Friday May 2, 2025

From 10:00 CEST @ Bologna Center
Check-in for registered guests opens

14:30-16:00 CEST
Panel on Russia and the New World Order
with Marie Mendras (B'80, '81), Researcher, CNRS, Professor at Sciences Po, Paris, France
Sergey Radchenko, Wilson E. Schmidt Distinguished Professor, SAIS Europe

16:30-18:30 CEST @ Bologna Center
Welcoming Remarks by
SAIS Europe Rector Renaud Dehousse
SAIS Dean James Steinberg
JHU President Ronald Daniels

Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Bologna Class of 1975

Debate on Current Status of Transatlantic Relations with
Josep Borrell, former High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission
Nathalie Tocci, Director of the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), Rome, Italy

19:30-22:30 CEST @ Palazzo Pallavicini
Buffet Dinner in honor of the 70th anniversary of the Bologna Center.
The dinner will take place in the beautiful setting of the bolognese 15th-century Palazzo Pallavicini. Click here for more information.

Saturday, May 3, 2025
@Bologna Center

11:30-13:00 CEST
Panel on The US in the World
with Dana H. Allin (B'85, '86, Ph.D'90), Adjunct Professor at SAIS Europe; Senior fellow for Transatlantic Affairs, International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)
John L. Harper (B'76, '77, Ph.D'81), JHU Emeritus Professor
Other Speakers to be announced

13:00-15:00 CEST
Buffet Lunch & Class Photos

15:00-17:00 CEST
Career Sessions with students

17:00-19.00 CEST
Alumni on Stage 2^nd Edition
Presented by Irene Forzoni (B'15, '16) and Joakim Lundquist (B'99, B'00).

Join fellow SAIS alumni and share your personal stories and experiences in a 5-minute TED Talk format, showcasing the profound impact SAIS has had on your life.

read more

This event celebrates the diverse journeys our graduates have embarked upon and their unique life experiences during and after their time at SAIS. We want to show that beyond their professional careers, our alumni are characterized by a shared SAIS mindset featuring also their personal lives.

Short and to the point, we are looking for 20 intriguing and unique personal stories, which will be grouped in thematic sessions, each introduced by our presenters. Feedback from the audience will be encouraged after each session via Mentimeter.

The audience will consist of fellow alumni, current students, faculty and staff.

APPLY here by March 10, 2025

Seating is limited, please confirm you will join the audience here

Ci vediamo a Bologna... on stage!

Full Program of the 2024 Edition

Session 1: CITIZENS OF THE WORLD
Speakers: Charles Anson (B'66): "My experience of being taken hostage in the British Embassy by the Iranian revolutionaries in November 1978"
Marta Costanzo Youth (B'89, '90): Being Part of the Nicaragua 222 Rescue Mission
Lawrence Fioretta (B'84, '85): From Bologna to Geneva and Beyond
Peter Matz (B'99, '00): Why You Should Work for the UN!
Jame DiBiasio (B'94, '94): From Europe to Asia

Session 2: MAKING THE PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL
Speakers:
Alex Ruck Keene (B'99, '00): Connections, Capacity and Careers
Daniela Kaisth (B'89, JHU'90): Work and Life skills. THANK YOU BC ? Part 1
Ajay Kaisth (B89): Work and Life skills. THANK YOU BC ? Part 2
Anne Schaub (B'99): SAIS Family Around the World

Session 3: THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX: THE SAIS MINDSET
Speakers:
Wendy Chen (B'14, '15) How SAIS Prepares you for the Investment World
Natalie Domeisen (B'84, '85) Living with the Genie: How to Restore Trust
Karen Seiger (B'99, '00) The art of the Pivot: Building a Skills Focused Career

Session 4: THE PATH TO A SUSTAINABLE WORLD
Speakers:
Kathleen Collins (B'14, '15) Why Emerging Markets Are a Must for Sustainability Investing)
Philip Hiersemenzel (B'99, '00) Affordable Clean Energy for Europe ? And How to Get It
Richard Tite (B'04, '05): US Critical Mineral Supply Chains for the Energy Transition ? Too Little, Too Late?
Ray Zeng (B'14, '15) Thriving Ecosystem for Under-Resourced Creators and Leaders

Highlights from the 2024 Edition

Alumni on Stage: A Bolognese TED Talk

Please enjoy some blurbs of the talks from 2024

Charles Anson (B'66)
Charles Anson shared the story of his time as a British diplomat in Tehran during the tumultuous period leading up to the Iranian Revolution. He recounted a harrowing incident where the British Embassy was attacked and set on fire by revolutionaries. Amid the chaos, his calm under pressure and ability to navigate cultural complexities shone through skills he attributed to his formative experience at SAIS Europe. Living and learning in an international environment in Bologna gave him the perspective and resilience to face high-stakes moments in his diplomatic career.

Marta Costanzo Youth (B '89, '90)
Marta recounted her role in the dramatic 2023 rescue and relocation of 222 political prisoners from Nicaragua. Drawing on her decades of experience as a diplomat, she described the tense mission, from coordinating logistics to witnessing the emotional reunions of families on the flight to safety. Marta reflected on the privilege and responsibility of serving in moments like these, emphasizing how her career as a diplomat ? shaped in part by her time at SAIS ? has allowed her to contribute to such life-changing events.

Lawrence Fioretta (B '84, '85)
Lawrence reflected on how a seminar at SAIS Europe on political psychology and the Middle East conflict, led by Norwegian Professor Daniel Heradstveit, shaped his academic and professional path. The course inspired him to conduct research in Geneva on Swiss elites' perspectives on the Arab-Israeli conflict, introducing him to the city where he would later build a career in international humanitarian work. He applied these lessons during his time as a Refugee Affairs Officer for UNRWA during the First Intifada, navigating the violence and indignities of occupation while working to provide aid and diffuse tensions. Lawrence emphasized how his formative year in Bologna helped prepare him for a career dedicated to advancing peace, justice, and humanitarian service.

Daniela Kaisth (B '89, JHU Class of '90)
Daniela shared how her time at SAIS Europe instilled the resilience and problem-solving skills that have guided her through critical moments in her career. Reflecting on her leadership of the Institute of International Education (IIE) Iraq Scholar Rescue Program, she recounted a decisive moment in 2014 when, just days before a major conference in Erbil, ISIS advanced toward the city. With 300 participants preparing to travel, government funding at stake, and her team on the ground, she made the tough decision to cancel the event, halt all travel, and redirect resources to rescue scholars at the University of Mosul. Daniela emphasized how the confidence and adaptability she developed at SAIS enabled her to navigate high-stakes challenges with clarity, reminding her in both critical and everyday moments that she can tackle anything life throws her way.

Wendy Chen (B '14, '15)
Wendy shared how SAIS prepared her for an unexpected career in finance, joining Goldman Sachs in Global Equity Research after graduation. While much of her job required on-the-spot learning, SAIS courses in corporate finance and project valuation gave her a strong foundation in financial literacy. More importantly, SAIS fostered intellectual curiosity and adaptability, skills that helped her navigate disruptions like the rise of artificial intelligence in the investment world. Wendy emphasized the importance of taking measured risks?both in financial investments and in pursuing a SAIS degree?and highlighted the SAIS network as a lifelong asset that continues to deliver returns.

2024 Edition Pictures

20:00 CEST
Class Dinners (more details here)

Sunday May 4, 2025

Activities for Sunday are optional and not included in the Alumni Weekend program. Please visit the Bologna Welcome website to view available options in town.