Growing up in Italy as a Chinese citizen, I was shaped by two cultures united by a common thread: collective responsibility. In Italy, I absorbed a tradition of reusing and repairing rather than discarding — habits that became the foundation of my own relationship with sustainability. This dual perspective has informed not only who I am, but how I engage with the defining challenge of our generation: the climate crisis.
Sustainability is not an abstract principle for me — it is the fabric of my daily life. I practise rigorous waste sorting, choose public transport over private vehicles, avoid unnecessary energy and food waste, and when travelling across Europe, opt for trains rather than flights, accepting the additional time as a meaningful personal commitment to lower-emission travel.
Beyond individual habits, I have sought to create tangible impact. My most significant experience was volunteering for three weeks at a second-hand shop dedicated to the circular economy: collecting, restoring, and reselling donated clothing and household objects, with all proceeds directed to East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). This experience crystallised my belief that sustainability and social responsibility are inseparable — that caring for the planet and caring for people are ultimately the same act.
At Bocconi University, where I study Economics and Management, I have developed the analytical tools to understand why this matters at scale. The transition to a sustainable economy is not merely an ethical imperative — it is an economic necessity. The cost of inaction vastly outweighs the investment required for systemic change. My studies in environmental economics, ESG frameworks, and corporate social responsibility have given me both rigour and conviction.
My exchange semester at the University of Bristol in Autumn 2026 is an opportunity I intend to pursue with full commitment. Bristol’s designation as European Green Capital 2015, combined with the university’s ambitious sustainability agenda, makes it an exceptional environment for the kind of learning I am seeking. I plan to enrol in modules on sustainable finance and climate policy, join the university’s sustainability society, and volunteer with local circular economy or environmental education initiatives.
The BUTEX Sustainability Abroad Scholarship would allow me to engage fully with this ecosystem — dedicating time to extracurricular sustainability work that financial pressure might otherwise make difficult. It would also affirm something more personal: that a quiet, consistent commitment to living and thinking sustainably is recognised as meaningful.
I am aligned with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 4 (Quality Education). Bristol is where these three converge for me — and where I intend to grow from a committed individual into a leader capable of driving sustainable change at a systemic level.
Sustainability is not a destination I am heading towards. It is the lens through which I already see the world.
