Graduates

Congratulations Graduates of the Class of 2021

October 14, 2021 denisehinds Leave a Comment

This year, the Fall Graduating Class of 2021 will walk across the virtual 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.

CEGE Connection sends out warm congratulations to the Class of 2021. Thank you for your commitment to excellence, life-long learning, and the communities in which you live and work.

We know that whatever you do, you will be remarkable.

The CEGE Team

Master of Business Administration

Daniel	Adams	Leadership
Matthew	Allen	Leadership
Janet	Bangma	Leadership
Michael	Baskin	Leadership
Stephanie	Boyd	Leadership
Andrew	Bruce	Leadership
Joseph	Burchat	Leadership
Treyman	Burrows	Financial Services
Giuseppe	Collura	Financial Services
Steven	Cowan	Leadership
Drew	Craswell	Financial Services
Olusegun	Dada	Leadership
Prerona	Datta	Leadership
Megan	Donaldson	Leadership
Kelly	Esteves	Leadership
Benjamin	Forsyth	Leadership
Brandon	Franklin	Leadership
Thomas	Goodwin	Financial Services
Dominika	Gorzynska	Leadership
Leigh	Irvine	Leadership
Hemnath	Kuarsingh	Leadership
Caleb	MacDonald	Leadership

Master of Business Administration

Rory	MacNeill	Leadership
Paul	MacQueen	Leadership
Meaghan	Marzyk	Leadership
Aram	Masseredjian	Leadership
Jane	Matthews	Leadership
Nektarios	Moumos	Financial Services
Kourtney	Nelson Bernard	Leadership
Kyle	Nickason	Financial Services
Amanda	Oake	Leadership
Trevor	Poole	Leadership
Davina	Reid	Leadership
Ghaith	Sahawneh	Financial Services
Julia	Scott	Financial Services
John	Skerry	Leadership
Robert	Taylor	Financial Services
Kerry	Ternes	Leadership
Sebastien	Tessier	Leadership
Mary	Tsai-Corindia	Leadership
Grace	Vela	Financial Services
Karen	Wong	Financial Services
Jonathan	Yacoub	Leadership
Jason	Young	Leadership

Master of Information Management

Lisa	Holmes
Sabrina	Mughal
Eun young	Park
Emily	Speight

Master of Public Administration (Management)

France	Bertrand
Heather	Casavechia
Stefania	Cerisano
Angela	Christensen
Precious	Ehiozomwangie
Anna	Ou
Joren	Palmer
Amber	Potts
Jagdesh	Singh
Christine	Szarmes

And all those who are receiving their Graduate Diploma in Public Administration and Information Management and the Graduate certificate in Information Management.

Sam Wilson on the T.A. Experience: Navigating a More Complex Learning Schedule

August 17, 2021 rbudd Leave a Comment

“I am excited to be taking on another TA assignment for the summer term. I look forward to dialoguing with the students and working with them to achieve their academic success. The course, Leading Change, with completely new content is timely, given our need to adapt to an ever-changing work and study environment. I am keen to assess how responsible leadership will impact my field of academic administration during this period of disruption, as well as discovering how policies will change in response to the evolving circumstances.”

Sam Wilson MBA, Leadership Class of 2020

Sam Wilson, Administrative Manager at Dalhousie’s School of Health & Human Performance

Sam Wilson is an Administrative Manager at Dalhousie’s School of Health & Human Performance situated in the Faculty of Health. She is currently one of two Teaching Assistants in Dr. Heidi Weigand’s MBA class, Leading Change. Sam’s commitment to supporting students and professors is stellar. CEGE Connection reached out to Sam in a virtual interview for her thought on her TA experience during the past year.

Sam Wilson

When I realized that the Centre for Executive and Graduate Education was looking for Teaching Assistants (TA) to help with Winter MBA classes, I was quick to apply. Like many other students, after completing my MBA in Leadership at the end of Summer 2020, I did not get the ending I anticipated. I remember feeling burnt out from having my last two courses fully online. While my MBA buddies were ecstatic about working on their last assignments, I was skulking around listening to Taylor Swift’s Folklore, thinking; “Yes Taylor, you know, I think my house is haunted too. It is this powerful presence of work, study and family-life balance”.

