The Executive education experience at Northwestern Kellogg is exceptional by any means, standards or measurements. It enriches you, grows you, shapes you – it is everything that education should be.

At the beginning, the very setting and surrounding where the program takes place, is extraordinary. For many of us coming from Macedonia this type of educational institution is unreachable – financially, geographically, logistically. What’s most important, thank you Macedonia 2025 for enabling this experience.

The whole staff of the faculty, starting from the clerk on the reception desk and all the way to the Dean, are dedicated to providing an optimal environment for a smooth program attendance…so much, that at the end, they even took care of all the materials we got or produced during the course, to be transported to our homes. Live demonstration of how logistics should perform… Attending the Executive Development Program at Kellogg was an extraordinary experience, one that I will always cherish. For a number of reasons…

The Kellogg experience enriches your knowledge, skills, network, self-image and self-esteem. To be elected for the program is success by itself. It is a process of selection where different qualities are looked and measured, by which you become a part of the “selected ones”, in the most positive sense of the word.

The team of professors is exquisite. They are engaged and dedicated to the group, sharing their knowledge and insights without hesitation. During the class, after class or in a specific time… they are always available for discussion and exchange.

The program syllabus is relevant, extensive and fruitful. Interesting topics, valuable insights, productive practice. It is a “circular” journey, starting with a general perspective of the experience to come, which reaches a full circle at the end of the third week, enriched with everything that was promised at the beginning.

Intuitively, you develop skills and competencies, methods and approaches to use in future challenges, while solving problems and dealing with different scenarios. You are becoming aware of the diverse knowledge and information you gathered in the past, through everyday work, but in a structured, more organized way.

Part of the program was the in-house visit of different successful companies. Our group visited Abbot laboratories. Here is a picture of this field trip.

Another benefit is the membership in the Kellogg Alumni Network. It represents a far-reaching, wide, diversified network of professionals, successful in their area of expertise. This membership holds a lot of potential benefits for your future professional and private life.

The social impact of the program is not exhausted with the Alumni Network. This is an experience that will bring you friends from all over the world. These three weeks are a period when you can make close friendships with people from different countries, industries, cultures. Some of the friendships I have made are bound to turn into meaningful life-long relations.

Participation in the program boosts your self-esteem. Understanding that you can participate, debate and contribute equally with all other participants in the program, proves one’s high level of professionalism. To explain plainly, even though we come from a very challenging surrounding, with a limited number of possibilities, we are still able to compete on a same level with those coming from a superior environment. Without false modesty, it makes you feel truly satisfied and happy.

Closely linked to what I have previously said, it is a wonderful opportunity to be an ambassador of our country and present it in the best way you believe you should.

Equipped with everything learnt in the three amazing weeks at Kellogg, you will return home with an abundance of ideas for improvement of your micro as well as macro habitat; energized and motivated to deal with different obstacles and challenges you are facing every day; willing to give back to the society and contribute for its betterment. The latter might be age wise?! Still, even that be the case, I am articulating my personal experiences, post-effects and emotions.

To anyone who is interested, I have nothing but strong encouragement and recommendation for applying to the Zafirovski Executive Education Program at Kellogg School of Management.

By the courtesy of Macedonia 2025 and Mike Zafirovski this is an exceptional opportunity for which I am deeply thankful. At the end, I must pay my respect to Lou Naumovski, Biljana Markovich and Elena Zhurkova who had a vital role this whole education journey to become reality for me.

Participant: Maja Stavreva Stojanova, Manager of Sales Network Division
Company: NLB Banka AD Skopje