For nearly 130 years since its foundation in 1883, the alumni association has played a major role in the development and publicity of HEC Paris. HEC students gradually developed a rather elitist reputation within French society and asserted their degree as one of the most prestigious in Europe. By pleading for serious reforms in education, the alumni association played a significant part in the change of direction introduced at the end of the 1950s, which aimed to bring HEC closer to the American model for Business Schools. Whilst in 1881 the very first HEC class intake was made up of just 57 students, today the Association hosts a network of 45 000 alumni, including graduates from the Grande Ecole, the Masters programs, PhDs and Executive Education programs at HEC.