Haunting, right? Not really, but looking back, the Covid19 pandemic changed things dramatically. Having internal conversations with Taylor Swift was also a big indicator that study had taken a toll.

While I did not get a TA position with the MBA program, I was fortunate to be offered one in the Commerce undergraduate program with Dr. Heidi Weigand’s Reflections on Leadership class. In the beginning weeks, I believed that being a good Teaching Assistant was knowing a lot of stuff. I soon realized that helping students learn online was not only based on how well I knew a subject. It was critical to know how to provide students with valuable, timely feedback and facilitate the optimum learning environment. I focused on helping students choose the learning path that was right for them.

Initially, I found feedback difficult. Dr. Weigand’s mentorship was invaluable. She recommended the language to use which would help students highlight both improvements and strengths. When providing feedback, I never forgot my experiences of studying during a pandemic. Offering support to students as they navigated a more complex learning schedule has been rewarding.

I am excited to be taking on another TA assignment for the summer term. I look forward to dialoguing with the students and working with them to achieve their academic success. The course, Leading Change, with completely new content is timely, given our need to adapt to an ever-changing work and study environment. I am keen to assess how responsible leadership will impact my field of academic administration during this period of disruption, as well as discovering how policies will change in response to the evolving circumstances.

Having a TA experience has increased my gratitude for my MBA journey. Or rather, using inspiration from my summer 2020 bestie, that unanticipated MBA ending, I have finally been able to “shake it off”.

“Without the cohort of talented and dedicated TAs, the experience would have been so much harder for students and faculty members. We know that we put you through the paces this year and we are grateful for your energy and commitment.” Dean Kim Brooks

Denise Hinds on the T.A. Experience – Staying Connected with Students

June 29, 2021 rbudd 2 Comments

Denise Hinds MBA(L) Class of 2020
Photos Provided

As a student in the MBA FS/L program, intensives were always my favourite. During this time, the course material came together so perfectly, and I had the opportunity to work with the best bunch of people in the program. For those who I did not work with, I am sure you would challenge me on this, because you would say the same about your groups. That is just the nature of the program. You are bound to be inspired by such amazing peers, staff, and faculty. How does one leave this behind when they graduate?

You don’t! I remember many DAL alumni who guided and supported my journey, and I knew I wanted to stay involved in this community and give back. The honour to serve as an ambassador for the MBA class of 2020 was just the beginning. I am DAL proud to share my testimonial at MBA FS/L information events and orientation sessions. Since graduating, I contribute regularly to the DAL Insight Circle (by sharing my thoughts, perspectives and opinions on important university initiatives and decisions).

When the opportunity presented itself to be a Teaching Assistant (TA) with Professor Heidi Weigand for the MBA’s Leading in Complexity course, I was thrilled. This allowed me to experience the best part of my academic endeavours all over again, while being mentored in the process. As I strive to make a positive impact, I am learning the art of facilitation, balanced feedback, and have been given the freedoms to create tutorials. I am happy that these lessons will continue as I work with Professor Weigand again as TA for the MBA Sustainable Leadership course during the summer.

As we work in a virtual setting, our ability to connect with students is a critical factor. From the onset of the course, Professor Weigand made sure that the TAs and the students were fully supported. We had several collaborative tools at our disposal. These tools included email, live events, course content videos, Brightspace discussion threads, live and recorded TA tutorials, as well as an MS Teams channel, chats, and meetings. Also, Professor Weigand and the TAs were available to provide one-on-ones on a regular basis. All these interactions and methods contributed to our goal of staying connected with students.

One moment that stands out, was during the on-line intensive when Professor Weigand facilitated an open dialogue and students shared their appreciation of fellow cohorts. Professor Weigand thanked her TAs, and we expressed our gratitude as well. As I begin a new chapter, I am reminded that intensives are still my favourite time. The focus is less about the course material, while still impressive, but more about this network of DAL students, staff, and faculty, as we come together. Now a DAL alumna and TA, I am inspired to guide students and support them in their journey, with my renewed perspective.

Denise Hinds MBA(L) Class of 2020

Maria Artuso: What have I learned during the pandemic?

