Driven by Purpose: Double Blue Torch Winners’ Inspiring Journeys

The Blue Torch awards recognizes IE Business School students for their academic performance and outstanding citizenship. Yet, there were students who received the double torch as they were stellar in both categories. This article unveils the stories of three double Blue Torch winners who share their experiences and advice for current and incoming students, aspiring to follow a similar path in their journey to the 'Next Best You’.

Leveling Up Daily with Support from the Peers

"This award has affirmed that I am on the right path, motivating me to continually seek knowledge and innovation while driving me to apply this knowledge for the benefit of others."
Alejandro Fitzner, MIM, Germany & Spain

Alejandro Fitzner believes in setting small, achievable everyday goals, such as learning a piano piece or organizing an event with friends, to consistently stay on his path toward achieving big milestones. With this philosophy in mind, he embarked on his Master in Management journey at IE. As soon as class was in session, he proved to be an active participant in organized study groups with his peers, where he felt most comfortable sharing learning content and passing on his knowledge.

“I believe in working on myself every day, taking small steps forward, which gives me the confidence to be a little closer to my goal each day and fills me with purpose,” said Fitzner.

He decided to take the study initiative further by creating a peer-to-peer tutoring system with study sessions and workshops. In these sessions, Fitzner and his peers shared insights, solved problems, and supported each other through challenging coursework, improving both their academic performance and sense of community.

“Becoming the ‘Next Best You’ has become a team effort,” said Fitzner.

IE Business School has supported him throughout his academic journey. From his professors and fellow students to the Careers department, everything in the school has been motivating him to achieve more. The double Blue Torch award has brought recognition to his academic and personal efforts.

“With the Blue Torch Awards, IE Business School sends a powerful message that academic success and social impact are equally valued and deeply interconnected,” said Fitzner.

3 pieces of advice for aspiring Blue Torch winners from Alejandro Fitzner 

1. Stay true to your values: Don’t try to chase after any prizes but clearly define what is most important to you and let these values guide your decisions.

2. Reflect and adapt: Take time regularly to reflect on your experiences and progress. Assess which strategies are working well and where adjustments are needed. It helps to maintain a balance and ensure continuous alignment with your professional goals and personal purpose. 

3. Embrace collaboration: Participating in group projects and study groups or getting involved in one of the many great clubs on campus can provide a platform to apply academic skills in real-world scenarios and foster both personal growth and community impact.

Leading to Motivate Others and Drive Community Change

"Stepping outside my comfort zone and taking initiative made a positive impact on my peers."
Gabriel Chapman, IMBA, Panama

Gabriel Chapman believes that academic excellence and community involvement are two sides of the same coin. While chasing the ‘Next Best You’ during his International MBA program, he sees an opportunity to help others succeed as well. Chapman especially felt this during the teambuilding activity with his peers during the opening week in September. IMBA students undertook a collaborative effort to construct an outdoor classroom and garden area at IES La Serna Fuenlabrada, a school that caters to children with various challenges such as physical disabilities and mental health problems. Chapman took a leadership role in the activity and managed to create a positive impact not only on the children’s well-being but also on his peers, who were united with the same goal.

“Valuable life experiences often come through service to others, fostering solidarity, friendship, and cordiality,” said Chapman.

Throughout his time at IE, he gained a deep understanding of the importance of peer learning and collaborative experiences. Maintaining outstanding academic performance while supporting his peers led him to receiving the double Blue Torch award.

“This award reinforces that dedication to others doesn't have to come at the expense of personal goals. In fact, it can enhance them,” said Chapman.

3 pieces of advice for aspiring Blue Torch winners from Gabriel Chapman:

1. Embrace unexpected opportunities: Growth often happens outside your comfort zone. 

2. Find your unique balance: Experiment and discover what works best for you. 

3. Community builds resilience: Forge strong connections and learn from diverse perspectives.

Building Impact and Growth Through Teamwork and Support

"IE as a community allowed me to unveil my true purpose: leading with purpose and impact in mind."
Ayoub Saadoune, MIM, Morrocco

Ayoub Saadoune has demonstrated leadership in many areas of life. This is why he chose the Master in Management program - not only to become a leader but also to leave a lasting impact on his teams and customers. The program, combined with his commitment to learning and maintaining team morale, provided a platform to showcase his abilities and talents.

“I take joy when I learn. It keeps me knowledge hungry which will then allow me to have more impact,” said Saadoune.

Saadoune also became a leading student in his Finance course, a subject he was already knowledgeable about. While he could have completed tasks independently to display his knowledge, he preferred to uplift his peers, believing that a rising tide lifts all boats. His review sessions, featuring detailed explanations of theory and step-by-step guidance for assignments, nurtured his peers. As a result, three of them were able to achieve honors degrees in the course.

“I believe that the best proof of mastery of any knowledge: be it finance, marketing or even entrepreneurship, is when you can explain and transfer the same knowledge to another person,” said Saadoune.

The double Blue Torch award was a surprise for Saadoune. His peers, who had received his support and guidance, voted for him as an outstanding citizen of the IE community.

“I think receiving the award further engraved the idea of leading with purpose without forgetting impact,” said Saadoune.

3 pieces of advice for aspiring Blue Torch winners from Ayoub Saadoune:

1. Be Grateful: Gratitude keeps us grounded, humbles us, and reminds us of how far we've come. Only by being grateful can we understand that every action we take has a purpose: to step out of our comfort zones. 

2. Compete, Collaborate and Cooperate: Compete with yourself. Think of it as a daily duel. Who’s better: today’s you or yesterday's you? This internal competition drives change and progress, making you just a tad better each day. 

3. Fall in love with the process: It’s not the pursuit of happiness you should seek but the happiness of the pursuit. Fall in love with the process, the grind, the hustle and you’ll live stress free since you will always be craving more success after each success.

The success stories of Alejandro Fitzner, Ayoub Saadoune, and Gabriel Chapman, as graduate double Blue Torch winners at IE Business School, showcase the transformative power of academic excellence combined with active community engagement, power that guides students towards their ‘Next Best You’. We hope to inspire aspiring IE Blue Torch winners, encouraging them to reflect, prioritize, and follow their passions with a growth mindset.