The first time Francesco Marchionne came to Bloomington, he was introduced to Indiana’s fickle Midwestern weather. It was Feb 28, 2014, and temperatures were pleasant and warm. The following day, however, it started snowing and didn’t stop for three days. Being Italian, the stark temperature changes were a definite shock—especially when the cold snap lasted through mid-April.
“The experience stressed how Bloomington changed my life completely,” says Marchionne. “It was a new beginning so I thought, ‘Let it snow, let it snow!’”
Marchionne received his Ph.D. in Economics in Ancona, Italy, in 2006. After working at the University of Ancona (now Marche P. University) until 2012 as a teaching/research assistant, he landed a permanent position as a senior lecturer at the Nottingham Trent University in the UK. Marchionne came to IU as a visiting BEPP researcher from February to August 2014. He then joined IU as a lecturer a year later. He was promoted to Senior Lecturer in April 2021.
Through the years, Marchionne has taught a number of different courses: Macroeconomics, Statistics, ICT economics, Economics of Tourism, Microfinance, Introduction to Finance, International Finance, Economic Development, Economic Analysis of Global Issues, Money Banking & Capital Markets, European Integration, the US in a global economy, International Monetary Systems & Hedging.
“Due to this background, I developed a holistic approach to economics,” says Marchionne, whose teaching focuses on understanding complex situations and developing critical thinking skills.
“In my view, micro and macro are only categories created for teaching purposes, but the divide is blurred in the real world. Hence, I easily switch the viewpoint and cross the red line between micro and macro in my courses,” says Marchionne, who is the advisor for BEPP Club, Scholars Without Borders Club, and Global Macro Trading Club. He also organizes two case competitions for students a year: the FED Challenge and the State of Indiana Challenge.
One of Marchionne’s online Kelley Direct MBA students—a manager of a large multinational company—once spent the day before a $2-billion contract presentation working on one of Marchionne’s assignments.
BEPP Professor Francesco Marchionne.
“He told me, ‘Macroeconomics is much more interesting and useful than selling aircrafts,’” says Marchionne. Or perhaps Marchionne is just a great teacher. He has, after all, been nominated twice for the Innovative Teaching Award and twice for the Service Award.
Marchionne, who is married with three children, studied music for 20 years. In his free time, he enjoys playing piano, learning about history, enjoying fine arts, and scuba diving. He also likes good food and wine, in particular Italian ones.
“This doesn’t include macaroni & cheese, pasta alfredo, spaghetti with meatballs, or similar things that do not exist in Italy,” notes Marchionne, who prefers fish to meat and white wine to red.
After working at IU for several years, Marchionne has amassed many fond memories, but one of the best was the first time he brought his G272 students to Italy.
“I started the course with 24 students not knowing one another and barely having visited one foreign country in their life,” he says. “I finished with a group of close friends, of which many decided to enroll for the Study Abroad Program. Others rented a house together the following year. That experience changed their life.”
And speaking of life changes, the past year has been a doozy for us all. With the challenges and limitations, however, also came clarity and perspective. It taught Marchionne that he’s more social than he realized.
“I missed social interaction and freedom of movement, and although I’m perfectly comfortable with online teaching, I vastly prefer in-person conversations to online ones,” says Marchionne. “Parties with friends seem a memory from another life. I would like to relive a ‘normal’ day with friends.”
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