On Saturday, September 26, 2026, 90 members of the John Cabot University community gathered at the Hotel Hassler in Rome for the annual President’s Gala to welcome Antonia Maioni, JCU’s seventh president. Trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends came together to celebrate the newly invested president.
The evening began with a rooftop cocktail hour at sunset, with a toast from Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees Frank J. Desiderio. Guests then gathered for dinner, during which President Maioni delivered her remarks. She concluded her speech by saying, “For all my life, I have been inspired by the Roman philosopher Seneca. In particular, his quote: ‘I am not born for one corner; the whole world is my native land.’ This is what we offer our students: a world where they can aspire to academic success and personal growth.”
Following President’s Maioni’s remarks, Vice Chair Desiderio welcomed her as the seventh president of John Cabot University. Trustee Francesco Ruspoli (Class of 1994), JCU alumnus and President of the Alumni Association, then addressed the guests.
Ruspoli presented the Distinguished Alumni Award to Sandro Bosi (Class of 1988), who graduated with a BA in Business Administration and Economics. Ruspoli highlighted how Bosi, through his consulting company Sandro Bosi Art Advisory and Services, contributes to the preservation and understanding of art for generations to come.
Reflecting on his time at JCU, Bosi recalled, “When I attended John Cabot University, there were 167 students, representing 31 different countries. My fellow students and professors shaped me the most, teaching me empathy, respect, and open-mindedness.”
During the evening, JCU alumna Annamaria Borelli (Class of 2013) performed two songs: “The Prayer” by Andrea Bocelli and Céline Dion, and “Con te partirò” by Andrea Bocelli.
