Academic Excellence Awards Kick-Off 2012 Graduation Celebrations

Two of Central European University Business School’s highest academic achievers were recognized in a ceremony on June 14, the same day the Business School joined CEU in its 21st annual graduation ceremony at Budapest's Vigszinhaz theatre.

Stewart Harvey (Executive MBA) and Tibor Soltesz (Bachelor of Science in Global Management) received the Academic Excellence Award for earning the highest grade point averages in their respective 2012 graduating classes.

Outstanding graduates from CEU’s other degree programs were also recognized at the ceremony, which took place in the morning at CEU’s main campus. CEU Provost and Academic Pro-Rector Katalin Farkas led the event. University President and Rector John Shattuck welcomed award recipients and their guests, and congratulated students as they received their awards.

Yusef Akbar, academic director of MBA programs and associate professor of management and international business, presented Mr. Harvey with his award. Bernadett Koles, academic director of undergraduate programs and associate professor of management, presented Mr. Soltesz with his.

In the afternoon, graduating Business School students, faculty, and staff attended CEU’s graduation ceremony where University President and Rector John Shattuck conferred 57 MBA, five International Masters of Management, and 15 Bachelor of Science degrees from CEU Business School.

In total, the President and Rector conferred master's and doctoral degrees and special program certificates upon 613 students from 73 countries at the ceremony.

Mr. Harvey, who is originally from the UK, but has lived in Budapest for several years, notes how his MBA degree has “opened up a huge range of possibilities” for him professionally.

Mr. Soltesz, of Budapest, reflected on his time at the Business School, saying: “The school was a perfect environment to experiment, even to fail, and then learn and build a structured way of thinking.”