June 1, 2021 rbudd Leave a Comment

Maria Artuso MBA(FS) Class of 2015

As I reflect on the past year, I would be remiss if I did not share that the personal development and professional gains, I have experienced would not have been possible, if not for a global crisis.

The Covid19 pandemic was a pivotal moment for our global society. Overnight, the structure of community services, healthcare, education, and business experienced an unprecedented disruption. Our collective courage was tested as we focused our energies for a quick response. We were facing the unknown, recognizing that our situation required us to develop new skill sets quickly. As a leader and member of my community, I challenged myself to choose compassion, resilience and to become a better person.

Reflecting on the beginning of March 2020, my team and I were still on the heels of widespread robberies taking place around our community. Regrettably, members of my team were involved in a traumatic robbery in January. Personally, and professionally, we were still working through a rollercoaster of emotions when Covid19 was officially deemed a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Within a week of our robbery, my husband was involved in a similar robbery involving the same gang and community setting. We were all experiencing a high level of angst.

There is never enough preparation to help you through these moments of truth. I admit that I was unprepared for the raw feeling of helplessness and vulnerability that came as a response to these experiences. The inability to provide the why, the how, the what, that would come next was foreign to me. I pride myself on being able to make sound decisions, backed up by facts and details, and being able to connect the dots for people even when I do not have all the details, or when events seem far fetched or intangible.

For me, the year 2020 came with no rule books. I recognized that I lived and worked within complexity and uncertainty. That prompted me to see that being human, bringing my true self to work and home, and genuinely sharing what I was going through allowed me, as never before, to connect more authentically with my peers, my colleagues, my work family, my immediate family, and my husband. This was a time when differences were set aside, biases were minimized and the purity of one’s health and wellness became top priority.

Moving into a full fledge pandemic with many unknowns, tested our resolve to accept there were more questions than answers and to avoid panic and misunderstandings. This was an opportunity to be creative in how we came together as a family, a community, and a nation. Supporting each other as social distancing protocols were introduced, acknowledging fear, and then moving to actively seek solutions was what kept us focused on the task at hand. Without question, we are in this together.

When I think about these past months, I am proud of the resilience and courage demonstrated by my colleagues, my peers, my family. We continue to band together, with common goals and a united front to take on the challenge that continues to face our global world. Regardless of the new norm that we often hear and talk about today, I know we have the capacity and determination to successfully navigate what lies ahead.

What have I learned in 2020 when it comes to work life and togetherness? For starters, never take others for granted – appreciate family, colleagues and those who cross our paths. Do not sweat the small stuff and be grateful for the life that has been given. Stay connected and foster support systems for the benefit of our mental health and wellness. Belonging and keeping in contact using virtual technology is critical for our well-being. I have learned to be more patient and compassionate with myself and others. I have accepted that there will be difficult, and even more uncomfortable conversations, which will be necessary to advance our understanding of one another.

Above all, I have learned that humour is essential. Focus and enjoy the little things in life that make us smile and laugh. Kindness and respect, compassion and happiness will see us through the most difficult of times.

Let us forge ahead together – because we are stronger together.

Maria Artuso: Managing Through Change

March 16, 2021 rbudd Leave a Comment

“Change management in the workplace is the leading factor in supporting people through adoption and engagement while change occurs and is undertaken. Change management is a set of steps that are followed on a particular project or initiative. It really is a three-pronged approach: people need to understand the change, buy into the change, and then have the change reinforced to actually change behaviour.”

Maria Artuso MBA(FS) 2015, Community Manager at RBC Royal Bank

Maria Artuso MBA(FS) Class of 2015

Managing through change has become the new norm. As a leader, it is important to understand a number of parameters, including why change is occurring at such an extreme pace, how individuals feel about the change and how they cope with the change. Change at this point is inevitable. Gone are the days where we reminisce about how things were done years ago. Some individuals thrive in an agile environment, where change can be viewed as exhilarating and super exciting, and personally challenging. Others struggle with the reality that the constant is change, not being able to stay put, and always needing to reinvent themselves and learn new things.

