PoliTO Newcomers Party: welcome to those who have just started

Deputy Rector Elena Maria Baralis on stage

A big party to mark the beginning of a new and very important journey. With the PoliTO Newcomers Party, the OGR came alive with enthusiasm and participation, offering new undergraduate and master's degree students a warm welcome to their university journey. On November 29, over 2,000 students took part in this now traditional event, which marks the beginning of one of the most significant chapters in academic life.

“Work hard, play hard,” said Deputy Rector Elena Baralis on stage, adding:
“I would have liked to be one of you: in my days, there were no student teams, international students, nor celebrations like this. Today, you have many opportunities and a real community to inspire you. PoliTO welcomes you with this party, but always remember to study: that is what will take you far.”

Next to speak were Stefano Sacchi, Vice Rector for Society and Public Engagement, Community, and Rector's Program Implementation; Silvia Barbero, Vice Rector for Communication and Promotion; and Fulvio Corno, Vice Rector for Education. Responding to questions from presenter Valeria Ciardiello, a journalist and television host, they explained what they believe to be the main value of the student team experience, the focus of the evening.

Community, legacy, and impact are the keywords identified by Vice Rector Stefano Sacchi, who commented: "The community is a network of relationships: some teams have over 80 members and become true working groups and friendship circles. Legacy is what you leave behind for those who come after you: each group grows thanks to the contributions of previous generations. And then there is impact, the real impact that your work has on projects, competitions, and your education."

Vice Rector Silvia Barbero highlighted the strong connection with the professional world:
“The main value of every Team experience is the opportunity to work directly with companies on real projects. In the Teams, you tackle actual problems and seek real solutions, just as you would in the professional world."

Finally, Vice Rector Fulvio Corno emphasized the richness of interdisciplinarity: “When you work together to create a prototype, you discover that different skills must interact: engineers, designers, architects. You no longer work in separate silos, but together. It’s an extraordinary way to understand the work of other people.”

Vice Rectors and Student teams coordinator

Left to right: Fulvio Corno, Silvia Barbero, Massimiliana Carello, and Stefano Sacchi

“In the teams, the student really is at the center,” added Professor Massimiliana Carello, Student Teams Coordinator. "We currently have 55 teams, and joining one of them allows students to grow not only in terms of skills, but also as individuals. After two or three years in a team, students are better prepared to face the workplace than those without this experience. That's why I say: get involved, take a chance, it's a unique opportunity."

In the lobby, the first glimpse of this reality came through the prototypes exhibited by four teams: Policumbent, dedicated to human-powered vehicles, presented Cerberus, the team's first arm-powered vehicle and world speed record holder; Squadra Corse showed off the SC25 MIRA electric single-seater, which competed in Formula SAE motorcycle competition; Icarus, a team specialized in unmanned aerial vehicles, brought Sirius, the model aircraft that ranked fourth out of thirty international teams at the Air Cargo Challenge 2024; and finally ASTRA, a team engaged in the development of technologies for lunar missions, with the spherical rover Scout and the foldable photovoltaic system Fire.

The introduction of the teams continued on stage with presentations by some representatives of Polito Sailing Team, H2politO, DIANA, 2WheelsPoliTO, and PoliTOcean, who described the activities, objectives, and challenges of their respective groups. The Vice Rectors enriched the dialogue with targeted questions, exploring working methods and internal dynamics. After the session dedicated to the teams, presenter Valeria Ciardiello left the stage to Luca Graziani, Project Manager Artistic Aspects Major Events and University Cultural Events at PoliTO, who introduced Team Ireos and special guest Diego Random, stars of the second part of the night dedicated to music and visual arts.

This marked the beginning of the “Live & Stage Visuals” performance, an immersive journey where sound, visual art, and live performance came together to create a multisensory atmosphere: Diego Random's voice, accompanied by digital scenery designed by Team Ireos, gave life to an engaging and original experience.

The evening came to a close with acknowledgements and the launch of the after party, featuring the DJ set “One Night in the 90's & 2000's,” with Giorgio Prezioso, Luca Testa, and Nuzzle. Their performances transformed the OGR's Sala Fucine into a vibrant dance floor, creating an energetic finale, but this is only the beginning!