From the Archives

Celebrating Milestones: The 20th Anniversary of the MBA(FS) Class of 1999

October 8, 2019 rbudd 1 Comment

Class of 1999 MBA(FS)
Graduations signify passages and transitions, of moving forward and of accepting new ventures and challenges.

Today, the Class of 2019 will walk across the stage to accept their degrees, marking the culmination of a rigorous academic journey.

“On behalf of the University Senate, we hereby attest that Dalhousie University has awarded the degree of…”

The emotions of gratitude and anticipation mingle together as graduates join the ranks of a vibrant alumni community. Even so, there is a wistful look back over the miles travelled since the arrival of the first textbooks.

Twenty years ago, on the eve of a new millennium, the Class of 1999 was the first to achieve the degree, MBA (Financial Services).

Over the summer months, I reached out to those who witnessed the graduation ceremonies under the banner of the Office of External Graduate Program. The inaugural convocation of the MBA(FS) was a profound and moving experience for the students, but also for those who were applauding from the sidelines.

Class of 1999 MBA(FS)

Joseph A. Macdonald

Convocation 1999 remains top-of-mind to this day. I recall the following observations made that eventful evening. I have never been one to attend my own graduations. For me, the educational process had always been about getting the information and the designation and moving on to the next stage of life. However, my commitment to attending the MBA (FS) graduations was 100%.

Since the 1996 beginnings, our administration team had shared our students’ journeys professionally and personally. We spent time reassuring them, tutoring them, listening to their challenges and even providing a shoulder when times were especially tough.

As I stood on the corner of the graduation stage and watched each of these dedicated individuals shake the Chancellor’s hand and receive their parchment from the Registrar, I was touched, to my core, with a sense of pride that comes from watching a sibling, a close friend or one’s own child graduate. This was a far stronger and deeper feeling than anything that I had experienced following my personal achievements.

It was obvious that this group of individuals would go on to achieve much. And they have.

Michelle Hunter

Great reflection piece, Joseph. While I was fairly new to the MBA FS program team, I felt a real connection right away with the class of 1999. To this day, I beam with pride and get goose bumps as I watch graduates walk across the stage to receive their degree.

Morven Fitzgerald

I agree with Joseph and Michelle. I feel like my children are graduating. Every convocation leaves me with a warm fuzzy (and sad as they say goodbye) feeling.

Dalhousie University

CEGE Connection would like to recognize the contribution of the MBA(FS)Class of 1999 as they commemorate their twentieth-year anniversary. All our best goes out to these graduates on this very special milestone year. Thank you for your commitment to excellence, life-long learning and the communities in which you live and work.

To the graduating Class of 2019 – congratulations We are proud of your success and wish for you the very best in your future endeavours.

From the Archives: 6152 Coburg

August 27, 2019 rbudd Leave a Comment

6152 Coburg

Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building, 6100 University Avenue, home to the Faculty of Management, opened in the fall of 2005. Modern, environmentally-designed, this building features many great amenities from state-of-the-art teaching facilities to the five-story atrium of natural light.

MBA(FS) Graduates of 1999 – 2004 will remember, with fondness, another building that housed the Faculty of Management. As students, we received our course packages from the address, 6152 Coburg Road. While the building no longer stands, memories are ever fresh, especially when I happened to look back on photos of my Capstone Intensive 2003 and found photos of Dalhousie’s original Management Building.

What many may not know – and I only found out when I was looking back into the Dalhousie Archives – was the connection to Victoria School of Art and Design, which was founded by Anna Leonowens of Anna and the King of Siam fame.

There are many stories held within the walls of Dalhousie Buildings.

Rebecca Budd (Class of 2003)

: 6152 Coburg

: 6152 Coburg

: 6152 Coburg

Dalhousie Archives

Management Building

Address: 6152 Coburg Rd.

Start Date: Completion Date: pre-1957 Architect: C. A. E. Fowler & Company (addition) Renovation Date(s):1967

Building History

According to Dalhousie Archives Digital Collections, Dalhousie’s original Management Building was acquired by the university in 1977. It originated as a church, and in 1957 was converted to house the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD). NSCAD added a six-storey addition on the west side of the original church in 1967.

NSCAD was founded in 1887 as the Victoria School of Art and Design, in an effort spearheaded by Briton Anna Leonowens. It has enjoyed a growing size and reputation as one of the premiere schools of visual culture in North America.