I have been working in the financial services industry for the past 21 years, and have had the privilege of working with leaders who have been phenomenal in terms of working through change, and being respectful of how people will adapt, endure, and overcome the constant of change. When I first started in the industry, I was in my late teens and found it very interesting how some colleagues would say “this is the way we do it here”; “we’ve done it like this for years”; “if it’s not broke don’t fix it”. I remember being taken aback at how it felt to be working within an inflexible and policy-stricken working environment.

In school and at home, my generation was encouraged to “shoot for the stars”; “you can be whatever you put your mind to”; “don’t ever settle for second best”. What I was learning in school and experiencing at work was quite different. What I did not realize or really endorse at the time was that while change management is not an easy philosophy, it is a critical component of organizational transformation. How employees respond to change, let alone, how they overcome this new norm, is vitally important to the viability and sustainability of an organization’s success. Both the leader and employee play extremely important roles.

As I continued to work in the banking industry, and furthered my education, it became clearer to me that how people felt within the working world was very different than in the educational system. I began to think about how great the workplace could be and would be if we continued to push the envelope, consider everyone’s thoughts and opinions vs. just those of the loudest contributors. We could never rest on our laurels.

Change management in the workplace is the leading factor in supporting people through adoption and engagement while change occurs and is undertaken. Change management is a set of steps that are followed on a particular project or initiative. It really is a three-pronged approach: people need to understand the change, buy into the change, and then have the change reinforced to change behaviour. Change management matters. It needs to occur one person at a time. Change can be very costly if managed improperly. The good news is that effective management of change increases success overall.

As a new leader, I learned about ADKAR, a model used to understand how people process change: Awareness of the need for change, Desire to participate in and support the change, Knowledge on how to change, Ability to implement required skills and behaviours, and Reinforcement to sustain the change. The truth is, leading employees through organizational change, whether big or small, requires empathy, trust, care, and a growth mindset in order to move forward. Organizations cannot change their culture unless individual employees change their behavior—and changing behavior is not easy; it is actually hard.

Sometimes a leader’s admission of vulnerability helps others recognize and address their ability to process change. You cannot force people to change – you can only help them want to. It is so important for people to understand the why behind the change, the impact it will have on them, and what’s important them. It is vital to acknowledge that there are opportunities for individuals to provide input and feedback. This will empower individuals to buy-in and feel good about their contribution to the change. In so doing, leaders generate a winning culture by engaging and exciting the people responsible for delivering change. It is important to celebrate successes and quick wins and generously and publicly acknowledge those who demonstrate the leadership behaviours that make a strategy succeed. Asking team members to share their experiences will encourage the growth mindset required to ensure that change continues to take place at a pace that is commendable in our organizations.

I truly believe that the behaviours of change of management will allow us to never be stuck in old ways. Instead, it will create a flexible and agile collaborative team capable of pivoting in a timely manner, generating the environment where great things will happen because we allowed ourselves to try something new.

Maria Artuso MBA(FS) 2015, Community Manager at RBC Royal Bank, was recently named one of Ottawa’s Top 40 under 40 business professionals. A successful, highly motivated business leader with a track record of success in the fields of operational effectiveness, retail banking, commercial banking, and leadership, Maria is dedicated to giving back to her community, believing that her volunteerism enhances her job performance and life experiences. Maria has graciously agreed to be a repeat contributor on CEGE Connection.

From the CEGE Connection Archives first Published May 5, 2020

Carrie Morrison: March 26th is International Epilepsy Awareness Day – join me in wearing purple to support those with epilepsy

March 2, 2021 rbudd Leave a Comment

Carrie Morrison MBA(FS) Class of 2018

My name is Carrie Morrison, I graduated from Dalhousie University with my MBA(FS) in 2018. I am passionate about raising awareness and funds to find a cure for epilepsy. In 2019 I joined the Board of Directors for Epilepsy Canada in order to amplify my efforts for the cause. It has been a very soul-fulfilling experience and I encourage everyone to advocate for something your passionate about.

For many, March 26^th is a day comes and goes without taking more than a second thought. For me, this is not the case. For me, I am reminded of loved ones I have supported, and sadly, lost to epileptic disorders.

