Luca Picci ’19 is celebrating his first professional publication as a contributing author on a United Nations Development Project research study titled “Analyzing Long-term socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 across diverse African contexts." This paper can be accessed on the Africa UNDP website, and a supporting video was developed to herald its release.
Mr. Picci was able to participate in this project through his graduate work (MA in Global Finance, Trade & Integration) at the Josef Korbel School for International Studies, University of Denver and as a project lead for the Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures. Luca was responsible for writing several sections of this paper, in addition to working on the statistics compilation necessary for the analysis. In discussing his work, Luca noted that he was particularly pleased to work on a project of deep personal interest, and that he has continued to expand and develop his statistical skills in support of his academic research. While focusing on the long-term effects of COVID-19 on African development, the project is written in the context of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN Millennium Development Project.
As a native of inflation-ravaged Zimbabwe, Mr. Picci came to Catawba with a deep interest in the issues of economic development, and a passion for tennis. While rising to serve as Captain of the Catawba Men’s Tennis team and being named to play on All-SAC conference teams, Mr. Picci also excelled in his studies. As a BA in Economics & Finance, Luca also pursued minors in Spanish and Mathematics, developing a skill-set and perspective that will serve him well as he builds his future.
In 2018, Luca Picci was awarded the Catawba Cross-Cultural Experience Award for his work with the Italian humanitarian organization CESVI. This award, established by Anne Esterline Fogg ’69, was used to support his projects in subsistence agricultural development and a day center for street children in Harare, Zimbabwe. While a student, Luca Picci was also active in the Student Managed Investment Fund for Catawba College. As President of the fund, he worked to make several investment decisions to ensure the stable and steady growth of the portfolio under management. As a graduating senior, Luca Picci was recognized by the faculty of the Ralph W. Ketner School of Business as the recipient of the Millard F. Wilson Award for excellence in Business.
