The Making of the Class of 2017

February 10, 2015 Emily van Dop Leave a Comment

Applying for a new program can be daunting. You do your research, pick your favourite programs, and then apply and bite your nails while you wait for the acceptance letters. And it doesn’t end there – once you know what school you will be attending, you then get to wonder what your classmates will be like, if you’ll enjoy the coursework, even if you’ll like the new city.

I remember that feeling distinctly. After I graduated in 2011, I took two years to work and save up money for grad school. I had some serious trepidation about going back to the school life after spending so much time away from it. I was successful at my job, but there’s a knack to studying and doing well in the academic world that’s so different from the working world. Now that I’m in my second (and final!) year of the program, it’s hard to believe I had those doubts only a year and a half ago.

As I reflected on my two years in the CRMBA program, I thought it would be fun to hear from someone just about to start. I reached out to one of the newly accepted students for the class of 2017 – her name is Jaime Cahill, and she completed her undergraduate degree at St. Francis Xavier University (better known as St. FX) in 2014. My first question to Jaime, as it is to anyone entering this program, is what her degree was in. The CRMBA program accepts students from a broad range of educational backgrounds because of the way it is structured; it allows students to combine the skills they’ve learned in past disciplines with the talents found in a traditional MBA. Hers is a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry.

The next thing I wanted to learn was how she heard about this program. There are many options for graduate schools across the country, and as a result I think it’s fascinating to hear how students first discovered this program. Jaime’s previous boyfriend was the first person to tell her about the CRMBA program at Dal. She said that he “explained how the program encourages people from all different backgrounds to apply. He thought I would be an ideal candidate and encouraged me to look into it!”

Once deciding on the program you wish to apply to, it’s on to the next daunting hurdle that shows up for anyone applying to an MBA program: writing the GMAT. This was my next question for Jaime.

I prepared for the GMAT over my Christmas break using the material provided online. I think it probably depends on the person, but a couple weeks (without other exams and classes going on) were more than enough time. I went into the exam fairly confident, but I won’t say the pressure didn’t get to me a bit once I got in there.”

Spoiler alert: she did very well.

So now she’s accepted, getting ready to start this new part of her life and academic career – what is she most nervous about?

Having studied science for my first degree, I’m most nervous about the material, and whether I will be a good fit for not just the program, but the corporate world.”

Despite this, Jaime notes that the rigorous application process gives her assurance that she would not have been accepted if she was not a good fit (very true). I can also personally assure anyone that not having a business background will not hold you back – I came from the fine arts world, which is about as far away from the business academic spectrum as you can imagine. If anything, I view my artistic background as an asset.

But what is Jaime most excited about? Because at the end of the day, there are lots of things you can stress out about for school, but ultimately it’s all the other things that really count!

I’m really excited to get this whole experience underway. I feel like I have so much to learn and can’t wait to get back in the classroom, challenge myself, and grow as a student and person. I’m also really looking forward to meeting the other students in my year. After talking with current students and alumni, I understand that the individuals in your cohort really become a sort of family and make the experience – so I can’t wait to meet them!”

Good luck to Jaime and the rest of the class of 2017!

Ethics in Action: Shaping Our Leaders

November 20, 2014 Emily van Dop Leave a Comment

One of the most pertinent topics we discuss in business school is values-based leadership. As we grow and develop into the next generation of leaders, it is important to ground our actions and decisions in ethical behaviour. Too often do we hear in the news of managers failing to do this (Enron, SNC-Lavalin, JPMorgan). To help foster character development in our program, the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie has become one of Canada’s leaders in furthering values-based leadership. Through faculty support and student initiatives, Dalhousie MBA students are given the best opportunities to put these ethical attributes into action, and to apply what we learn in the classroom.

Overseen by Dean Peggy Cunningham, the Faculty of Management has developed a set of guiding principles for ethical behaviour, summarized with the acronym IDEAS: Integrity, Diversity, Experience, Action, and Sustainability. This inspired the inception of Ethics in Action, an annual conference that is built upon the Dalhousie Business Ethics Case Competition (DBECC). Now in its second year, Ethics in Action brings students and ethical leaders from across the country together to discuss relevant topics and to generate thought-provoking conversations around ethics. Ethics in Action has four components: a case competition for undergraduate and graduate business students, a video and essay contest on ethical leadership, the presentation of the Scotiabank Ethical Leadership Award to a Canadian business leader, and a one day conference that is open to the public. This year’s event was held this past weekend, and once again saw great attendance and incredible participants.

Ethics in Action is not only for those attending events, but is also an opportunity for students to exercise their learned leadership skills. This year’s event was run by a group of my classmates, six second-year Corporate Residency MBA students. I spoke with some of them to learn about their experience with organizing an event of this size and nature. Kathleen Leadbeater, Chair of the Leadership Team, and Josh Mitton, Director of the Case Competition, shared their experiences with me.

Emily: What motivated you to become part of Ethics in Action?