In 1977, NSCAD moved to its present downtown location, and Dalhousie acquired its building from the Province. The acquisition was part of an exchange in which Dalhousie got the NSCAD building and Chase Building (until then the Public Archives of Nova Scotia) in exchange for the new Archives site at the corner of Robie Street and University Avenue, and the Paradise Lands on College Street

Management Building

: 6152 Coburg

: 6152 Coburg

: 6152 Coburg

Julia Yan on Research – A Graduate’s Response

August 15, 2019 rbudd Leave a Comment

Julia Yan MBA(FS) 2010, Vice President Regional Sales at TSX Trust & Listings Development, TMX Group

“My MBA journey added a strategic dynamic to my research capabilities. My approach to integrating and sharing knowledge evolved over the course of my studies. Academic efforts honed and defined my research competency, giving me greater freedom to objectively explore and assess ideas and constructs.”

Julia Yan, MBA (FS) Class of 2010

Julia Yan MBA(FS) 2010, Vice President Regional Sales at TSX Trust & Listings Development, TMX Group, is a passionate supporter of lifelong learning. Dr. Joyline Makani’s post on “Research Takes Courage” reflected Julia’s personal experience both as a student and a career professional.

“I agree with Joyline unequivocally,” Julia noted in a recent virtual interview. “It takes courage because we challenge ourselves to look beyond the obvious. Its about analyzing arguments utilizing inductive or deductive reasoning, judging assumptions, solving problems and formulating new ideas. Information is key. From planning a vacation to preparing for a work meeting, we rely on research to provide us with valuable insights to connect the dots.

Research involves critical thinking and the ability to explore and evaluate multiple points of view. It is more than the gathering of data and interpretation. Research demands us to venture beyond the act of obtaining information. We need to develop skill-sets that enable us to digest information, to reason, to validate, and participate in dialogue among others with differing perspectives.

My MBA journey added a strategic dynamic to my research capabilities. My approach to integrating and sharing knowledge evolved over the course of my studies. Academic efforts honed and defined my research competency, giving me greater freedom to objectively explore and assess ideas and constructs. I especially enjoyed team projects, which provided the opportunity to collaborate and research within the context of a diverse community. Together, we searched for a solution to a specific challenge or issue, which well-prepared me for the team approach at the TMX today.

Conducting thorough research is essential within my chosen career path. I rely on rigorous research and meticulous attention to accuracy to prepare for strategic meetings with corporate executives, to formulate IPO strategies, to access public venture capital in Canada, to navigate complex transactions, to optimize operational efficiency and to foster growth.

The most important lesson that I’ve learned over the past few years, is that it is essential to encourage others to actively engage in research initiatives. I enjoy contributing to economic forums, international trade missions, and roundtables at the federal and provincial level. Individual achievement is satisfying, but the greatest rewards come from working with others dedicated to seeking positive outcomes for our communities, local and global.

From the CEGE Connection Archives: First published April 25, 2017

Dr. Joyline Makani: Research Takes Courage

August 13, 2019 rbudd 2 Comments

Dr. Joyline Makani

To be engaged, today’s citizen needs to be able to tease out fact from fiction. Notably, it is not just about obtaining information and being able to cite the sources of one’s ideas but being able to digest information, think critically, and participate in dialogue among others with different perspectives.”

Dr. Joyline Makani

The Merriam Webster on-line dictionary defines “research” as a studious inquiry or examination; especially: investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws. Given the solemnity of that definition, we rarely recognize that we engage in “important” research daily, whether we are buying shoes, planning a trip, or considering food choices. In the end, we are what we research.

Is research for everyone? Or just academics? For answers, CFAME Connection reached out to Dr. Joyline Makani, the Management Librarian (Dalhousie Libraries) and Adjunct professor (Faculty of Graduate Studies) at Dalhousie University. Dr. Makani shares insight into why research is essential in a world that revolves around complexity and change. Join us as we begin a theme dialogue on the importance of research.

Dr. Joyline Makani:

Research is for everyone and is very necessary in the world today. Thanks to advances in information technology, we are witnessing an increasingly complex online information landscape with blurred lines between information consumers and information creators or producers.

Simply stated, anyone with a computer and access to the Internet can put anything they want onto the Internet. To heighten the complexity, there is no one, in most cases, evaluating or approving Internet content before it is made public. Thus, this type of landscape presents everyone with the challenge to develop and harness basic research skills in-order to successfully maneuver, gather and understand information and not just wait for academics to verify the truth.

