Thirteen specialists, 546 masters and 9 doctors from the programs taught in Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Querétaro and Lima, make up the December 2020 Generation.

By JOSÉ ÁNGEL DE LA PAZ | EGADE BUSINESS SCHOOL

In an unprecedented event, a total of 568 students received their diplomas and academic degrees during the EGADE Business School Graduation Ceremony, held for the first time virtually.

This December 2020 Generation is made up of 13 specialists, 546 masters and 9 doctors, from various states of the Mexican Republic, as well as from the countries of Germany, Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Ecuador, Spain, United States, France, Guatemala, Holland, India, Peru, Dominican Republic, Switzerland and Venezuela.

By program, among those taught in Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Querétaro (Mexico) and Lima (Peru), the number of graduates where:

• 13 of the Specialty in Energy Administration.
• 370 of the EGADE MBA.
• 19 of the EGADE UNC Charlotte MBA in Global Business & Strategy.
• 14 of the Full-Time MBA in Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
• 88 of the Master in Finance.
• 52 of the Master in Business Management.
• 1 of the Master in Marketing.
• 2 of the Master of Administration.
• 4 of the Doctorate in Administrative Sciences.
• 5 of the Doctorate in Financial Sciences.

The ceremony was chaired by Juan Pablo Murra, Rector of Professional and Graduate Studies at Tecnológico de Monterrey; Ignacio de la Vega, Dean of EGADE Business School and Tec's Undergraduate Business School; Laura Zapata, Associate Dean of Academics at EGADE Business School, and Raquel Castaño, Associate Dean of Faculty Development at EGADE Business School.

“As graduates of EGADE Business School and above all as citizens who have been able to continue their studies and work responsibilities in a context that has left millions of people in a precarious and vulnerable situation, you have the opportunity and responsibility to use all this knowledge and privilege in the generation of a more prosperous, equitable and just future,” said De la Vega, in his message to the graduates.

THREE LESSONS ON CONTINUOUS PREPARATION, PURPOSE, AND LEADERSHIP

Jorge Luis Torres Aguilar, CEO of FedEx Express Mexico, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Mexico and OneMBA graduate, served as guest speaker.

In his message, the guest congratulated the graduates for having completed their postgraduate studies during an unprecedented peculiar year and shared three lessons learned from their experiences:

1. The importance of continuous preparation: “When you have a true commitment to fulfill your objectives, when you have clear priorities and are faithful to your own principles, decisions are easier and there is no distance that stands between your decision, your will and your commitment, and the fulfillment of your goals, such as constant preparation in a changing world. Today's sacrifice is an investment for the future.”
    
2. Have clearly defined your purpose in life: "It seems to me that working for or to 'achieve success' is a mistake frequently made when you do not have a clear idea of ​​what success is. The biggest obstacle to success is having the wrong concept of what it means. I like and share John G. Maxwell's definition of success: success is knowing your purpose in life, growing to your full potential, and sowing seeds that benefit others."
    
3. Update your leadership style to the new reality: "A truly assertive and effective leader is one who not only 'fulfills' his task, but is one who consistently exceeds any expectation and generates, and even exceeds the expected result, Despite obstacles, despite adverse conditions, despite not having all the resources, despite going against the current, always. Today more than ever our leadership management model must be resilient, with the ability to adapt to a new reality.”

"Without a doubt, the most important lesson that I carry with me, having graduated from EGADE Business School, is that I came out much better equipped personally and professionally, not only to face the future but to define it," said Torres Aguilar, distinguished this year among the 25 Influential Leaders of AACSB International and with the EXATEC EGADE Award.

A COMMON CHALLENGE: 'BE OUR BEST VERSIONS'

On behalf of her generation, Nada Kolar, a graduate of the EGADE MBA, spoke a few words in honor of her colleagues.

"Our journey began a little over two years ago when we made one of the most important decisions of our lives. At that time, no one imagined that at the time of our graduation the world was going to be such a different place.

"I congratulate each and every one of you for all the monumental effort you have invested. Each of us decided to take this path for different reasons and purposes, but what we all have in common is that we challenge ourselves to be the best versions of ourselves, and I want to think that we all left here with the strong motivation to leave our mark and use our influence to make the world a fairer place with equal opportunities for future generations", said Kolar.

The graduation also featured messages from Jaime Martínez Bowness, Daniel Maranto, Raúl Montalvo and Ivan Valdovinos, directors of the EGADE Business School sites in Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara and Lima, Peru; and José Ernesto Amorós, National Director of Doctoral Programs at EGADE Business School.

To conclude the ceremony, Murra formally took the protest to the new graduates.

With this new generation, the total number of academic degrees awarded by EGADE Business School rises to 6,863.

Watch the ceremony here.