On August 29-30, IPADE welcomed the members of the 47th Full-Time MBA (MEDE) Program. The 140 students that make up the Class of 2018 arrived at IPADE’s campuses in both Mexico City and Monterrey for two jam-packed days of orientation, eager to learn more about what the next two years will hold for them, as well as the people that they will share it with.
The Class of 2018 is one of the most diverse in the MEDE Program’s history. Women make up 32% of the class, and there are students from a variety of countries, including South Korea, Germany, the United States, India, and more. Of the 1,600 candidates that applied, only 252 were accepted, a 15.75% acceptance rate; of those 252, 140 decided to enroll, with 85 participating in Mexico City, and 55 in Monterrey.
In Monterrey, students were punctually welcomed by Monterrey Program Director Ricardo Murcio, who shared a bit of IPADE’s mission and history. “Our principle focus,” he said, “is to inspire people to be a better leader. We believe that we need leaders that can change the world that we live in, and that’s our focus.”
IPADE Dean Rafael Gómez Nava also welcomed students: “Without a doubt, starting the Full-time MBA is something that, as the years pass… will mark a before and after in your lives. I’d like to welcome you all here to the MEDE Program in Monterrey during IPADE’s 50th anniversary year.”
Simultaneously, Professor Ernesto Bolio Barajas kicked things off in Mexico City, welcoming students with a bit of humor. “These are the best years of your life,” he said. “I should know. I completed this Program.”
Morning sessions on both days were focused on the more practical aspects of the MEDE Program, including overviews of the International Office, Career Services Office, and the Full-time MBA itself. Professors and administrators emphasized the MEDE Program’s focus on management, not on administration, and the incredible opportunity students will have to learn ethics alongside business management from IPADE’s full-time faculty, visiting professors, and special invited guests.
Following the conclusion of morning sessions, the Class of 2018 broke for lunch in their teams, their first opportunity to work with the group that will become their family over the next two years.
After lunch, students returned for panel discussions with three MEDE graduates, and an introduction to the case method used at IPADE. The panel on the first day featured three MEDE graduates now making their way as entrepreneurs, while the second day featured three MEDE graduates successful in the corporate world, including Eduardo Osuna, CEO of BBVA Bancomer. The panelists focused on their experience at IPADE, reflecting on what they enjoyed, what they would do differently, and how to make the most of the Program. Once the floor was opened to questions, the incoming students asked a variety of questions ranging from the practical to the existential.
The profound and continuing impact of the Full-time MBA was evident in the stories shared by each panel participant. As Guillermo Gándara, Class of 2000, shared: “[The MEDE Program] changed my understanding of the world completely. It’s the type of MBA that you can’t even comprehend. The two years pass so fast. I would tell myself to relax, enjoy it more…focus on building relationships because they are so crucial.”
“If you’re concerned, if you’re worried, if you’re scared, I think that’s a good feeling. You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t feel that way,” said Professor Edmundo Vallejo, panel moderator.
“All the faculty, [IPADE] as an institution, we as professors, we all feel the same way. We recognize the bet that you’re making, the opportunity cost, the difficult work-life balance. Each and every one of us is focused on that, and each and every one of us will do everything we can to make sure that at the end of your two years you know you made the best decision.”
Orientation concluded with a simultaneous recitation of the Full-Time MBA Code of Honor, led by Professor Luis Felipe Martí. IPADE is proud to welcome the 140 students of the MEDE Class of 2018 to our growing community of more than 32,000 students and alumni worldwide.
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