Kathleen: When I first heard about the Ethics in Action initiative, I was very interested in becoming involved. I think it’s important to highlight the importance of ethical behavior in the business world, and to increase awareness of how to conduct business in an ethical and sustainable manner. I volunteered during the inaugural event and found the experience to be very rewarding, and I knew that I wanted to take on a bigger role this year. This led me to apply for the position of Chair of the Leadership Team for the 2014 event.

Josh: I had volunteered for the previous year’s conference, and I really got behind what the event was all about. It’s great to see schools participating from all over the country, coming here to Halifax to compete about a not-so-talked about subject in business.

Emily: What part of this experience has surprised you?

Kathleen: The one thing that has surprised me the most throughout the process is how quickly time flies. We have been organizing the event for almost a year, but it still somehow feels like yesterday that we all found out we would be on the organizing committee for the 2014 event. Before you know it, preparations for next year’s event are going to begin!

Josh: The people who we’ve asked to help make the event a success genuinely care about what we are doing, and support the team and the project above and beyond what’s expected of them. I was pleasantly surprised to see such community support!

Emily: Why should students get involved in Ethics in Action?

Kathleen: I think that students should get involved with the initiative because there are so many things that they can get out of the experience other than just a volunteer opportunity. It’s a great way to work on skills such as communication, teamwork, conflict resolution, and many more. The extra curricular experiences that students have while in the CRMBA program are the memories that they are going to remember long after they complete the program.

Josh: People have different opinions about ethics, especially when it comes to business practices. I think it is such a rich topic with many opinions and no black and white answers. It creates great conversations and can help students make tough decisions when they get out into the “real world”.

Take a look at the winners and photos from this year’s event!

An Evening to Remember: A Toast to the Coast

October 29, 2014 Emily van Dop Leave a Comment

One of my favourite things about my time here at Dalhousie has been the breadth of opportunities available to me. I am invited to attend conferences, networking events, lectures by incredible guest speakers, and fundraising initiatives, to name just a few. A week ago Friday I had the pleasure of attending one of the latter: A Toast to the Coast, a fundraiser for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. This event involves dinner, live entertainment, and both a silent and live auction. After a day full of studying, it was rewarding to go home and dust off one of my dresses, break out a new pair of shoes, and head to the Atlantica for an enjoyable evening out.

A Toast to the Coast celebrated its 10^th anniversary this year. The brainchild of a group of Dalhousie MBA students from 10 years past, this event continues to be run by Dalhousie students. Samantha Huelin, a second year CRMBA student and one of this year’s coordinators, told me that “getting to work with an amazing group of people from different disciplines” was her favourite part of being involved with A Toast. Samantha, along with the rest of the student organizers, viewed their participation as a valuable learning experience and an opportunity to use the skills they have developed at Dalhousie. The event set an ambitious goal of raising $30,000 this year to reach a total of $100,000 raised over the last 10 years. I have not yet heard if this goal was achieved, but regardless, the room was full of excited participants and there was a positive buzz in the air the whole night.

When I first arrived, the event was full of dapper looking friends, classmates, professors, and alumni. The atrium had the silent auction items beautifully arranged around the perimeter of the room, and as people grabbed a drink (or two), they meandered around to bid on the pieces they hoped to take home at the end of the night. Moving into the dining area, all the tables were tastefully accented with pink, from the bows around the chairs to the charming centrepieces – vases filled with delicate pink pebbles and floating tea lights.

This year also saw some fantastic auction items. The live auction included a wine tasting and tour, a signed Wendel Clark jersey, and a personal chef service, which entailed Chef Aldo Willani personally preparing a meal in the comfort of your own house. The auctioneer for the evening was actually one of the founding members of A Toast to the Coast, a delightful surprise for the 10^th anniversary. Steve James came all the way from Ottawa to be a part of the event. An enthusiastic table of MBA alumni near the front of the room provided some entertaining competition during the bidding process (old rivalries from their time at Dalhousie, perhaps?). Also well stocked, the silent auction boasted items like yoga classes, Moosehead tickets, and two decadent L’Oreal Gift bags. I myself outbid competition on some accent pillows (sorry, Professor Sheehan!), which are now artfully decorating my couch at home.

An exceptional part of the evening was the guest speaker. This year, Debbie Pottie came to share her experience with breast cancer. She conquered her cancer 16 years ago, and spoke of the remembered fears and struggles during the time of her diagnosis and treatment. Like many affected by cancer, Debbie’s family, particularly her husband Paul, played a huge part in her support and recovery. As a survivor, Debbie is a member of a dragon boat team called Bosom Buddies of Nova Scotia, a team made up entirely of breast cancer survivors. I thought Debbie’s reflections were moving and educational. It was inspirational to hear her speak about women’s health and the steps we can take to look after ourselves.

Overall, I went home feeling quite satisfied. The food was delicious (particularly dessert), and I welcomed the complimentary glass of wine with dinner. Before the night was over, guests were treated to live entertainment in the form of the Geordie Brown Trio. This event is an incredible opportunity for students in the CRMBA program to get involved outside of the classroom, and to exercise the skills we learn in the classroom in the real world. I would recommend this event to anyone in town during the month of October next year – it is for a great cause, and, if for no other reason, who can pass up on a chance to look so great in photos? (view more photos at Dalhousie’s Faculty of Management Facebook page)

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