It is in their honour that I share with you some facts about epilepsy which may surprise you, and help you understand what to do should you encounter someone having a seizure. Unfortunately, public perception and treatment of individuals afflicted with epilepsy can often be larger problems than the seizures themselves. Seeing someone have an uncontrollable seizure can be scary to witness. People with epilepsy often suffer from depression and anxiety, have strained relationships, have their license to drive taken away, and have trouble learning and so much more. The more we know about epilepsy, the more we are able to acknowledge its prevalence and the stress it inflicts upon individuals, their loved ones and caregivers, and our society as a whole. Ultimately, the more empathetic we can become, the more successful we will be in finding a cure.

Research is very expensive and these are some reasons why we need your help, did you know:

Epilepsy is one of the most common brain conditions characterized by momentary glitches in the brain’s electrical activity, which are called seizures.
Epilepsy can be a condition in and of itself or it can compound preexisting conditions, for example autism, down syndrome, tumors, stroke, or head injury.
Over 65 million people globally and over 350,000 Canadians live with epilepsy – personally affecting more people than Multiple Sclerosis + Cerebral Palsy + Muscular Dystrophy + Cystic Fibrosis, combined.
Epilepsy indirectly affects more than 1 million Canadians, including parents and 1 sibling – however, indirect impact can reach up to 30% of the population if you include employers, teachers, friends, extended family members, etc.
Doctor’s do not know what causes epilepsy and there is no cure.
1 in 26 people will develop epilepsy over the course of their lifetime.
Epilepsy causes more deaths than breast cancer, drunk driving, or prescription drugs.
There are about a dozen different types of epilepsy and three major groups of seizures which are named based on the part of the brain where they occur: Focal onset, Generalized onset and Unknown onset seizures.
Seizures can present themselves in many ways:
- Some people stare off into space,
- Some make jerky movements,
- Others lose consciousness all together.
33% of people living with epilepsy have intractable epilepsy which means their seizures cannot be controlled by medication – That’s equates to ~120,000 Canadians which live a life of complete disorder.
Women with epilepsy may have more seizures around the time of their menstrual cycles, due to hormonal shifts/levels.
Photosensitive epilepsy is triggered by small visual stimuli – in this virtual word, be mindful that flashing lights, bold and regular patterns, or repeating/regular moving patters can trigger seizures.
Frontal lobe seizures may cause an individual to smell burnt toast, the hallucination can last a few minutes.
Approximately 2.5% of people living with epilepsy will die from SUDEP (Sudden Unexplained Death from Epilepsy) – which means sadly, 9,000 Canadians will learn a new acronym this year.
People with epilepsy may use service dogs – Seizure dogs have been specially trained to respond to someone who has epilepsy.
- They can be trained to encourage the affected individual to get into a safe position before seizure onset,
- They can keep the affected safe when experiencing a seizure (laying under the head of an individual while experiencing their seizure,
- They can also be a great comfort for an individual recovering from a seizure.

Now that you know a little about epilepsy, what can you do to help people who are affected by seizures?

Stay with the person and time the seizure – remain calm,
Keep the person safe while they have the seizure by removing harmful objects,
If the person is unconscious, turn them onto their side,
DO NOT put anything in their mouths – DO put something small and soft under their heads and loosen tight clothes around the neck,
Do NOT restrain – DO allow them space and freedom to have their seizure,
Stay with them until they are awake and alert – most seizures end in a few minutes.

If a seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, the individual appears to have difficulty breathing, the person gets injured, is pregnant or sick, and if the person does not return to their usual state – call 911.

I hope you found some of this information useful, interesting, and I hope it encourages you to get involved.

You can help to find a cure, by donating to Epilepsy Canada www.epilepsy.ca/donate

Source: Epilepsy Canada – www.epilepsy.ca

“Epilepsy Canada is a registered Canadian charity dedicated to positively affecting the lives of those living with epilepsy. It’s sole mandate is to raise monies for epilepsy research with an objective of finding a cure. It demonstrates the need for research by highlighting key issues related to those whose seizures cannot be controlled through existing medication and treatments and the tragic cases of SUDEP (Sudden Unexplained Death from Epilepsy). Through its active financial support of epilepsy research, it strives to help the Canadian neurology community find a cure for epilepsy.

