As another generation of business school students conclude their studies we ask them to reflect on Graduation Day and the lifelong impact of their studies… 

• Name: Joel Bacharie
• Career plans after graduation: To pursue a role in Germany that allows me to solve complex business problems and create meaningful impact.
• Institution: Mannheim Business School
• Degree: Full-Time MBA 2026
• Graduation date: October 2026

How does participating in a graduation ceremony help you emotionally mark the end of your student journey and prepare for what’s next? 

It is an emotional anchor that marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. In that moment, you can look backward, forward, outward, and inward. Was it worth it? Did I achieve what I set out to achieve? Graduation is a moment of reflection and acknowledgement.  

Embarking on and completing an MBA is far from easy. It is intensely transformational. You learn things you never expected to learn, and you are shaped in ways you never anticipated. The ceremony allows you to bring all of those experiences together, gather yourself, and step confidently into the future. 

What do you look forward to most about the ceremony? 

The graduation photo. Along with the degree itself, it is one of the two keepsakes that will endure. It is more than just a picture that will be nicely framed. It is a snapshot of a milestone shared with family, friends, mentors, colleagues, faculty, programme staff, and career advisers. It is the photograph your family, especially your parents, will look back on with pride for years to come.  

“If there is one impact I would like to have, it is to inspire others to pursue growth with courage and to build lives defined by their own values rather than by other people’s expectations.”

-Joel Bacharie

It is also the one you will revisit decades from now. Long after the details of assignments and lectures have faded into distant memories, that single image will remain as a reminder of what you accomplished, who you were at that moment in your life and the friendships you forged in that journey. 

What does it mean to you to be recognized publicly for your learning and accomplishment – and who do you feel you’re representing as you cross the stage?

Public recognition itself is not what gives the achievement its value. The value comes from the work, the sacrifices, and the personal growth that happened long before anyone applauded. Crossing the stage will not change what I have accomplished, but it gives me the opportunity to honour everyone who believed in me and supported me along the way. I will be thinking of my family, friends, mentors, colleagues, faculty, programme staff, and career advisers who supported me throughout this journey and helped make it possible.  

As someone from the Seychelles who chose to pursue an MBA in Germany, I also feel I am representing where I come from and showing that no matter how small your country is, your ambitions do not have to be.  

In a world where learning never really ends, what does ‘graduating’ mean to you – and what kind of impact do you want to make with what you’ve learned?

Completing this MBA has shown me just how much more there is to learn, how much more I am capable of becoming, and that growth is just as much about choosing who not to become as it is about choosing who to become. Rather than feeling like an ending, graduation feels like an invitation to keep growing. I hope to continue transforming myself throughout my life and career.  

If there is one impact I would like to have, it is to inspire others to pursue growth with courage and to build lives defined by their own values rather than by other people’s expectations. 

What is the single most memorable aspect of your studies that you will remember long after graduation?

The classroom discussions. They brought together people with different cultures, industries, and perspectives, creating conversations that challenged assumptions and broadened my thinking. We did not always agree, but we learned to debate respectfully, listen carefully, and appreciate viewpoints different from our own.  

What one piece of advice would you pass back to the next class, to help enhance their study experience? 

Help and support one another. Someone else’s success does not take anything away from your own.  

Your cohort is one of your most important professional networks, but do not stop there. Even if someone is not in your class, they are still part of the same university and, before long, the same alumni network.  

The strength of that network depends on how connected and supportive its members are. Build relationships beyond your cohort, celebrate each other’s successes, and be generous with your time and knowledge. The connections you make during your MBA can become some of the most valuable you will have throughout your career. After all, united you stand, divided you fall. 

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