Patrick Stoll
Background After my studies in English and Journalism in Switzerland and the USA, I worked for three years as a newspaper and TV-journalist before being deployed as UN Military Observer for one year in the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE). This is where I decided to apply for an MBA with the University of St. Gallen.
In my professional life I soon realised that I lacked an education that entitled me to take on a managerial role in a company. Therefore I decided to make my MBA at the renowned University of St. Gallen. Ideally, I also wanted to change industry after the MBA to gather new experiences.
Looking back to my MBA I am, time and again, surprised at how much we learnt in only one year. The workload was tough, especially with my atypical background. Nevertheless, I never had the feeling of being lost. The small class and the friendship rather than rivalry supported each one of us and helped us to cope with the tasks at hand.
The small size of the class was a great advantage. In the course of the year, we got to know each other very well, knew each other's the strengths and weaknesses and thus became very efficient as a group. It was fascinating to see how people with different professional and cultural backgrounds stood together and succeeded.
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Social Activities
Outside of the classroom, we also enjoyed a variety of social events. Due to the small size of the class it was possible to undertake several things as group – a fact that supported the bonding of the group. Only a few weeks into the programme, for instance, the whole group went to Ebenalp in the Alpstein area where we got to know each other better. Unsurprisingly, this was also the location where we celebrated our graduation.
New Opportunities
My MBA has helped me to make the career shift I intended to. It helped me to get into one of the most popular employers in Switzerland where I have the opportunity to develop both personally and professionally.
Lessons Learned
In a programme such as the St.Gallen MBA, students can profit very much on different levels. On a personal level, I am happy to have met motivated and ambitious people from different countries. On a professional level, I learnt how to work more efficiently and how to "survive" in demanding times. Personally, I think this is one of the most important points in our environment: to learn how to deal with the ever increasing pressure and to become aware of one’s ability to succeed under pressure.