18 de June de 2019
Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona was the venue for the Graduation Ceremony of the class of 2018-2019 at EAE's Barcelona Campus. More than 5,800 attended the event, including students from 102 different countries, their guests and members of the academic faculty.
The EAE Community shared an occasion filled with emotion and satisfaction, seeing the students fulfil their dreams after a year of hard work and effort, in a ceremony that welcomed distinguished guests such as José Creuheras, the President of Grupo Planeta; Francesc Torres, the Chancellor of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya; Carlos Giménez, the CEO of Planeta Formación y Universidades; José Luis Fernández, the General Director of EAE Business School; Jorge Irigaray, the General Secretary of EAE Business School; and Josep Maria Altarriba, the Dean of EAE Business School. Carlos Giménez reminded the students that, in the age of digital transformation, the new graduates had to lead the change, which is not an easy challenge, but rather a lifelong learning process.
The distinguished patron of the Graduation Ceremony was Antonio Brufau, the President of Repsol, who also emphasized that we are in the midst of a period of profound changes, in which he advised the students to become transactional, transformational and daring leaders, with the aim of embracing risk as standard, otherwise they would simply be managers rather than leaders. Brufau encouraged the students to leave their comfort zone and delve into the unknown.
Awards and accolades to companies, lecturers and students
At this special event, the School's lecturers also took centre stage, as they have played a key role in the new graduates' training. The award for the Best Lecturer on Full-Time Programs was presented to Daniel Vaccaro, who said that this accolade made him feel extremely grateful. "This accolade makes me so happy because it is the product of effort, passion, difficulties and results. Receiving this award is really great feedback". The lecturer advised the graduates to "work hard, do things with passion and trust their intuition, making decisions that they really feel are right and enjoying every single one of them".
EAE also rewarded the day-to-day work of the students at the ceremony, with the title of student with the best Bachelor Degree record going to Amaia de Roode Jauregui in this case. Next, an award was presented in recognition of the company that has recruited most EAE students from the Barcelona Campus over the last academic year. The Top Recruiter Award went to Seat and was collected by Vanesa Martínez Aisa, the Director of Employer Branding & Talent Planning at the company.
The student representatives make their speeches
One of the highlights of the ceremony is when the recent graduates were given their red sashes. It was an emotional moment for everyone because it marked the end of their studies, as they join a family of over 73,000 former students, executives and professionals from companies, institutions and organizations in more than 100 countries all around the world. The students a surprise with a video of their families congratulating them.
Before making their speeches, the three students who represent their classmates admitted feeling nervous, but excited at the same time. "Representing the students is a real responsibility. My speech focuses on values and everything we have learned", explained María José Bertran, a student on the Master in Marketing Management. In her speech, she emphasized that combining their personal and professional lives with a Master at the weekend is more than just a massive juggling act. "All of us here have something in common: we have all been inspired in our time here by lots of lecturers and people at EAE. Based on the example they all set, I have reached the conclusion that the target to which a leader is committed is to inspire, train and transform future leaders".
Carlos Adrián Favre, a student on the Full-Tim MBA, was overjoyed to be at the ceremony. When writing his speech, he focused on the efforts, what we can achieve if we set our minds to it, even though we are far from home. He began by stating that education is power. "Nelson Mandela thought along the same lines when he said, 'Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world'. We should be proud to be here after so much sacrifice. We are the winners, who together have risen to the challenge of this hard but fantastic Master. After lots of effort and dedication, this unique experience comes to an end today". Meanwhile, Isabella Erkelens, from the Master in Marketing & Sales, highlighted how many sleepless nights they have had and how many assignments they have had to complete, missing their homes, families and friends. "But all this has made us stronger and shown us that we can always do more. It has been an adventure that, despite our initial fears, has shown us that the world is ours for the taking and there are no limits to stop us".
At the end of the ceremony, José Luis Fernández, the General Director of EAE, reminded is that this academic year has been particularly special for the School, as it has welcomed more than 2,000 students from over 100 different countries at its Barcelona Campus. In addition, more than 4,000 companies from 25 sectors have worked with the School. EAE has taken part in the research behind 200 case studies and has ranked among the top business schools in national and international rankings. "Education must lead the change and make this time the best of all times".
The students, the protagonists of the ceremony
The students enjoyed some drinks at the foot of the mountain of Montjuïc, where they proudly wore their red sashes and captured the moment at EAE's photo call. But what did they feel as they collected their sashes?
"I felt that, although this stage is ended, we still have lots to learn ahead of us. I am leaving this Master with a great team and an unforgettable experience", emphasized Elisabeth Cabrera, a Venezuelan student in the Master in Project Manager. She plans to continue working in Barcelona for a while before going to Vancouver to work for a year.
"I have met people from all over the world. EAE is like one big family", explained Alba Moya, a student on the Master in Human Resources Management. Another key feature of the School is the employability of its graduates. For instance, Alba is doing an internship at the company Mr Wonderful thanks to EAE. "For the time being, I hope to stay here but if I have to look for another company in the future, I feel confident and well-equipped thanks to all the tools that the Professional Careers Department has given us to choose the right company where we can and want to develop professionally".
For Gabriel Foli, a Brazilian student on the Master in Marketing Management, this graduation represents the achievement of a hard but rewarding challenge. "Now, I have achieved what I was looking for: a major change in my career". Gabriel works in Marketing, his chosen sector, and he plans to stay in Barcelona for the moment. "At EAE, I have acquired knowledge of this sector from professionals working in the field. I have also done lots of networking".
Valeria Noriega, a Honduran student on the Master in Supply Chain, said that she feels very emotional because "getting to this point is a great achievement for me. I am leaving with friendships with people I have met here from different cultures around the world. I am particularly grateful to the lecturers, who have taught is in a really different way". Equally emotional was Ecuadorian student Daniela Echen. "I feel that all the hard work has been worth it. I came here to fulfil a dream and it has become a reality". Daniela is doing an internship organized through the university.
Proud to form part of this great family, Meyva Avendaño and Haydee Zuchini, students on the Master in Project Management, explained that now it is time to put what they have learned at EAE into practice. "The best thing is going back to our country, giving our very best, contributing to society and wearing the EAE badge with pride". They both plan to work as executives and business consultants.
Congratulations to all the graduates for having overcome the difficult challenges over the course of this academic year!