🛩️ From crash to aerobatics: choosing the impossible

At 16, an accident changed her life. A wheelchair, the way others looked at her, an uncertain future. Where many would have seen an end, Dorine Bourneton made a different choice.

“I never wanted to be confined by the image people had of me.”

Very quickly, one question became essential: what do you do in the face of the impossible?

Give up… or move forward. She chose to move forward — and chose the impossible.

Pilot’s license, aerobatic flying, changes in regulations: her journey has become a living demonstration that limits are not always where we think they are.

She decided to reinvent herself and turn “an impossible dream into a possible dream and an impossible project into reality.”

🔍 Key takeaways

Throughout her talk, several key messages particularly resonated with the participants:

• Rethinking success: beyond technical skills, success relies on interpersonal skills, the ability to adapt and to bounce back.
• Changing your perspective: adopting a positive outlook on events helps turn challenges into opportunities.
• Making the impossible a choice: behind every obstacle, there may be a way. It’s up to you to decide to take it.
• The power of the collective: in aviation as in business, nothing is built alone. Success is always a team dynamic.
• Daring to step out of your comfort zone: it is in discomfort that learning and growth happen.

A strong resonance with the spirit of the Alumni network

Through her testimony, Dorine didn’t just share an extraordinary journey. She shared a way of approaching challenges: daring, adapting, and moving forward together.

A mindset that echoes what drives the Alumni network every day: the power of the collective, sharing experiences, and the desire to keep growing together.

What if the impossible became a starting point?

At the end of the conference, one idea stands out: in the face of the impossible, what do we choose?

An invitation not to limit your challenges… but to rise to them.

♻️ The launch of the Impact Club

In line with this conference, the Alumni Association announced the launch of the Impact Club.

Open to all alumni, with no prerequisites, this club aims to create a space for exchange and engagement around social and environmental issues.

A collective dynamic in service of a common goal: learn, get inspired, and take action.