Many creative minds – one big family
Creativity, team spirit, perseverance and the courage to change: the graduates of ESB Business School are well prepared for their role as future managers. Together with their families and guests of honour, 170 graduates celebrated the successful completion of their studies last Saturday in Reutlingen’s city hall – with the traditional tossing of their academic caps. Yet their connection to their alma mater does not end there. The big ESB family will accompany them throughout their lives.
“Be brave and go for it.” Seven years ago, Joshua Ruiz Sportmann was sitting where the ESB graduates were sitting on Saturday: in the front seats of Reutlingen’s city hall. This time, the meanwhile 31-year-old entrepreneur was on stage – as the keynote speaker at the graduation ceremony for the 2024/25 graduating semester. Sportmann’s career had just started to pick up speed when his father Josué Ruiz called him two years ago: “Quit your job and join me at Hochland Kaffee.” The roaster master and managing director was to take over the renowned Stuttgart coffee manufacturer from the founder’s granddaughter – but wanted his sons on board. “I wasn’t sure whether I had the confidence to do it”, admits Joshua Ruiz Sportmann. “But then I thought when a door opens, you have to go through it.” He shares this courage and entrepreneurial spirit with many ESB students.
In his humorous laudation, ESB Dean Professor Dr Markus Conrads added that he did not know how many cups of coffee the students consumed during the course of their studies. It is true that studying at ESB is demanding, but party life also receives a fair portion of the time available:“You will soon be able to look back wistfully on your student days. The coming chapters will also make sense in your life and each chapter will have its own characteristic charm.” He recommended that the graduates should not be afraid of questioning their own personal path.
The ESB family was the topic of many of the evening’s speeches. Dr Constantin Huesker, treasurer of the ESB Alumni Association, has benefited from the large network of alumni as an ESB graduate himself. “No matter what you do, the network will multiply it”. His advice: “Never stop connecting – never stop networking.” Dr Huesker insists that humanity should always be maintained, with a view to current developments in artificial intelligence. “Algorithms won’t save you, but people will.”
For example, in group projects that often lasted until after midnight with pizza and a talent for improvisation, as Master’s graduate Loris Zettel revealed in his speech: “We learned to think outside the box. Sometimes we had the challenge of actually finding the box.” For Bachelor’s graduate Luisa Schmitz, ESB is more than just a place. “It’s the people who make the place.”
For Reutlingen’s Mayor Thomas Keck, the city of Reutlingen plays a major role as a partner of ESB – and hopefully also for many of the new graduates. In his speech, Mayor Keck emphasised the opportunities that Reutlingen offers young founders: “ESB is an engine for progress. Be open to change and take on social responsibility.”
The emotional ceremony with musical interludes in front of 550 guests culminated in the traditional tossing of the academic caps. It marked the end of their time as students, said Professor Dr Arjan Kozica, Vice President of Reutlingen University. The time as postgraduates, founders, PhD students, CEOs was beginning. Yet one thing will not change: “They will remain part of a network that shares experiences and ideals, and they will continue to benefit from this.” Professor Kozica had the following request to the new graduates: “Support those who come after you. Stay connected with each other as well as with all the alumni and partners.”
