Despite the program’s 18-year history and the fact that it was the first of its kind in Uruguay, when Luis Silva Domingo took office in 2008 as academic coordinator of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) Universidad ORT Uruguay at Universidad ORT Uruguay, he realized that something was missing from the graduate program. Shortly after taking the helm of the program, he spearheaded the creation of the university’s Annual MBA Alumni Network Dinner.
This Thursday, October 25, at 8:00 p.m. at the Golf Club, the dinner celebrates its tenth anniversary and remains true to the spirit in which it was conceived: to build community.
Although the focus has been on innovation and continuous improvement since 1990—as ORT has always sought to do in all its programs—Silva Domingo notes that for the past decade, the university has prioritized internationalization and personalization as key differentiators of the MBA program. “Added to these elements is the development and consolidation of a community of graduates established by the university itself. That sense of community is evident, for example, when we organize various activities and many alumni participate voluntarily,” explains the MBA’s academic coordinator.
In this regard, Marcos Lacués, a 2015 graduate who is now 33 and serves as Country Manager for World Courier in Peru, says that the annual dinner is an opportunity to gather, outside of an academic setting, with people who have made the same choice as he has: to be an agent of change, a transformative force, or a decision-maker within their respective professional contexts. “It’s very important to have a dinner where attendees can reaffirm the decisions they’ve made, learn from others’ experiences, and connect with people who share common goals and interests,” he adds.
Cecilia Hernández Alpuin, a classmate of Lacués who holds dual degrees—an MBA from ORT and a Master’s in International Business from Florida International University—agrees that the dinner provides an opportunity to reconnect with other alumni and is “an irreplaceable networking event.” “I believe this event is essential; in fact, we should organize more events throughout the year to grow our alumni community and strengthen our sense of belonging,” she notes.
Indeed, Guillermo Pons, a 2008 graduate and current member of the ORT MBA Alumni Advisory Board, explains that significant progress has been made recently in adding value to the program, whether through networking events, talks, workshops, or luncheons with international guests. “It’s always good and inspiring that there’s still so much to do, but what’s also true is that we’re succeeding in reinforcing the idea that being part of the ORT MBA Alumni Community is a valuable choice both personally and professionally,” he notes.
This community, with its constant focus on networking—which will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its flagship event on Thursday, October 25—plays a strategic role in building ORT’s MBA brand, according to Silva Domingo: “An MBA is only as good as the brand; in the job market, great importance is placed on whether the university where it was earned is prestigious.”
In this regard, the MBA Universidad ORT Uruguay maintained its prestige; for 20 years, *América Economía* magazine has ranked the program among the top 35 in Latin America, and it has also been recognized as one of the best in the region by the Eduniversal ranking.
DAZZLER, EY, BlueCross & BlueShield of Uruguay, VIASONO, El Observador, Montevideo Shopping, Alicia Risotto, Farmashop, Dove, and IBERPARK are partnering with ORT this year to host a new MBA Alumni Network Annual Dinner.
MBA Builds Community - Article published in El Observador on November 1, 2018