Marco, could you briefly introduce yourself and your role at ST?
I’m 60 years old, and I’ve been working at ST for 26 years. I’m a Team Manager in the MEMS* Application Group in Cornaredo, Italy. I joined the ST Foundation as a volunteer in 2020 after responding to a call to action. Today, I also serve as the site coordinator for Castelletto.
What motivated you, as an experienced engineer, to become a volunteer with the ST Foundation?
Volunteering has always been part of my life since I was a Boy Scout. Now that my children are grown up, it felt natural to make my personal and professional experience available beyond my daily job. For me, it’s a way to give back to the community what I have received over all these years.
You have a demanding job. Where does your passion for volunteering come from, and how do you keep it alive?
My passion comes from the idea that knowledge and experience only reach their full value when they are shared. At work, I solve problems and collaborate with teams; as a volunteer, I transfer that mindset to very different audiences—children, seniors, and even people in prison. Seeing their progress and curiosity keeps my enthusiasm alive. I leave classrooms or workshops feeling energized, rather than tired.
Tell us about the latest course you delivered as a volunteer.
The last workshop was a coding course at a primary school in Milan. The children were asked to design a playground focused on environmental sustainability and bring it to life in Minecraft. It was inspiring to see how seriously they took sustainability and how creative they were in translating ideas into a digital environment.
Through which program was this course delivered, and what type of course was it?
It was delivered with our partner ACRA (Italy), as part of the “Collegati al futuro” program, within our Digital Unify – Coding & Learning initiative. It consisted of four two-hour sessions, once a week, giving students time to reflect and return with new ideas and questions.
How does this course impact the students?
Coding helps develop computational thinking. It’s not just about programming; it’s about activating mental processes that combine creativity and intelligence to solve problems. Students learn teamwork and project thinking. The impact is long-term: it shapes how they will face challenges—more logically, collaboratively, and confidently.
What about the equipment you used?
STMicroelectronics provided all the necessary equipment. For primary schools, we brought laptops with Minecraft pre-installed, and for older students, we also have robots. This support is crucial for bringing high-quality, engaging tools into classrooms that might otherwise lack them.
You also work with seniors and people in prison. What do these different experiences have in common?
They are very different contexts, but the common element is dignity and potential. Whether it’s a child discovering Minecraft, a senior using a tablet for the first time, or an incarcerated person learning digital skills, you see the same spark: “I can do this.” As an engineer, I build devices and systems; as a volunteer, I help build opportunities.
What is your best takeaway from your volunteering journey so far?
The value of doing something for free. Acting without expecting anything in return and discovering that this attitude always enriches you—through new experiences and more genuine human relationships.
Could describe your volunteering experience in one sentence?
Volunteering is a way to turn your skills and your time into a gift that comes back to you as growth, gratitude, and authentic human connections.
* MEMS are tiny sensors and machines built on a chip, used to detect motion, pressure, or sound in many everyday devices like smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, ecc.