Alumni from different years—those who completed their studies over a decade ago and this year’s alumni—entrepreneurs, managers, defenders, and veterans, gathered once again within the familiar walls of the UCU Business School for Alumni Leadership Day 2024 and the Alumni Awards 2024 ceremony. Each year, our community grows larger and stronger, and this event became an opportunity to share achievements, discover new ideas for growth, and discuss the challenges facing today’s leaders.
The Alumni Leadership Day was traditionally held in collaboration with the UCU Leadership Center and with the support of our longstanding partner—the Ivey Business School’s Leadership Institute, named after Ihor Ihnatovych (London, Ontario, Canada). Together, we are building a community of leaders ready to transform the country for the better!
This year’s theme was “Managing Teams in Critical Situations”. The leadership program was uniquely tailored to today’s realities: participants underwent training in tactical medicine and weapons handling, followed by a simulation exercise where they applied their newly acquired skills.
Equipped with new and unique managerial insights, participants transitioned to the main event—a heartfelt conversation with one of today’s most renowned leaders and the presentation of the Alumni Awards.
The keynote theme of “Managing Teams in Critical Situations” found its embodiment in this year’s special guest—a person with unparalleled moral authority to speak on true leadership: Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom and former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi.
In his address, Valeriy shared his thoughts on leadership, the formation of authentic character, challenges, management, and making tough decisions with UCU Business School alumni—entrepreneurs strengthening the country’s economy.
*“Leadership is a tremendous responsibility. Being a leader is not mandatory—some people manage teams for years without being true leaders. The most important thing for a leader is to eliminate the phrase, ‘I don’t know,’” he noted.
According to Valeriy, developing a leader, especially a military one, relies on three pillars:
- Professional training.
- Ideological preparation rooted in a proper interpretation of history.
- Leadership, which in Ukraine must now move beyond outdated Soviet methods.
To Ukrainian entrepreneurs, he offered two key pieces of advice:
- “Business leaders should think about independence—not relying on others’ security or assistance. Develop mechanisms for honest business and capital, creating unlimited opportunities for growth.”
- “In the infantry, we used to say, ‘The worse it is, the better.’ When things are not just bad, but very bad, you learn to overcome obstacles. I wish you consistently tough conditions, new ideas, and strong teams.”
During the Alumni Awards ceremony, nominees shared stories of their projects, highlighting contributions to the country’s development, community support, and expansion into international markets. This year’s winners—Anton Skrypnyk, Olesya Dyachyshyn, Oleksii Havrysh, Kateryna Glazkova, and Olena Sozanska-Ivankiv—demonstrated outstanding achievements. We are proud of all nominees and their tireless work, thrilled to see how the knowledge they’ve gained enables them to pursue ever more ambitious projects.
In partnership with the Always Ukraine Charitable Foundation, we organized a charity lottery and silent auction to support our graduate Roman Nykylyshyn and the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade Edelweiss. Participants had the chance to bid on exclusive art pieces from Shum Art Gallery and Ts’mok Gallery-Frame Shop, a flag signed by Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, wine crafted by Oleg Skrypka, and other unique items from our community and partners.
The online lottery and fundraising campaign will continue until December 6. Learn more at this link.
We are truly delighted to have created an opportunity for alumni to reunite, connect, and share experiences. Events like this inspire, open new avenues for collaboration, and strengthen our community. We are proud that our alumni find support, like-minded individuals, and partners here, enabling them to implement ambitious plans and change the world—and our country—for the better.