Epilepsy Canada is governed by a nationally representative Board of Directors, comprised of leading professionals from the neurology and business communities. Founded in 1966, the organization depends on donor and volunteer support for the continued development and delivery of its research grant programs.”

Katie Haigh: Leading and Leaning on Others

February 2, 2021 rbudd Leave a Comment

Katie Haigh MPA(M) Class of 2020
(Photo Credit: Danny Abriel )

Posted by Kim Humes on October 26, 2020

Republished from School of Public Administration

When Katie Haigh graduated from the Commerce program in 2006, it was a big deal for her entire family.

“I am a first-generation university graduate in my immediate family. I owe my love of learning to my parents. They wanted me to go to university to have opportunities they did not.” Now she’s earned her second degree—a Master of Public Administration (Management).

Katie wasn’t sure she had what it took to get one degree, let alone two. “My marks were not the best when I finished my undergraduate degree,” she explains. “I never considered myself master’s program material, but I wanted to move up in my career. A few terms of upgrading later, I was accepted, and here we are today!”

She was challenged from the first assignment of her very first class, MGMT 5135 (Managerial Economics). She was nervous, having failed her first attempt at economics during her undergraduate studies and “scraped through the second time.” She found herself in tears over a question that was worth one point. Confiding in her professor and leaning on her classmates led her to a final mark of A+. “Knowing that my classmates were also struggling was so reaffirming. It really is the people that make this program and I am so proud to share this moment with them.”

Katie credits the encouragement and guidance of colleagues in the Faculty of Management for her decision to pursue the MPA(M), and their much-needed support throughout her studies. She completed her degree while working full-time as an academic advisor in the Management Undergraduate Advising Office where she helps Bachelor of Commerce (Co-op) and Bachelor of Management students choose courses and navigate other academic matters. At peak times, advisors can communicate with hundreds of students in a day, but Katie is up for the challenge. As Margie Muise (BMgmt program administrator) explains, “Katie’s students are always her top priority. Her commitment to them is unwavering and an example for others to follow.”

Not only did Katie complete graduate school as a full-time employee, she did it while raising children. She gave birth to her second daughter two years ago, in the middle of her studies. Around the same time, her father-in-law became ill and moved in with her household so that they could help with his rehabilitation. Sometimes staying focused on graduating was a challenge. As with her first class, she found strength in her connections. “Start by assembling your support team. For me it was my husband, daughter and parents. They are the reason I had the time to complete assignments, and they acted as sounding boards.” Her husband completed his Bachelor of Education in May, so evenings and weekends were often spent in joint homework sessions.

Florence Tarrant (director of undergraduate programs in the Faculty of Management) says, “As a student, Katie demonstrated that grad school is not only a learning opportunity, but a path to personal growth and change.” Katie wanted to be a guidance counsellor or teacher growing up, and finds her current position is pretty close. “I’m just missing the summers off!” she jokes. For her next challenge, she hopes to move into senior administration and become a lecturer. She wants to share her love of learning and knowledge and hopes her enthusiasm for education translates to teaching.

Her advice for parents who wish to pursue higher education: “Just start it. Don’t wait for a ‘perfect’ moment or when you will have more time because that does not exist. The time you spend away from your kids will show them how important education is. It also shows them that hard work pays off.”

Krista Phillips: Making a Positive Impact in the Climate Change and Clean Energy Sectors

January 12, 2021 rbudd Leave a Comment

Krista Phillips MBA(Leadership) Class of 2020

Krista Phillips, Clean Energy and Transportation Strategist, Government of Nova Scotia, is passionate about the development of vibrant communities. She believes that by supporting our entrepreneurs and promoting new and innovative development, our communities can be energized, dynamic, and culturally exciting places to live! A civil engineer and project management professional with over 20 years experience, Krista has worked in the environmental remediation sector across Canada. She is currently working to develop policy and programs to modernize the transportation systems in Nova Scotia, including electric and alternative fuels in both land and marine transportation.

