Engineers from the EPITA class of 2015 in the limelight
On Friday, April 15 2016, the EPITA class of 2015 students came together at the Maison de la Mutualité (a private venue in the 5th district of Paris) for a very special occasion: the graduation ceremony where they received their engineering diplomas. Surrounded by friends and family, administrators from the IONIS Education Group, the teaching staff from the school and former students who came to commemorate this special occasion, our graduating class was able to celebrate the beginning of their professional lives.
Comprised of nearly 270 young engineers, the EPITA class of 2015 was determined to mark the occasion. Of course, Marc Sellam, President-CEO of the IONIS Education Group was there to congratulate them all. “You are now entering the professional world and I hope that you understand that we are all waiting for you, as well as counting on you and your energy, drive and enthusiasm. And your energy, drive and enthusiasm only grow with these expectations we have of you. Now that you are officially engineers, you have become a precious and sought out resource. However, we live in a world that is more and more complex each day as knowledge and new technologies are rapidly evolving, developing and becoming accessible to everyone. Do not lag behind! Continue learning about new technologies and all aspects of companies: management, finance, marketing, communication, and sales because sooner or later, you will need to know about them all.” Fabrice Bardèche, Executive Vice-President of the IONIS Education Group, also attended the ceremony and gave a speech to these young professionals who will surely have a very promising future in France or abroad. “Today, you are highly in demand. You obviously have skills that are essential in many sectors. This is a great opportunity for you as well as for our schools. It is also a source of pride.Tomorrow, you will be appreciated for your qualities, which you will develop in your future company. One is responsibility: you are expected to consistently see your projects through to completion. Finish what you start and take responsibility for all of your actions. When something does not work out the way you planned, do not say: “It is his or her fault!“ At any stage of your project, always take responsibility and tell yourself that whatever went wrong it is your fault. This is the only way you will succeed, the only way you will make progress, and, the only way that you will earn the respect of those around you. Do not carry the entire weight of the word on your shoulders, share your ideas and advance as rapidly as possible.”
Marc Sellam and Fabrice Bardèche
Becoming an engineer with a view to changing the world
An EPITA graduation ceremony naturally includes a speech given by Joël Courtois, the school’s symbolic Managing Director. He took advantage of the occasion to remind the valedictorians (see box) and all of the graduates to hold tightly onto the values they acquired during their studies. “What is the EPITA philosophy? If there is only one thing to remember, it is that we have tried to instill a wide range of values in our students. Work ethics to begin with: effort and personal involvement are necessary to succeed. You will be shaping the future, your own and one that will affect others as well. We are currently building a digital society and a world in which new tools and technologies will be vital, from the smallest smartphone to unimaginable equipment that will process data in the future. We are all part of this chain and we all have a social commitment to the future.” Well known among the EPITA students and players in the digital sector, Guy Mamou-Mani, president of Syntec Numérique and sponsor of the class of 2015, was also in attendance to encourage the engineers to take on new challenges. “Our sector, which is showing an annual growth of 20 %, hires 40,000 computer specialists each year. We need engineers! Thanks to the high quality education offered at EPITA, we are certain that we will find the ideal employees. For both graduates and their parents, holding an engineering degree today means that you will find a good job, despite a difficult environment that is full of uncertainty and growing unemployment.This definitely offers bright prospects for the future.This special evening has been a delightful break from our difficult world.”
Guy Mamou-Mani and Joel Courtois with the graduated
Each year, Epita welcomes and hosts students coming from all over the world to pursue their studies here and later occupy key positions in multinational companies in France or abroad.
The 2015 cohort was composed of 38 students and 12 different nationalities: Brazilian, Cypriot, Ethiopian, Finnish, Indian, Italian, Lebanese, Moldavian, Nigerian, Serbian, Vietnamese and Ukrainian.
Rabih Haddad, calling the International Master
We congratulate all the international graduated students and wish them a wonderful career!
Ten valedictorians that stand out from the crowd
Although all of the engineers from the EPITA class of 2015 will surely have a successful career, a few of you can be proud of having obtained the prestigious title of valedictorian. This year, ten graduates reached the level of excellence required to become valedictorian. They are Johann Aurières (Systems, Networks and Security – SRS), Jean-Luc Bounthong (Scientific computing and image analysis – CSI), Grégoire Duchemin (Cognitive sciences and advanced computer technology- SCIA), Hadi Fakhreddine (International Master’s – Information Systems Management), Isabelle Lu (Computer engineering in Embedded and Real-Time Systems – GISTRE), Jennifer Lucas (Expertise through learning), David Renaudin (Information Systems and Software Engineering – SIGL), Bastien Ruiz (Telecommunications – TCOM), Mathieu Savy (multimedia and information technology – MTI) and Gabriel Tzinmann (Global IT Management – GITM). Congratulations to you all!
David Renaudin, one of the valedictorian