Congratulations to the class of 2015!

On Saturday 22 August the group of 38 students representing 18 nationalities collected their diplomas at a graduation ceremony attended by family and friends. It was evident from the many speeches made by students, faculty and teachers that this had been a journey to remember and that the students had learned as much from each other’s different perspectives and experiences as from the world-class faculty and lecturers they had met in the classroom. 

 

Before the MBAs were invited up to collect their diplomas, a few of the students were singled out for exceptional achievements. First up was American Philip Hanson, who had managed to achieve the highest GPA. Vice dean for the CBS Management Programmes Christian Tangkjær presented him with this award while praising his consistent high-quality work, his active engagement in lectures, discussions, and projects as well as his ability to be a highly valued friend and classmate throughout the programme.

 

Indian graduate Kumar Gaurab was elected ‘Student of the Year’ by his classmates, who felt that he had persevered and shown resilience and professionalism throughout the ups and downs of the programme, and that he was a walking reminder to be true to yourself and have faith in your abilities. 

 

“It is difficult to describe my happiness and enjoyment in words,” said Kumar in his speech, “An MBA is not just a diploma. The lessons we learned in class were also life lessons which we will bring with us forever.  I will rename the past year to my learning year instead of my MBA year.”

 

German MBA student Katharina Nau received the Leadership Award. Course leader Laust Lauridsen from consulting firm Implement pointed out that her skills and thoughtful reflections on the topic had made her a go-to-person for many of her fellow students seeking leadership advice.

 

“The Leadership Discovery Process can be painful, but mostly it is rewarding,” said Katharina in her speech, “I am proud of how much we have developed, particularly after the leadership simulator experience in Sweden. We have learned how powerful it is to ask questions.”’

 

Todd Hutcherson from the US was named ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’. Eythor Jónsson, who led the elective and startup incubator the MBA Accelerator, firmly believed that Todd had the ability to inspire change, and that he was a shining example of the entrepreneurial spirit.

 

“To grow as a person and entrepreneur I needed to get out of my comfort zone and boldly face the unknown,” Todd said, referring to why he chose an MBA programme in Denmark over one in the US, “And facing the unknown is what entrepreneurship is all about.”

 

Finishing the MBA is just the beginning for the newly baked graduates. Armed with a set of new skills and perspectives, the MBAs are ready to rejoin the work force. We wish them all the best for their future endeavors and look forward to following them on their journey!

 

See a snapshot of the Copenhagen MBA class of 2015 in the CV book here.