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Meet MSM's Staff Members: Introducing Ms. Antonella Anastasi

18-06-2018

At MSM we are proud of the more than 40 staff members who are committed and eager to fulfill our mission in offering management and entrepreneurship education, advice and research to individuals and organizations from all over the world. To become more acquainted with our staff members and to show you how it feels for them working at MSM we will each month highlight one of our staff members. This month the spotlight will be on Ms. Antonella Anastasi.

Let me introduce myself…
My name is Antonella Anastasi (Italian) and I work as Research Program officer at MSM. I hold two Master degrees from LUMSA University in Rome; one Master degree in Languages for International Communication and another Master degree in International Relations.

Before even graduated I was already involved in many activities like organizing seminars and conferences related to various projects with the aim to support European integration and international cooperation. After my studies, I gained work experience in a variety of administrative positions through multiple internships and volunteer work both in Italy and abroad. Before joining MSM in 2017, I have worked as a Customer Service Representative at the Mercedes-Benz Assistance Center (for the Italian and Spanish department). Luckily I always had the chance to work in multicultural and challenging environments. This has helped me grow both professionally and personally. That’s also what made me feel immediately comfortable when I started my first day at MSM!

It is really rewarding for me to get to know remarkable students and help them go through years of study…
In my position as Research Program officer I am responsible for the administration and execution of the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program. The aim of our DBA program is to provide additional instruments to our students in order to pursue a career in consulting, management practice or in the academic field. All our students start with an intensive Research Methods and Skills (RMS) training program. This program can be followed on our Campus in Maastricht, but also in a blended manner to improve the accessibility and flexibility of the program. After having passed the RMS program successfully they will continue with a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and finally achieve the DBA. In my position it is important to assist and guide the students through all these different stages, contact and help them with any operational issues and taking care of the program administration activities.

In fact, I believe that the human facet is an “added value” to my work….
I find my work at MSM very challenging and intellectually stimulating as it allows me to meet and interact with many people from different backgrounds, countries and cultures and you always face different challenges. One of the things that I love about MSM is that, while we are based in Maastricht, it gives us the opportunity to build a global network. Furthermore, I find it really rewarding to work in an academic environment, where I can get to know remarkable students and help them go through the different phases of the DBA program. Supporting them is gratifying for me. In fact, I believe that the human facet is an “added-value” to my work. Because at the end of their DBA path I have not only built up a nice relationship with them but also, even in a small part, contributed to their achievement. In the light of that, I can really share their happiness on the day of their DBA defense.

In my spare time you can often find me…
I am a passionate reader: I think books have always been my best companions. As I come from an island (Sicily) I also love swimming. Swimming for me is relaxing and reinvigorating at the same time. Since I was young my parents have always motivated me to open up new horizons and I think that this open-minded and international attitude has deeply nourished and shaped my character. This is why I love travelling and I really hope I will get the chance to visit more countries in the future. I am convinced that this aspect of my personality is what led me outside of my country to work in a very international environment such as MSM.

The person in life I admire the most is…
I have always admired Maria Montessori. She was an Italian physician and educator, very well known for her philosophy of education. Her educational method is in use today in many public and private schools all over the world. For me she is a symbol of a woman who studied – even when women were not supposed to – and with strong determination reached a very high level of education. She devoted her life to education, trying to establish schools and training teachers with the Montessori methodology.

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