Krista crossed the virtual state to receive her MBA(Leadership) in October 2020. CEGE Connection reached out to Krista for her thoughts on her MBA journey and how life-long learning has opened her to new opportunities.

Krista Phillips

I enrolled in the MBA program to change the direction of my career. I am an engineer and worked in the environmental consulting industry for many years. My main role was as a project, team, and client manager. I found that once I moved into a government position, I was largely seen as an exclusively technical person, which can limit opportunities for advancement and continued career growth, certainly in the direction I wanted to pursue.

Also, working in consulting had given me a background in some aspects of business management, but I found I had many questions related to senior decision making and corporate strategy. For those reasons, I decided an MBA would give me strengths in areas where I was lacking, as well as a different perspective and way of looking at both problems and opportunities.

Keeping the balance between work, study, and life required focus and a flexible mindset. When I initially considered doing an MBA, my consulting job required a lot of evenings and weekend work, and last-minute travel. With my current position I was fortunate that I had available time, which allowed me to schedule my schoolwork in such a way that I could work full time and study three or so evenings each week, working on weekends as needed. Typically, I would do all my reading and study work during the week and complete my assignments on weekends, when there were more periods of uninterrupted time.

The distance learning model used by Centre for Executive and Graduate Education for their MBA programs made it easy to schedule my own time, without having to attend a series of regular classes. I was able to study when I wanted, and still maintain a personal life.

Many people have said to me that they would have difficulty combining a full-time career with a robust academic course load. It certainly does require discipline to sidestep the temptation of procrastination, but once I became accustomed to the routine it became a part of my daily activities.

My work for the government is focused on addressing climate change through innovation, renewable energy, and clean transportation. These are all new and emerging sectors which need support to be adopted and integrated into our daily lives. The MBA(Leadership) positioned me to identify and employ strategic thinking and planning, skillsets necessary to evaluate and explore solutions for complex situations.

I now look at problems from various points of view and understand how senior leadership manages the decision-making processes. This MBA(Leadership) program helped me to change how I see each situation, to allow more room for differing opinions, and to remain flexible in my approach.

The program has a heavy focus on presentations to professors and classmates. Having delivered at least a dozen presentations has increased my confidence in public speaking events at conferences and seminars. This confidence is evident when I deliver briefings to senior executives and present my ideas to colleagues.

I chose the leadership stream of the MBA program, the direction in which my career is taking me. Whether it is in a senior executive leadership position, or simply applying my learnings while mentoring junior staff, these skills will be valuable throughout the rest of my career.

What are my next steps? Now that I have completed my MBA, this is the question I am currently exploring. I have a few ideas and avenues I am pursuing that will allow me to keep growing within an industry that I love. My goal is to make a positive impact in the climate change and clean energy sectors.

Alana Riley: Staying Connected in a Disconnected World

January 5, 2021 rbudd 1 Comment

Alana Riley MBA(FS) 2017

Ironically, at the start of the 2020 business planning year, my plan title was 20/20 VISION. I think no one could have predicted that the world would be this flipped upside down in less than 9 months. Simple social norms and customs- now a complete social faux pas. Will people ever hold the door open for each other again when no one wants to touch the handle!

Remember when we jammed into elevators, holding the door to squeeze one more person in like sardines? Now we follow arrows, look down at which box to stand in and are encouraged to be anti- social. Where does anyone meet any new connections these days? The power of human contact has a deep and impactful meaning for our emotional well being, sense of belonging and purpose and of course can impact our business success.

One of the unique aspects of the Master programs offered through Dalhousie’s Centre for Executive and Graduate Education is that it was fully functional online long before the pandemic. My journey through the MBA Blended with Financial Services was enhanced by the meaningful relationships that were formed with the current students, professors, and alumni, most of which were originally initiated online. In fact, our network continued to grow post graduation- an underground alumnus if you will!

Last year, I attended a Calgary Dalhousie Lobster Fest (who would miss fresh Atlantic lobsters) hosted by alumni representatives and had the opportunity to meet Joseph Macdonald. Joseph, MBA’91, has been championing the Dal community in the West for decades! With his encouragement, I committed to volunteering in the Dal Circle, formalizing some of our activities together and most recently was appointed as Alumni Ambassador for Calgary. I look forward to connecting and building our community. Now, more than ever, the power of connection builds resilience and courage.

