„We are Masters!“ – Graduation of German MBA-Students in Florida

After 22 months of intensive learning and studying, the twelve German master’s graduates have reached their target: on June 30th 2007, the University of West Florida conferred on them the Master of Business Administration degree.

The Graduates of the German MBA Cohort 2007 (left to right):
Upper row: Gabriella Dori, Esther Hoffmann, Berit Schmitt, Reinhard Frank, Anne Oehlschläger, Heiko Kern, Marielle Ehrmann. Lower row: Joachim von Hunnius, Daniel Bosch, Stefan Hauck, Metin Isiker.
Prevented on Graduation day, thus not in the picture:
Klaus-Felix Borchmann.

Friends and families of the graduates were able to watch the celebration live via internet, back home in Germany. So did Klaus-Felix Borchmann, who could not attend the graduation ceremony for personal reasons.

The commencement speaker, Brigade General Michael L. Ferguson, gave the graduates some advise for the future, which he called the „ABCs of success“:

„A: Always have a dream or a plan.
Not just a business plan, but a life plan, that encompasses selfless service. […]
B: Be committed.
Take a stand! […] We’ve got enough people running around in the world, that don’t know what they want or what they stand for. And you stand for something good. So take a stand in what you do.
C: Continue to persevere.
Perhaps we can call this ‘guts’. It takes guts to stick it out. But if something is worth doing, then have the guts to stick it out.”

In his speech, the managing director of the Transatlantik-Institut, Prof. Dr. Gerhard Raab, cited Benjamin Franklin: „Investment in knowledge pays the best interest rate.” Raab furthermore emphasized the relevance of education and the importance of life-long learning.

„ By authority delegated to me by the faculty and the board of trustees, I confer upon each of you the Master of Business Administration Degree to which you are entitled, and welcome you to this ancient and honorable company of scholars.”
With these words, Dr. Richard Podemski, Associate Vice President of Research and Dean of Graduate Studies at the UWF, set the seal on the graduation of the twelve candidates.

The next cohort of German MBA-students has already completed half of the ten courses. They will be celebrating their graduation in June 2008 on the campus of the UWF in Pensacola.

In January 2008, the new cohort will start the program. Closing date for applications is the 31st of October 2007. Further information can be found on our homepage www.transatlantik-institut.de or call Mss. Kathrin Paul on +49-621-59185-10.