On a Thursday morning in late May, five ITAM alumni walked back through the gates of Campus Río Hondo — this time not as students, but as mentors. What followed was one of the most attended Alumni Return to Inspire events in the programme's history.

The five egresados, all working in finance and economics, came from a range of organisations and career paths: an investment analyst at a global asset management firm, a senior economist at Banco de México, a fintech founder based in New York, a corporate finance director at a multinational and a public finance specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank. Between them, they brought more than sixty years of professional experience back to the campus where it all started.

The day opened with a panel discussion in the Auditorio Raúl Baillères, where each alumnus gave a short talk on their career trajectory — the decisions that shaped it, the moments that tested it and the things they wished someone had told them as students. The room was full. Students had signed up weeks in advance, and a waiting list had formed by the time registration closed.

"I expected good questions," said panellist and ITAM Class of 2008 graduate Rodrigo Ibáñez, now a director at a leading asset management firm. "I didn't expect quite how sharp they would be. These students are ready."

After the panel, alumni split into smaller groups for faculty-specific mentoring sessions — one for economics students, one for finance and business, and a cross-faculty session for those considering careers in international organisations or public service. Each session ran over time, a recurring theme of the day.

The afternoon closed with informal networking over coffee, where several alumni exchanged contact details with students and agreed to stay in touch through the alumni mentoring platform. Three formal mentoring matches were confirmed within the week.

For many of the returning alumni, the day was as meaningful as it was for the students. "Coming back reminded me why I work the way I do," said one participant. "This place shapes you. Being able to give something back to it — that matters."

The Alumni Return to Inspire series runs twice yearly, with the next edition scheduled for November 2030. Alumni interested in participating can register their interest through the mentoring section of the alumni platform.