities to interact with professionals from consulting firms provided me deeper insights into industry expectations, dynamics, and the requisite skill sets for success.”

Nikhil Tottempudi, MBA 48

The SDA Bocconi Student Clubs fall into three categories: Professional (Consulting Club, Entrepreneurship Club, Finance Club, Healthcare Club, Luxury Arts Club, Sustainable Industry and Energy Club, and Tech Club), Social Impact (Ethica Club and LGBTQ+ Club) and Sports & Leisure (Sailing Club and Ski Club). Each of them has a unique purpose and holds related events throughout the year, to which speakers, thought leaders and managers of relevant companies are invited. Full-Time MBA candidates are in charge of the management of the Student Clubs, but other members can propose their own initiatives, giving everyone the chance to contribute to the success of the clubs.

“You can leverage the activities of the clubs to engage in a personal branding and networking strategy,” said Francesco Ausania, Alumni Engagement and Student Clubs manager. “Consider that if there is a manager or a senior person you want to get in touch with, inviting this person to speak on campus within a club activity can be a wonderful way to get in touch with the person and establish a fruitful relationship.”

One example of this is seen in Nikhil’s experience with the Consulting Club for which he created the Consulting Casebook and the key guidelines for interview preparation.

“The inspiration behind crafting a comprehensive consulting guide for SDA Bocconi arose from a want to create a lasting impact and leave a legacy for the larger SDA Bocconi community,” he said. “Having explored different preparatory materials and guidebooks, I saw it as a missed opportunity for our school not to have such a crucial component in its academic repertoire – especially given its reputation as one of the world’s premier business institutions.”

"The idea of developing a Casebook for SDA Bocconi was pursued by Nikhil who led a group of classmates in this initiative - commented Stefano Pogutz, Full-time MBA Director - forming an integral part of his learning journey within the MBA program. Today, thanks to this effort, we have a useful tool to support new participants in approaching consulting and preparing for interviews".

Nikhil went on to add that the Student Clubs had a positive impact on his and his fellow classmates’ experience, offering a platform of support for members through workshops, company presentations, and networking events so that they can begin to build relationships with professionals and recruiters as well as gain access to insights, industry trends, and case approaches based on real world examples.

“The club’s support proved instrumental, especially in this challenging market environment, as several members secured internships at top consulting firms, with a significant majority successfully transitioning into full-time roles,” he said.

SDA Bocconi School of Management