DePaul University held its first-ever commencement in Europe last month, awarding diplomas to eighteen students enrolled in the university’s MBA program offered in partnership with the Czech Management Center near Prague.

The program, which focuses on marketing and finance, was launched by DePaul’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business in January of 2002 to serve the growing need for high-quality, accredited, Western-style business education in the region. It primarily enrolls professionals who work for multinational companies, including Goldman Sachs, McDonald’s Corporation and Citibank. A series of DePaul professors have traveled to Prague to teach the program’s courses.

DePaul 1998 MBA graduate Martin Jahn, chief executive officer of CzechInvest, a state agency that promotes international investment in the Czech Republic, delivered the commencement address during the June 28 graduation ceremony held in the Kaiserštejnský Palace in Prague.

The Rev. John P. Minogue. C.M., university president, presented diplomas to DePaul’s newest graduates. Also attending from DePaul were: John Kozak, executive vice president for Academic Affairs; Arthur Kraft, Kellstadt dean; Petr Chadraba, director of the Czech MBA program; Geoffrey Hirt, director of College of Commerce International Initiatives; Michael Gibbs, assistant vice president for University Initiatives; and Luis Larrea, marketing executive-in-residence at DePaul’s business school, who taught a course in the program.

DePaul also has MBA programs in Hong Kong and Bahrain. Diplomas were awarded to students in these programs during commencement ceremonies held during the winter.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTO OF DEPAUL FACULTY, ADMINISTRATORS AND THE CZECH MBA PROGRAM GRADUATING CLASS.