A look back at the class 10 years ago …

12th June 2008

Today, during our last IPE class (although Jean-Pierre will resurface with us in Kenya among other places) we found out who the “Most Global” student was.

To find out who this person is, first you have to understand the process.  Every IPE class, we were given quizzes on the region of the world that was being covered in class.  And, over the course of the program, they covered the world.  Most saw them as a sad reminder of how little they knew, others laughed while their geographic region was being covered, but were completely stumped when other parts of the world were being talked about.  Needless to say, we have some reading to do…

However, there are two that stood above the rest, and were recognized today by both IMD and the Financial Times.  Emeka (Nigeria) and Sacha (France) both proved that what the class thought was correct.  They are the two most global students in the 2008 MBA class.

That being said, recognition needs to be paid to the other 8 that were also recognized, in no order:  Loon Chian (Singapore), Harsh (Finland via India), Sonal (India), Marco (Italy), Jasmin (Australia via Bosnia), Andrea (Italy), Roberto (Mexico) and Ian B. (Canada).

So what makes these 10 people so global?  When asked, several pieces of advice came up, with only one thing being common to all.  First, this no longer applies directly to our desire to learn, it does apply to the parents out there: you have a major impact on your children.  While this is the most inane piece of knowledge, more than half of the top ten cited their parents as being voracious readers who encouraged their children to learn.  Second, Ask.  Ask why something is the way it is, how something is done, what is going on.  And then go find out if what you were told is fact and make up your own mind.  Third, take the time to read newspapers, magazines and books, use the internet, listen to different music and learn about the culture.

The final piece of advice that appears to be the only unanimous sentiment among the group was to be intellectually curious.  All of them spoke of how little they felt they actually knew, but wanted to know.  And it is this curiosity that got them into the top 10.

Congratulations to all.

Cat

Catherine Kulley

 

 

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