If I would need to summarize my visit to HEC in one sentence, I would clearly say that if I needed to go back to school, it would be defiantly .HEC
As you may know, I have been working many years in the field on international education, including my military service and my time at the Fulbright Foundation of the American Embassy in Israel and now as the founder and the CEO of Eshkolot (Eshkolot means in English scholar, cultured person, and well-read person). During my work I visited many MBA schools, including Harvard Business School, Stanford, Wharton; I sat in many classes, spoke to many professors, and heard many "selling speeches" (or as Philippe phrase them as "communication speeches"). At some point of my life, all the schools looked the same and I couldn't tell the different. So, I developed a set of criteria that help me understand the different, and for me it is always in the small things, the feeling that you get when you meet admission officers (if there are here to sell the school, or if they truly believe in the school influence on the students and in the world), the professors, (if they are there to deliver information, or to help students think differently, to open there mind to new ways of thinking, to develop the personality of the students even in "not so interesting topics as an accounting") and most important the students (I spent many hours speaking to students, understanding the transform that they went through, understand their difficulties, watching their body language while they speak. For me, because of the way that I see my place in the world, my calling as helping students to develop their leadership qualities and then achieve their goals, I am much interested in the dynamic between the international students , watching how they listening to each other, how they agree or disagree. As an Israeli, with excellent universities such as the Technion, Hebrew university etc., I am much interested in the quality of the academia and well as in leadership courses
.Needless to say that the school meets all my expectations and more
If to be honest, I first fell in love with a school while meeting Rotem and then when Alyssa and Philippe while they visited Israel in February. I saw immeditaly that even that Alyssa is pretty new to her job, she is very committed, warm, friendly and very reponsive. Needless to say how much engrey she has. Philippe , for me, (as a person who hires her own team), it says a lot of your abilities to hire the team that represent correctly the school. I especially liked what you said in your pretension that you make your team work, for me it means that you are sure of their abilities to do so,and that you are committed to the students in order to give them a fast answers as oppose to American Business schools, which work by deadlines and sometimes students can wait for final answers for weeks. I truly appreciate your efforts to go back to them in a timely manner period. Put simply, thank you for being who you are
In regards to the Academia, hearing the professors speaking of their mission, learning on special projects such as the project in Africa, the commitment to bettering the world which I believe education and business are all about. My conversation with Professor Masini on the project, understanding the school focus on sustainability and green technology which are a growing interest in Israel, and will be delivered to my students.
Talking to professor on leadership, was very informative for me, as we talk of transforming from military leadership to business leadership as I work closely with groups from the Israeli Navy and Airforce
Bernard, what a great pleasure it must be to work with you- fun, friendly, I really liked the atmosphere between the faculty members. Great choice of professors to represent the school, maybe you will considering adding one Israeli professor next year?
And last but defiantly not least, looking forward to hear Tony's pretension on the placement after graduation, I learned of a sincere effort to help students finding a job. Being honest with us, telling us of the statistics, trends and results this year surely help me go behind the statistics to be sure that you as school will make any possible effort to help my future students.
I can stress enough how happy I was, enjoying not only the e-labs and meeting again with Philippe and Alyssa, Jane and the other team of HEC. I also enjoyed the great food, the beautiful Paris and the Tennis, I can ensure my students that they make the right choice. I also would like the mention the warm welcoming I received from French people on the Metro, restaurants, all were kind and responsive.
Jane and Luciano – special thanks to you and to your team for arranging such an event, thank you for taking care of my flights (and sorry again for the delay in my passport
Philippe, Alyssa, thank you very much for the invitation, for all the hard work, for the informative presentations, for the dinner and for making this visit and excellent one.
…..Looking forward to our future cooperation
,Best Regards
Galit Adesman, CEO.
Tel: +972 54 4969165
