18 months after the start of the "General and International Management" program, a total of seven graduates of the MBA class of 2020/2021 were pleased to announce their successful completion of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. Due to the COVID-19 regulation, the second stay of the students in the cooperative and international MBA program at the University of West Florida (UWF) in Florida in the summer of 2021 unfortunately had to be cancelled and the graduation ceremony could not be held in the USA as planned. In order to celebrate the successful graduation nevertheless, a virtual graduation ceremony was organized in cooperation with the University of West Florida (UWF) in the fall of 2021.
This took place in the ballroom of Edesheim Castle, where all graduates gathered with friends and relatives as well as those responsible for the cooperative and international MBA program of the Transatlantic Institute of the Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society (HWG LU). There was a live broadcast between the representatives of the University of West Florida (UWF) in the USA and the participants in Edesheim Castle. In addition, other guests were able to tune in live to participate in the ceremony.
The graduation ceremony was introduced by Melissa Brode, MBA director and associate dean. Thereupon, the Dean of the College of Business Prof. Dr. Richard Fountain, warmly welcomed the graduates, their friends and family members, and on behalf of the College of Business, Prof. Dr. Gerhard Raab, Ms. Kathrin Paul and Annette Reder. In addition, he introduced the other participants in the ceremony, Prof. Dr. Kuiyuan Li, Dean of the Graduate School at UWF and Ashton J. Hayward,III, President of the Andrews Research and Education Foundation and former Mayor of Pensacola.
Afterwards, guest speaker and former mayor of Pensacola Ashton J. Hayward delivered his impressive speech in which he congratulated the participants of the program and encouraged them to accept future challenges as well. Looking back on his career path, he shared the following advice for future professional success: to collaborate, to listen to others, to take risk, to ask for help, to have mentors, listen to those who came before us and to be rilitness in your passion." Everything together should be used to tackle big vision and "to do something bigger than myself."
Melissa Brode thanked Ashton J. Hayward and turned it over to Jana Steinacker and Dominik Knies, who gave the graduation speech for their cohort. Among other things, they discussed commencement at the University of West Florida (UWF) in Pensacola and expressed gratitude for the strong support throughout from UWF, the Transatlantic Institute, and their friends and families. They also emphasized the personal exchange and cohesion that has developed among the students during this time.
In his emotional speech, Prof. Dr. Gerhard Raab addressed the value of this investment in education. He also expressed his gratitude for the almost 20 years of partnership, success and trust with UWF and for the friendly relationship between UWF's College of Business and HWG LU's Transatlantic Institute. In addition, he thanked the relatives for their understanding and support during this study period.
Thereupon, Prof. Dr. Gerhard Raab personally called each participant to come forward individually together with a relative. After the congratulations for the Master of Business Administration and handing over of the certificate folders, the traditional putting on of the hoods was taken over by the escort. In addition, awards for induction into the Beta Gamma Sigma community were still presented. Only the best of a class in the field of economics receive the admission.
As part of the ceremony, the Dean, Prof. Dr. Kuiyuan Li, officially acknowledged the receipt of the MBA degree and welcomed the graduates to the alumni circle.
Melissa Brode concluded the virtual ceremony by thanking all program stakeholders from the Transatlantic Institute at HWG and the College of Business at UWF, not to mention UWF faculty and instructors, as well as friends and family members of the participants.
Following the virtual graduation ceremony and the photo shoot with hat toss in the courtyard, the ceremony moved to the banquet hall at Edesheim Castle.
We congratulate our graduates and also welcome them very warmly to our MBA alumni network!
The next start of the cooperative and international MBA program of HWG's Transatlantic Institute in collaboration with UWF's College of Business is January 2022 and applications are open until November 15, 2021. If you are interested, it is best to contact Ms. Kathrin Paul directly (kathrin.paul@hwg-lu.de, 0621-5203-440).
