A year has passed since the Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA Program class of 2020 graduated. Due to the global pandemic, the Fall 2020 graduation ceremony could not be held locally. After an open discussion with the students, program management made the conscious decision not to hold an online-only ceremony, but to hold the ceremony in its usual format at a later date instead. Now, at the end of October 2021, the 56 graduates of the challenging executive education program offered by WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management in cooperation with world-renowned Kellogg School of Management were duly celebrated at the Electoral Palace in Koblenz.
WHU Dean, Professor Markus Rudolf, recalled the measures taken to ensure the smooth completion of the program even during the pandemic during his speech at the opening ceremony. Bernadette Birt, Assistant Dean, Kellogg Executive MBA Global Network, of the Kellogg School of Management added in her address that in the year since their actual graduation date, graduates have already gained real experience in crisis management and leadership during a pandemic. Both Rudolf and Birt emphasized that while their studies have come to an end, the community remains. "You will never be alone on your journey. You will always have the support of your fellow graduates and the alumni network," Birt assured, while Rudolf invited the graduates to be an active part of that same network: "We need you as alumni of the university to make WHU even better."
