Give Back, Grow For­ward: Shap­ing the Next Gen­er­a­tion of Lead­ers as an Alum

“It keeps me on my toes,” she says. “Every year, I get to work with students from so many cultures, industries and backgrounds. They push me to think differently as well.”

Supporting Strategy Projects gives her insight into how organisations operate across industries and into how new generations approach leadership, sustainability and purpose.

“It’s very inspiring. They bring so much creativity and openness. It’s a privilege to be part of their journey.”

Why she came back

Mireia completed her own Strategy Project at Danish brewery Harboe in 2013 — an experience that left a lasting mark on her MBA year.

"It was genuinely one of the most enriching parts of my year, one that gave me lifelong friendships, taught me a lot about how to navigate different work styles, priorities and expectations”, she recalls. “I found it rewarding that the company trusted our team and was invested in our personal development.”

That experience is part of what drew her back. Today, as a Strategic Advisor, she guides participants through one of the programme’s most developmental components — helping them navigate ambiguity, cross-cultural collaboration and the early stages of their post-MBA career direction.

“I see this advisory role as having two legs,” she explains. “One is the support on the project – the scope, the tasks, how to communicate with the company. The other is more of a mentor-coach role: helping them reflect, helping them grow, and helping them see what they want to get out of the project.”

Helping students navigate real-world complexity

“This is real life. Things change, things happen, and expectations don’t always match what was originally agreed,” she says. “The project is where they learn to navigate that.”

Central to this process is trust.

“If I had to summarise what makes a Strategy Project successful, I would say trust. Trust is essential – between the student and the company, and also between the student and me.”

For many international participants, adapting to Danish work culture can be one of the biggest challenges.

“This is the biggest challenge for many of the international students I meet,” Mireia explains. “It’s nothing they know about. They sometimes think, ‘This is how it works in Turkey; this is how it works in France. But this is Denmark. If I want to succeed here, maybe I need to do things differently.’”

A platform for self-discovery

“Use it as a journey or a platform for self-discovery,” she says. “That’s what I always tell them.”

Students often discover new strengths, ambitions and ways of working — sometimes by pushing past discomfort.

“It can be uncomfortable for them,” she says. “But I encourage them to push their own boundaries.”

Staying connected to a community that shaped her

Ultimately, it is the transformation she witnesses in students that keeps her returning year after year.

“You see the before and after in the students,” she says. “You see how much they grow. And it’s wonderful to know you were part of that process.”

Why her story matters for alumni

Mireia’s experience is just one example of how meaningful — and mutually rewarding — alumni involvement can be. Her journey reflects something true across the CBS MBA community: when alumni give back, they not only support the next generation, but also expand their own perspectives, networks and leadership capabilities.

Many alumni find, as Mireia has, that staying engaged with the programme is both impactful and personally fulfilling. Whether through mentoring, career activities, cohort representation or ambassador roles, there are many ways to stay connected and make a difference.