477 Master's degrees awarded at HSG

11 October 2022. Graduates were presented with their diplomas in the following programs:

• 74 in Business Innovation,
• 46 in Business Management,
• 25 in Strategy and International Management,
• 43 in Banking and Finance,
• 91 in Accounting and Finance,
• 21 in Management, Organization and Culture,
• 14 in Economics,
• 9 in Quantitative Economics and Finance,
• 32 in Law,
• 41 in Law with Economics,
• 12 in International Law,
• 33 in Marketing, Service and Communication Management and Marketing Management,
• 36 in International Affairs and Governance, 
• additionally 32 in Business Education. 

Many bridges built

"Victory won't lie in the blade but in all the bridges we've made," said President Prof. Dr. Bernhard Ehrenzeller, quoting the lines of the young American poet Amanda Gorman. Gorman had recited the poem "The Hill We Climb" at the inauguration ceremony of U.S. President Joe Biden in January 2021. In the spirit that message, Ehrenzeller said, the poem beautifully expresses that many challenges require two things – the courage to face them and a "we." During their studies, the graduates built professional bridges and bridges to practice, with internships and together with practice partners. But the most important bridges were the personal friendships, said President Bernhard Ehrenzeller. "You all had to step out and dared to climb the study mountain in front of you. But you never had to do it alone." 



Climbing the first peak 
Graduates were also able to count on the support of their families– from their first steps to the most difficult parts of their journey. Your support system not only helped you pack your backpacks properly, but also encouraged you to take the next step. President Bernhard Ehrenzeller noted that the view of the 2501-meter-high Säntis, the highest point in the region, is just as familiar to the graduates as the numerous steps up the Rosenberg. Being able to make an ascent under one's own steam and as a group compensates for the strenuous moments. Cheering each other on and looking back makes it possible to see that colleagues experienced some passages differently. According to Bernhard Ehrenzeller, mountaineering not only teaches you about your own character traits, strengths and weaknesses, but also about those of your fellow climbers. "Who wants to be the first or the first to reach the top at all costs? To whom is it more important that you make it to the finish as a group? And who do you trust in critical moments?" Courage, teamwork and perseverance are sometimes qualities that make the first summit, the master's degree, easier to force through, he says. "And even though higher ones may be tempting, don't forget to thoroughly enjoy today's view," President Bernhard Ehrenzeller concluded by congratulating the graduates on their summit climb. 



Awards for outstanding master's theses

Numerous prizes were also awarded to the following graduates and their research topics:

• The "Steinacher Prize" was awarded to Mr. Niclas Robin Käfer. 
  ("Prospect Theory and Option Returns")
• The "Prize of the Department of Economics for the best Master's Thesis written on topics on Quantitative Finance and Economics" was awarded to both Mr. Federico Baldi Lanfranchi and Mr. Ralph Enderle. 
  ("On Time Dynamics of Liquidity and Volatility", "Quantitative Trading Strategies and Sentiment Analysis – The Performance of Signal-Based Trading Strategies incorporating Sentiment")
• In absentia, Mr. Damian Wehrli received the "Prize of the Department of Economics for the best Master's Thesis in Economics".
  ("Examining the Pollution-Income Relationship: An Analysis of U.S. Household Data and its Application to Climate Modeling")
• The "Paul Alther Award" went to Ms. Anna Sophia Burch.
  ("Towards deforestation-free supply chains – Corporate management of forest-related risks in the agricultural commodity sector")
• Finally, the "Latin America Prize" was awarded to Ms. Lynn Sara Tschirky.
  ("The Potential of Blockchain Technology to Combat Illegal Logging in the Amazon Rainforest")

The celebration was musically accompanied by the St.Gallen band WE ARE AVA. The band members Kim Lemmenmeier and Nicola Holenstein are completing their Master's degree at HSG, and drummer Andy Schwendener his doctorate. Music rehearsals take place regularly on campus. 

Images: Lautenschlager GmbH