In other words, analyzing information, and not just collecting it, is paramount in today’s world dominated by “fake news and alternative facts”. Each one of us engages in research daily, whether we are buying shoes, planning a trip, or considering food choices. In the end, we are what we research. As academics have long argued, research helps to shape our society.

More important, building a solid research skill set is increasingly becoming necessary for civic life, i.e., the ability to gather data and information, examine multiple perspectives and re-evaluate prior beliefs is the foundation for responsible and community-minded citizens. To be engaged, today’s citizen needs to be able to tease out fact from fiction. Notably, it is not just about obtaining information and being able to cite the sources of one’s ideas but being able to digest information, think critically, and participate in dialogue among others with different perspectives.

Research takes courage because we challenge ourselves to look beyond the obvious. It is human nature to feel comfortable with what we know or what we believe in. It takes courage to question our beliefs/biases and pay more attention rather than ignore information that does not confirm our beliefs – this is what research entails – requires checking your biases, following and interrogating the evidence where ever it leads you.

From the CEGE Connection Archives: First published April 18, 2017

From the Archives: MBA(FS)Graduation 2000

October 2, 2018 rbudd Leave a Comment

MBA(FS) Class of 2000

Fall Convocation has arrived.

Over the next two days, The Class of 2018 will walk across the stage to accept their degrees, marking the culmination of a rigorous academic journey. This year, students will have the honour of graduating during DAL200, a milestone year that celebrates Dalhousie’s 200^th anniversary.

Eighteen years ago, the MBA(FS) Class of 2000 crossed the same stage, moving on to join a dynamic alumni community during the year known as Y2K. Year 2000 was the 1000^th and last year of the second millennium, the 2000^th year of the Common Era and Anno Domini designation. Year 2000 heralded the beginning of a new century and millennium. Amid the Y2K concern that computers would be unable to transition from 1999 to 2000 without significant and disastrous glitches, there was great optimism.

Year 2000 was designated by United Nations General Assembly, with UNESCO, as the International Year for the Culture of Peace.

“The result of the International Year for the Culture of Peace was the emergence of a global movement involving thousands of national and local organizations and more than 75 million individuals, along with the National Commissions for UNESCO, UNESCO’s Field Offices and some 200 international NGOs.” (UNESCO – Mainstream the culture of peace)

Year 2000 was also named as the World Mathematical Year by The International Mathematical Union, an organization established by Kenneth O. May (University of Toronto) in 1969.

“The first aim of WMY 2,000 is to consider the great challenges of the 21^st century. In conjunction with the International Congress of Mathematicians held in Zurich in 1994, the Commission organized an historical symposium which surveyed the history of International Congresses from Zürich to Zürich, looking ahead to the first century of the next millennium.” (The International Mathematical Union)

The Class of 2000 continues to contribute within a world that has seen transformational changes in the way we connect across the world, from smartphones to social media, GPS apps to streaming. As new generations of graduates fulfill their academic goals, the Class of 2000 has moved forward to embrace mentoring, generously sharing and transferring knowledge and experience to an emerging workforce eager to accept the opportunities and challenges of their time.

“We are celebrating our past even as we prepare for the opportunities and challenges of our ever-changing world. Our legacy lives in the spirit and ingenuity of our people, our contributions to the community and the impact we make around the world. The dawn of our new century is our time to rise — and shine.” DAL200

Dal200a

DAL 200: Beginnings 1818

July 31, 2018 rbudd Leave a Comment

DAL200

Dalhousie is celebrating 200 years, a significant milestone that allows us to pause for a moment and reflect on our past even as we look forward to the opportunities that await us in the coming decades.

Today, CEGE Connection takes a brief look back to the year 1818, the events and happenings that were in motion when Dalhousie University was founded by General George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie.

1818 Births:

Frederick Douglas (February 14), Karl Marx (May 5) and Emily Brontë (July 30).

In Canada, Élisabeth Bruyère (March 9), the founder of the Sisters of Charity of Bytown (former name of Ottawa, Ontario) who would open the first hospital and first bilingual school in Ontario.

1818 The Arts:

Frankenstein, by Mary Shelly published anonymously.

Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem, Ozymandias, published.

Jane Austen’s novels, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, published (posthumous).

Felix Mendelssohn performs his first concert in Berlin. He is 9 years old.

