One Day or Day One
Alexandra didn’t wait for university, a diploma, or a title to start making a difference. She began now.
And perhaps this is the trait that defines her more than any other: the naturalness with which she chooses action instead of waiting, the present instead of “one day.”
Alexandra never talks about her goals as if they were trophies to show off.When she describes her journey, she does so with simplicity and authenticity. Yet, listening to her, you immediately understand that she has a clear direction: she wants to enter the world of medicine and contribute genuinely to the well-being of others.
“I want to continue to inspire change,” she says, not as a catchy phrase, but as a thought that seems to have accompanied her all her life.
A place that reflects who she wants to become
Having grown up in different countries, Alexandra learned early on what it means to see the world from multiple perspectives.
Perhaps that’s why an international environment, open, diverse, filled with cultures and stories, immediately drew her in.
Alexandra, DP2 Student
“Being surrounded by people with different mindsets changes you,” she says.
“It opens you up to new ideas and helps you become a more complete version of yourself.”
In the Diploma Programme, this openness turned into opportunity: meaningful relationships, teachers who challenge her to think critically, and activities that push her out of her comfort zone and toward the future she envisions.
What drives her, however, isn’t ambition in the strict sense of the word, but a deep curiosity for people, their needs, their stories.
And throughout her school years, this curiosity began transforming into action.
Her first step was a breast cancer prevention campaign, an awareness project born within a small community of students interested in medicine.
Together with a few classmates, she worked to inform younger students, create educational materials, raise awareness among girls in the school, organize discussions, and in the end, they raised funds for a local organization supporting research.
“In the end we were simply proud to have contributed in some way.”
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Kenya: a lesson you won’t find in textbooks
Then came her internship in Kenya, an experience Alexandra describes as essential and, in some ways, bold for her age, born from her desire to understand how medicine changes depending on context, culture, and resources.
“I wanted to see what happens in a healthcare system completely different from our own,” she explains.
But what she experienced there surpassed every expectation.
She saw doctors and nurses working in difficult conditions, with limited resources, yet with absolute dedication.
She spoke with patients suffering from severe illnesses who were still able to offer her a sincere, heartfelt smile.
And she discovered that beyond technology, protocols, and facilities, there is one aspect that never changes:
Alexandra, DP2 Student
“The one thing that always stays the same is the compassion and the want to help others.”
Women who open paths: the “Women in STEM” event
Among the most valuable opportunities offered by her school, Alexandra recalls the Women in STEM event, where she participated not just as a listener but as a moderator, asking questions, hearing stories, and engaging with exceptional women who have forged their paths in the still male-dominated world of science.
Together with two friends, she stepped onto the stage in front of scientists, researchers, managers and among them, the head of the Medicine Department at the Hospital of Padua.
“Being surrounded by such strong women motivated me,” she says.
“It made me realize that with hard work and determination, I can build my own path.”
A future that grows with her
Looking ahead, Alexandra doesn’t picture herself only wearing a white coat.
She imagines a journey that keeps evolving along with her. She wants to study medicine, yes, but above all she wants to continue meeting people, being inspired, and, when possible, inspiring others in return.
“Even if it’s just being kind to a stranger, to me that already means making an impact,” she says.
In the end, the beauty of her story lies right here: in understanding that change doesn’t happen in an instant, but through a series of small, intentional actions.
Alexandra’s journey is a concrete example of how, with curiosity, sensitivity, and a bit of courage, it’s possible to begin shaping the future you want, starting now.
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