Andrea Frassine ’20, M’21

Andrea arrived with goals to pursue including a college experience different than the university life he experienced for a year in Italy. There he attended classes “like a job – 9-5” and then took one final exam at the end of the year to see if he passed or failed. He desired a college experience that provided a sense of community where he could make a difference. He also wanted to play the sport he loved – the beautiful game – fútbol. Most importantly, Frassine looked for an education that would prepare him well for a career in international business.

Frassine found the perfect match at Merrimack.

Legendary men’s soccer coach, Tony Martone recruited Frassine, and he got the skinny on all things Merrimack from fellow Italian and Warrior soccer player Mattia Lanzi ’18. Lanzi, who went on to work on Wall Street, was able to confirm not only the quality of the Warrior soccer program, but he also convinced Frassine that the Girard School of Business was top-notch.

Today, Frassine acknowledges the huge difference that Paul Mucci P’07 has made not only in his life but also for all business and finance students at Merrimack. The Mucci Capital Markets Lab, created through the generosity of Joyce and Paul Mucci P’07 in 2015, provides students with access to 24 Bloomberg terminals, real-time financial data, news, and other educational resources to teach sophisticated trading.

The Mucci Lab was the hub of Frassine’s world during his undergraduate studies and now, having continued his studies in the masters in management program, as a graduate teaching assistant and fellow, he still spends hours in the space working with students. “All the finance students hang at the Lab; a lot of work, critical learning and fun take place there – we are like a little community within the bigger Merrimack community,” Frassine remarks.

Since his arrival in North Andover, Frassine has made the most of his opportunities.  He captained the Warrior soccer team to complete a perfect conference season during their first year in NCAA Division I play. He has worked as a Resident Advisor, where his maturity and desire to connect with the community was extremely rewarding. He is now completing a co-op remotely that began when COVID-19 struck in spring 2020. Now he anxiously awaits to learn if he will get permanent employment with that firm in a rotational training program.

Frassine says he has grown so much as a person from his time at Merrimack. “I feel prepared for the next step in life, and I am grateful for my scholarship, mentors who guided me, and all of the personal connections I have made along the way. Merrimack is remarkable,” he concludes.

Andrea Frassine has embraced every aspect of his Merrimack experience. The opportunities provided to him and his peers are the result of generous investments in the College by alums, parents and friends. You, too, can support remarkable student opportunities with a gift to The Merrimack Fund.