Reflections on the outgoing class

These past weeks have been characterized by many walks down memory lane. Every since the last term started, everyone began to think about what was going to come next, the 2nd Years started to hand over their responsibilities to the 1st Years - and the Yearbook team went to work on what will be our final book with pictures, stories and quotes of the Class of 2010. Several weeks back they sent out the following video to encourage all of us to share our best pictures from the MBA - which made me go through all my photos from the last two years and pretty nostalgic.



Now it was my turn to contribute a short article with reflections on the outgoing class, and this is what I wrote:

210 students on average aged 27, with an average of 4 years of work experience, speaking three languages and representing 45 countries – that is how Administration described the incoming Class of 2010.

Five intensive MBA terms later the picture has changed. Looking around you see a group united by joint experiences, travels, cases, team projects, exams, parties, sports, dinners, the hardship of job search, discussions, laughs – and friendship. A group with a deep understanding of other cultures and countries, a grasp of foreign history, a keen interest in trying everything new and discovering the world, a big thirst for knowledge, a sense of commitment, empathy and the willingness to help. A group of individualists and team workers, altruists and egoists. A group of job changers, vacationers, inspiration seekers, dedicated fighters for a cause, “doing good”-ers and “doing well”-ers. A group of married couples and single people, unmarried couples and young parents. A group of extroverts and introverts, crazy party people and hard workers. The most contradicting personalities, backgrounds and aspirations came together, 210 people meant at least as many different opinions, yet we forged a group of people with a strong sense of community. A group that cares for each other, helps each other, learns from each other and respects each other. A group that is hungry and ready to conquer the world. That is the outgoing Class of 2010.