Entrepreneurs from around the country held a Q&A session with the Class of ’23 to share real-life examples of what it takes to succeed in the business world

Business executives and entrepreneurs like Jaime Alberto Alvarez Founder of Studio de Moda, Maria Adelaida Perez Manager of Grupo Bios, and Maria Isabel Suarez Director of Operation Medellin participated.

“These events are crucial for the seniors because they prepare you for what happens after school because you are going to face a challenging world where you have to push your limits and meet new people,” Patricia Sucerquia, ASOPAF director, said.

The speakers conveyed their satisfaction in being able to visit the school, engage with the students, and provide opportunities and information that they didn’t have access to at a young age.

“I believe that this is a great opportunity to share our experiences, to dialogue with young people and to show them that in life things are achieved through hard work and risks,” Alvarez said.

The event started in the format of a talk show, where the presenters recounted their personal experiences, including their life stories, and talked about the challenges they faced, which required them to push their limits to achieve success.

“Overall the event gave great insight on the challenges that life can bring and how it’s important to face adversity with an open mind,” Senior Nicolas Restrepo, said.

During the conference, the speakers also emphasized the importance of not only being a good person and serving one’s community but continually challenging oneself.

“Don’t stay in a comfortable spot, we are all very privileged, and because of that we have to look for other ways to challenge ourselves in order to become a better person,”  Uribe said.

The conference would address various other questions, but the predominant theme was bad habits, how they could be changed, as well as any advice for the Seniors’ future in university.

“They addressed the idea of doing what makes you happy, and I found this very interesting because it’s something that even now that we are reaching the end of the school there are still many people unsure or unhappy with their future careers,” Senior Julian Fernandez said.

The speakers were clearly attempting to convey a message to all seniors to prepare themselves for the forthcoming challenges, to anticipate failure, and to be resilient in the face of adversity.

“Success is not guaranteed but the challenges to get there are. You have to accept these challenges with open doors, and when they come embrace them because it’s here that opportunities are created,” Guest speaker Maria Adelaida Perez said.