UIBS Graduation

Who are these graduates and what are they doing on our blog?

They are the graduates of United International Business Schools, including Zurich Business School where I have been teaching in the MBA program for the past year.  Since we decided to stay longer in Europe I thought I would like to start teaching here, rather than waiting until we are back in the US.  So last spring I found out that UIBS was opening a campus in Zurich in 2011, and I started teaching marketing courses in the MBA program in the fall (as well as playing the associate dean role in Zurich).  I teach once a week in 3 ten-week terms, which works well with my (and my kids') schedule.  I find teaching in the MBA program to be very rewarding.  Interacting with the students is another facet of this international experience that makes it really enjoyable!

As the dean of the Zurich campus, I spoke at the graduation which was held this year in Zurich on July 1st.  I love to give speeches, and this was a lot of fun!  I talked about John Studebaker and his experience in the gold rush, my last-place finish in a track race in high school, and personal relationships I have formed through my work.  My 3 pieces of advice to graduates were:

1. Look for opportunities and be flexible enough to take advantage of them.
2. Your success will depend largely on your attitude, having a long-term perspective and persevering.
3. Don't underestimate the importance of people and personal relationships - especially the relationships with those people that matter most (family).