A Founder, an entrepreneur

Born in San Giovanni Lupatoto (VR), Sandra Bruni Mattei graduated with full marks (with publication of her dissertation in Mathematics) in Padua, supporting herself while studying with private lessons and activities within the FILDIS (a network of Italian female graduates). After a short period of teaching, she moved to Milan and married the engineer Enea Mattei, from Valtellina.

At his side she actively collaborated in the start-up of an industry, then cutting-edge and still engaged in the sector of compressors and pneumatic equipment. After her husband's death in 1955, she assumed responsibility for the company with more than two hundred employees; at the same time she did her utmost to start the activities of the Foundation created at Mattei's behest with the aim of helping capable and deserving young people from Valtellina with their studies.

Having retired from entrepreneurship, she did not forget the difficulties faced during university: in 1965 she decided to commit herself to the cultural and social promotion of talented female students. The idea was to create Colleges with a secular spirit and inserted with lively intelligence into the dynamism of modern life, inspired by the Oxbridge and American model.

Her first important creation was the Sandra Bruni Foundation, the women's section of the historic Ghislieri College, which she built at her own expense to host one hundred students from all over Italy, chosen on the basis of merit and with financial aid for the less well-off. With the same criteria she established the Collegio Nuovo – Sandra and Enea Mattei Foundation in 1978, appointing Paola Bernardi as Rector. She dedicated the last years of her life to starting and promoting the two colleges, also allocating, by her will, her personal assets to them.

She did not boast of her patronage initiatives: a small drop, she said, which others will increase.

Aurelio Bernardi, Rector of the Ghislieri College 1945-1979

Always with captivating fair play, with an amiable and disarming sense of humor that hid an apparent (in truth, very apparent!) harshness. Sometimes annoyed by what Bernardi and I proposed, she addressed us jokingly, comparing us to Hitler and Stalin but without ever specifying which of us represented, from her point of view, Hitler and which Stalin. Then she, democratically, did what she wanted.

Alberto Gigli Berzolari, Rector of the University of Pavia 1976-1983

Sandra Bruni was born in Verona in 1896 into a cultured and open-minded family, so much so that both daughters also attended university studies, especially in scientific subjects, which was certainly not usual at the time. In fact, she attended the technical institute in the mathematical-physics section, where, however, Latin was not studied: this later ended up displeasing her, making her "feel ignorant" (her words) when, around the age of 70, she began to develop a passion for archeology and to participate in excursions. Naturally, she did not lose heart and began to study Latin with great commitment: a real schoolgirl!

Bruna Bruni, President of the Sandra and Enea Mattei Foundation 1981-2013

Contrary to any feminist suggestion, convinced as she was that in order to assert themselves, women must not assume masculine attitudes and forget their femininity, but rather enhance their talents in harmony with a world made equally and together by women and men. An ante litteram woman manager, she also saw with foresight the great contribution that trained and competent women, and also "citizens of the world", can make to the economic development of society.

Paola Bernardi, Rector of the Collegio Nuovo – Sandra and Enea Mattei Foundation