ADVICE TO THE GRADUATING CLASS
FROM ONE HULTIAN TO ANOTHER
Graduating is both exciting and nerve-wracking—the future holds so much promise,
yet is also full of the unknown. To help the Hult Class of 2014 graduating in August,
we asked those in the know to provide their advice on life post-Hult. Read on for our
alumni and professors’ top tips.
The MBA is not just a diploma that will
help you acquire better positions but also
an experience that you live. Make the most
of it—your cla ssmates, and all the people
you meet, will be your greatest source of
learning and assets for the future.
I am with you every step of the way. I walk
with you and believe in you.
Graduate with pride and stand proud as
we are proud of you. Stay in touch. Stay
strong. Do something.
David James, Professor of Marketing
Laurent Normand, MBA Class of 2010
Never forget what I shared with you: If you
don’t know where you are going, any road
will take you there, just figure out your
strategy. You may not be the best at what
you do but, most importantly, be the only
one who does what you do in the world
(remember the Grateful Dead!).
Marco Protano, Professor of Marketing
and Strategy
Remember you are a genius.
Never let anyone say you’re not.
Strive to be a successful person first, and a
business person second. Pursue your true
purpose, live your values, respect all people,
and never stop learning. Remember, that
real success is always being able to look in
the mirror and be happy with the person
you see reflected there.
Joanne Lawrence, Professor of Corporate
Responsibility/Social Innovation
Get out of your comfort zone.
Make your dreams reality.
They are yours to achieve.
Richa Mittal, Master of International
Business Class of 2013
Network. Network. Network.
Follow your heart.
Every beat takes you to your goal.
Krista Van Leemput, Master of International
Business Class of 2013
You know you are the best.
So do I!
If anyone tells you, you can’t,
tell them you can.
You control your destiny.
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Most of us find that our careers take
unexpected turns and rarely go as we plan,
so be prepared for change and embrace
it. Have a destination in mind but enjoy
the journey and all the challenges it brings.
Respect the people you meet and seek to
understand them and to build enduring
relationships. This takes time and effort,
but it makes the day-to-day of work so
much more rewarding. In the end, nothing
is as important as maintaining your own
personal integrity, so have a clear set of
personal values which you have explored
and examined.
Roger Delves, Professor of Leadership and
Teambuilding
My experiences during my military career in
Bosnia, the Gulf, and Northern Ireland, were
an important part of my life, and shaped me
into the person I am. Let me list them:
1. Be happy with what you do for a living.
If you are unhappy with your work, stop
doing it. For your own sake, do something
else. Think about the financial rewards as
a bonus, something that may happen down
the line, then, amazingly, it happens.
2. Understand yourself. Some of the wisest
people I have ever met are the ones who
know what they don’t know, and aren’t
afraid to ask. Realize you don’t have every
answer under the sun, despite your shiny
new MBA!
3. Finally, keep practicing your soft skills—I
can’t emphasize this enough! You can have