Richard Vaughan, the founder of the largest English language-training program in Spain, read the commencement address at the graduation ceremony for the master’s degree programs in the School of Economics and Business Administration. The American businessman told graduates that, in his experience, “the key to success is confidence, humility and hard work.” Degrees were awarded to 17 students in the fifth graduating class of the Master’s Degree in Banking and Financial Regulation, 29 students in the fifth class of the Master’s Degree in People Management for Organizations and 11 students in the 17th class of the Master’s Degree in Economics and Finance.

Vaughan Systems employs 375 teachers, who log 40,000 teaching hours with 13,000 students at over 500 Spanish and multinational companies every month. “Look, I started out in two square meters in my bedroom,” Vaughan said. He also joked about his accent in Spanish, which is still quite strong, despite the fact that he has lived in Spain for 42 years.

Vaughan cited Amancio Ortega as the perfect example of a Spanish self-made man, and emphasized that “every empire starts from a single molecule.” He also discussed the importance of learning from mistakes and said, “My career hasn’t been a victory march, but I don’t think I’ve made mistakes, because every mistake is just another stone in your foundation. You have to make many tiny adjustments to the steering wheel to drive straight.” He went on to say, “I’d rather be naive than a wise guy.”

He added, “It’s not about winning. It’s about being happy and leading a full, fulfilling life without being corrupt or using tricks or gimmicks.” He went on to tell the graduates, “Having successfully completing a program at the University of Navarra says a lot about you.”

Ignacio Ferrero, the Dean of the School, echoed Vaughan’s message and mentioned the “triple perspective” recommended by Pope Saint John Paul II, “To remember the past with gratitude, to live the present with enthusiasm and to look forward to the future with confidence.” After congratulating the students, he advised them to let their professional lives be guided by “love for the truth and service to others.” He also expressed his support for a business model “that has more than its shareholders’ interests at heart. We need to find the purpose of work.”

At the ceremony’s close, student representatives from the three master’s programs gave a speech and the entire Aula Magna sang Gaudeamus igitur. Abigail Maldonado was the student representative for the Master’s Program in People Management for Organizations. The speech for the Master’s Degree in Banking and Financial Regulation was read in Spanish by Bernarda Rojas and in English by José Flores. The speech for the Master’s Degree in Economics and Finance was read in Spanish by Néstor Cruz and in English by Iván Kim Taveras.