First known Christmas carol (“Silent Night, Holy Night” – “Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht) performed in Austria, December 25th.

1818 World Events:

Halifax and St. John’s are made free ports.

49th parallel becomes British North America/U.S. border.

Netherlands & Britain sign treaty against illegal slave handling.

Two English boxers are first to use padded gloves.

Chile issues an official declaration of independence from Spain.

In Japan, Emperor Meiji’s far-reaching social, political and economic changes are underway.

In China, Qing Dynasty is in power.

King Shaka of the Zulus is in ascendency and prepares to establish a centralized Zulu kingdom.

The first Mill of Cotton clothes opens in Kolkata (Calcutta).

1818 Dalhousie University was established:

General George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie, Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia founds Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Lord Dalhousie is convinced that the Edinburgh model – a liberal, nondenominational, classless college – is optimal, based on his personal experience attending the University of Edinburgh where he studied with a young Walter Scott. February 16, 1818 marks the day that Lord Dalhousie receives the royal approval via Lord Bathurst.

Dalhousie came into being in 1818, but there is much more to the narrative.

We invite you to view DAL 200 Timeline to explore Dalhousie’s inspiring history!

Dr. Joyline Makani: Graduation 1931

July 17, 2018 rbudd Leave a Comment

Dal200a

This year, the Class of 2018 will walk across the stage to receive their diplomas and step onto the world’s stage. Graduations mark the ending of a demanding academic journey and signal the beginning of an adventure that awaits. It is a time of celebration and anticipation, of farewells and of new plans.

The Class of 2018 has the profound honour of being the class that welcomes Dalhousie University’s third century.

In January 2018, I received an e-mail from Joyline Makani who shared a video that featured the graduating class of 1931.

Dianne Landry, one of the Archives staff, discovered a 16mm film of the 1931 Convocation while doing some shifting of the collection. We took the original film and sent it to our film preservation service provider, Media Preserve to transfer the film to digital. The digital files just came back from Media Preserve and Creighton Barrett, the Archives’ Digital Archivist has put the file up on our Youtube channel. This 16 mm film was shot by R. Gordon Harris, the “Life Secretary” of the Class of 1931.

1931 marked the opening of the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto and the year that the Statute of Westminster went into effect, giving Canada full independence in national and international affairs. Those born in 1931 included Mordecai Richler, author, screenwriter and essayist, William Shatner of Star Trek fame and Alice Munro, writer and marvelous storyteller.

This archival treasure captures all the festivity and excitement of the Class of 1931. There is an eagerness to take on new challenges, a willingness to embrace life with exuberance and a hint of audacity. This was the generation that would experience the economics of the 1930’s, WWII, and the massive technological advances that sent us into space. Their voices may no longer be with us, but their hopes and efforts are embedded in the fabric of our nation, and in the spirit of a new generation ready to make their voices heard.

From all of us at CEGE Connection, congratulations to the Class of 2018. We know that whatever you do, you will be remarkable.

Reflections on the Class of 1999 Convocation

September 27, 2017 rbudd 6 Comments

Fall convocation is only a few days away, with the ceremonies scheduled for October 2nd and 3rd. The Class of 2017 will walk across the stage to accept their degrees, marking the culmination of a rigorous academic journey.

Graduations signify passages and transitions, of moving forward and of accepting new ventures and challenges.

“On behalf of the University Senate, we hereby attest that Dalhousie University has awarded the degree of…”

On the eve of a new millennium, the Class of 1999 was the first to achieve the degree, MBA (Financial Services).

Joseph A. Macdonald

It was obvious that this group of individuals would go on to achieve much. And they have.

Michelle Hunter

Morven Fitzgerald

I agree with Joseph and Michelle. I feel like my children are graduating. Every convocation leaves me with a warm fuzzy (and sad as they say goodbye) feeling.

Congratulations to the graduating Class of 2017. We are proud of your success and wish for you the very best in your future endeavours.

The Next Chapter: Joseph A. Macdonald

February 28, 2017 rbudd 3 Comments

Joseph A. Macdonald
Strategic & Business Development Specialist

“Each of us possessed a passion and commitment to the program and the students that was unrivaled in any other environment I have encountered before or since. We were a team of equals whose one job was to get the job done and done better than anyone else could do it. These individuals remain my close friends to this day.”

