‘Studying the world to understand It’

Marco Siciliano, an Italian fourth-year student in the International Communication programme, is a natural creative, driven by genuine curiosity and unstoppable determination. He writes for magazines, creates documentaries, founded his own marketing company, and travels the world. In short, quoting his favorite film, he perfectly embodies the idea that ‘life is about courage and going into the unknown.’

‘In 2022, when I came back from my journeys in Ghana and Jordan, I knew I wanted to study something that provided me with more understanding of people and cultures. While working as a freelance copywriter and marketer, I didn’t want to lose those skills. Enrolling in International Communication at Hanze was just what I needed to merge my interests and practical needs.’

Climbing in the Netherlands and in Life…

‘Projects aside, studying in Groningen allowed me a lot of flexibility to juggle university, work, and hobbies. I remember setting up an online marketing agency and working with people from the US and the Philippines while studying at Hanze, the same notions I had to apply to my work. Groningen offers plenty of great places to study, from cafés and libraries to the iconic Forum. The city will most likely match any lifestyle…even for mountain lovers, who won’t find in the Netherlands their favorite rocky hilly environment, they will still find great bouldering gyms and climbing courses in town waiting for them.’

Seeing behind walls

‘My future and my final year at Hanze won’t exactly be as I expected back when I started. During my previous semesters and my Erasmus+ experiences, I learned the importance of effective journalism and the way information technology is shaping how people think, and ultimately, act. This is why I took a step out of the more entrepreneurial mindset to explore the world of investigative and multichannel journalism. Whenever I feel unsure about the future, I come back to a quote from one of my favorite movies, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, which reminds me why I chose this path: “To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other and to feel. That is the purpose of life.’