Scholarships and "Life Force"

To celebrate their 50th anniversary, the Zonta Club donated to USI the sculpture “Slancio Vitale” by Ivo Soldini. The inauguration in the presence of the artist from Ticino, of President Piero Martinoli, of President Irène Keller of Zonta Club, of President Luisella Realini of the Zonta Club Foundation and of Vice President of the Foundation Yva Giudici was held on Saturday, May 17th 2014 on Lugano Campus right after the Dies Academicus. The bronze artwork, as illustrated by Ivo Soldini, expresses the concept of donating and taking in knowledge that surrounds the university and its students.

The donation wants to testify the support that Zonta Club gives to higher education in Ticino. “In a world filled with technology and high competences, education is crucial for the future of the next generation,” explained President Irène Keller. “One of the main purposes of Zonta Club Lugano is to help students, regardless of their economic situation. We currently offering 4-5 scholarships to young Swiss students who are from Ticino or live here. We give priority to USI and SUPSI students. This year we wanted to celebrate our half a century of activities by assigning 10 scholarships, 4 to USI students and six to SUPSI for a total of 40,000 CHF”. USI President Piero Martinoli thanked Zonta Club for the sculpture, pointing out how the caption of the piece sums up the University’s true value “The free life-blood of knowledge, the sharing of learning”. “The ambition of building together the kind of knowledge that sets people free across diversity, looking in the same direction, because knowledge needs to be perceived as a common good“, said Martinoli “The commitment of Zonta as well as the one of other private foundations in supporting USI students is particularly commendable”

Public funds dedicated to students are destined to decrease in this ageing society. They will be absorbed by social security and healthcare. Private scholarships will become more and more important. They will guarantee access to education and knowledge to those in need and promote merit while encouraging students in giving their best in this competitive environment”. The generosity of organisations and foundations that have believed and still believe in USI has so far assigned more than 1,400 scholarships, for a total of approximately 8'260'000 CHF.