Joseph A. Macdonald

On November 30, 2016 Ray Klapstein and Rosaire Couturier celebrated the 20^th Anniversary of CFAME’s MBA (FS). An idea written on the back of a paper placemat transformed the way professionals acquire sector-specific graduate degrees. Twenty years later, CFAME continues to offer an innovative blended learning model designed to provide practical, relevant and experiential “real world” learning.

An idea requires champions. Many graduates will remember Joseph Macdonald, the first Program Director of the MBA (FS) program, from September 1995 to January 2000. In a recent interview, Joseph recounted how the idea became a reality.

How did you become involved in the MBA(FS) initiative?

Joseph: I had just returned from 2.5 years volunteering in Botswana (southern Africa) and dropped in to see Ray Klapstein at the School of Business. Ray told me about the proposed MBA (FS) Program that was awaiting senate approval. He was very optimistic and said that he wanted me to spearhead the internal processes that would be required to implement the Program once it was approved.

There was a lot to be coordinated between Graduate Studies, The Registrar and Student Accounts. The term length, admission criteria and payment process were all non-traditional, and it was imperative that there be consensus among all parties in order to move forward.

Once this process was in place, it became apparent that someone had to carry the ball for implementation. Ray again tagged me for the job.

How many students were in the first classes?

Joseph: There were 35 students in the first class and within the first 12 months there were in excess of 100 students in the open enrollment classes and a separate 40 student class of exclusively BMO employees.

What were the significant milestones during your tenure?

There were many remarkable milestones that occurred during the formative years.

Having the first courses finalized on time to deliver to the September 1996 inaugural class. This was especially significant given that we were having the course materials developed while we were marketing the Program and collecting registration fees. As well, delivering the first course intensive sessions in Toronto in January 1997.Coming to agreement with BMO to provide independent classes of their employees. One class of 40 students commencing each year. Delivering the first summer course intensive session on campus at DAL. We planned events such as a harbour cruise and a lobster boil for the students during their one week in Halifax. Commencing the first cohort of students in the Caribbean and delivering the first Caribbean intensive session in Jamaica.

I witnessed the graduation of the first MBA (FS) students at the Fall convocation in 1999. There were 100 graduates and by that time there were an additional 300+ students enrolled in the program.

As the program grew, so did the full-time staff; we originally employed work term Co-Op students. The first full-time staff member was Margie Bush, then Michelle Hunter, who was followed by Morven Fitzgerald. It is important to understand that having a staff was not the highlight; the highlight was the people who now made up our team. Each of us possessed a passion and commitment to the program and the students that was unrivaled in any other environment I have encountered before or since. We were a team of equals whose one job was to get the job done and done better than anyone else could do it. These individuals remain my close friends to this day.

What did you enjoy most about being at the beginning of something new?

It has always been an emotional rush for me to be on the leading edge of implementing something that others say can’t be done, and there were plenty of those, ranging from internal faculty to other educational institutions who saw us as a threat to their regional turf. All of this and working as part of a team that I could not have dreamed up, made the early stages of building the Program a magical experience.

A reminder to our vibrant alumni community in Calgary. CFAME is holding a special event on March 7, 2017. Joseph will be there and invites you to join in on the festivities. Stay tuned – more information on its way.

20th Anniversary Celebration

George Munro – The Man Who Saved Dalhousie

February 3, 2017 rbudd Leave a Comment

This gracious, Georgian-styled building is currently occupied by the Chemistry Department.

This gracious, Georgian-styled building is currently occupied by the Dalhousie Chemistry Department.

Every university has a legend. Dalhousie is no exception.

Every year on the first Friday of February, Dalhousie closes its doors to celebrate Munro Day. And for good reason. Without George Munro, Dalhousie University would merely be a page in a history book.

George Munro, born in 1825 near the once active shipping port of Pictou, Nova Scotia, did not attend Dalhousie, nor did he follow his first career choice of becoming a Presbyterian minister. Instead, he made his way to New York City and fulfilled his destiny in the printing and publishing business, amassing great wealth in the process. Even so, his loyalty and attachment to Nova Scotia prevailed. When Dalhousie faced extinction, his gifts brought life and independence to the fledgling institution.

The man who published light fiction and an inexpensive story paper called “The Fireside Companion” recognized the power of education. He endowed Dalhousie chairs in physics, history, political economy, English literature and philosophy.

George Munro’s legacy is a reminder that individual contributions to education, even those seemingly small, generate positive outcomes for society.

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