Welcome to 2021, a fresh year of exciting possibilities and opportunities. Whether you are deep into your online studies, working from home or in need of personal connections, join me in bringing powerful connections together in this disconnected world.

Albert ‘Buddy’ Walzak: The MPA(M) – my twenty-year reflection…has it been that long!

December 15, 2020 rbudd Leave a Comment

Albert ‘Buddy’ Walzak, Executive Director of the Nova Scotia Department of Intergovernmental Affairs

As a proud graduate of Dalhousie University (BA ’85, BSW ’87, MPA(M) ’01) I am delighted to have the opportunity to share my perspectives of the MPA(M) program and how the School of Public Administration has shaped and influenced my professional practice and development.

Today, more than ever, I have come to appreciate and value the opportunity I had in 1999. I’ve gained extensively from the MPA(M) program and pleased to see how it has evolved to its leading stature today.

In 1999, I was a member of the first cohort of the Province of Nova Scotia sponsored MPA(M) class. The newly created MPA(M) program was a joint initiative between the Province of Nova Scotia and Dalhousie University that recognized the province’s goal of promoting and investing in advanced learning for its senior ranks. Since graduating, my learning outcomes and observations of the program have held true and remain relevant some twenty years later.

There are three key aspects that I wish to highlight: high-quality learning; benefits of the teaching model; and achieving results.

A win-win-win learning experience: Dalhousie University is recognized globally as a leading research and teaching institution. As such, I had access to and was taught by some of Canada’s expert public administration researchers and professors whose expertise and knowledge I deeply valued. The program components and course work addressed actual public policy issues and had immediate application. The learning throughout the program was compounded. This was a win-win-win situation for Dalhousie, the province and the student. The knowledge and tools that I gained from the program twenty years ago help me in managing the public policy issues I experience in my current work setting. My journey of experiential learning was shaped by the School of Public Administration and its professors. The two-way feedback and interactions resulted in high quality learning outcomes for me which by extension benefited the Province of Nova Scotia and helped inform enhancements to the program.

Dynamic “classroom” environment: E-learning and distance learning was emerging in the late 90’s which meant that my learning was primarily face-to-face. Admittedly, this was my preference. For those who were fortunate to have had the privilege of receiving a chalkboard lecture from the highly respected and late Dr. Peter Aucoin – who could easily fill four boards twice over during a two-hour lecture – will never forget the experience which for me was a highlight and an honour. But more importantly, was the climate that was created at the School of Public Administration. The classroom interactions were dynamic. Fellow students, expert speakers and professors alike were often respectfully challenged which added to the learning experience. The networking and team building helped me develop invaluable contacts and lasting partnerships both with Dalhousie faculty and management and senior officials in government which I am grateful for. Today, MPA programs emphasize e-learning supported through classroom intensives and similar outcomes are being accomplished because of Dalhousie’s commitment to the modernization of distance learning models.

Transferring education into success:The post-graduate credentials and qualifications of the MPA(M) were/are a transferable skillset. I was a practicing social worker during my program and today I’m helping the province build meaningful and impactful government relations in my role of Executive Director with the Department of Intergovernmental Affairs. Undeniably, the MPA(M) was instrumental in my professional development and helped me progress to a senior position in government. But for me, success was measured by my ability to apply the elements of the program in a meaningful way knowing I had also gained the confidence that would help me address challenging issues as they occurred. A positive mindset and a commitment to continuous learning were also key factors in my development.

Over the years, I have promoted the value of the program to other public servants and have had the opportunity to regularly share my experiences with MPA students at the School of Public Administration. I am grateful for my learning experiences at Dalhousie University and fortunate to be able to have the opportunity to give back a little – which I will continue to do.

Albert ‘Buddy’ Walzak is the Executive Director of the Nova Scotia Department of Intergovernmental Affairs. He is responsible for the general administration and operations of the department. He helps lead the coordination and advancement of the province’s interests and works to maintain productive relationships with regional, national and international partners. Through these relationships, he helps advance the province’s economic, government and international objectives.

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