Alumni Talks: a conversation about career, purpose and family

A new session of Alumni Talks brought former students and alumni friends back to the school to talk with Laura Elorza (HR at Garrigues) about the first steps in professional life.

Last Tuesday, 24 February, we held a new session of Alumni Talks, a meeting aimed at our former students and also open to their friends, designed to continue accompanying them during their university years and in their first steps in the professional world.

These sessions were created with the aim of offering a space for open conversation between experienced professionals and our alumni, reflecting together on the decisions, opportunities and challenges that arise when beginning a professional career.

Returning to school, returning home

One of the most special aspects of these gatherings is seeing our former students come back to the school. It is always a joy to welcome them again, spend time together and see how they continue to grow both personally and professionally.

For many of them, these meetings are also a way of returning home, reconnecting with friends and maintaining their link with the school during this new stage of their lives.

A conversation moderated by alumni

On this occasion we were joined by Laura Elorza, Head of the Human Resources Department at Garrigues, who led the session titled “Aspiring high, serving with purpose: family and work.”

The session had a particularly dynamic format. Several alumni acted as moderators of the conversation, asking Laura questions in a close, interview-style format that allowed them to address directly some of the most common concerns when starting a professional career.

Their questions opened up a very interesting discussion about topics such as how to aspire high at the beginning of one’s professional life, which early decisions tend to have the greatest long-term impact, which mistakes are common in the first years, and how to think about a professional career while also considering future family life.

The conversation also touched on what companies are currently looking for when hiring young talent and which skills and competencies are especially valuable in the first years of a professional career.

Learning from experience

Throughout the conversation, Laura shared her professional experience with great clarity and openness, offering valuable reflections on leadership, responsibility and a spirit of service in professional life.

The high level of the questions and the participation of the alumni made the session an especially enriching experience for everyone involved.

Through initiatives such as Alumni Talks, Alegra aims to continue offering spaces for learning and dialogue for its former students, keeping the bond with the school alive during this new stage of their lives.