Building Friendships in the CRMBA

April 7, 2015 Kathleen Heymans 1 Comment

While the Class of 2016 is away on their Corporate Residencies, the Class of 2015 is heading into their last classes and exams. The CRMBA program is an intense and rewarding experience. As a student and graduate of this program, you not only become part of a much larger network of professionals, but you also connect and build friendships that will last a lifetime. So, our last blog post is dedicated to the Class of 2015 and their friendships!

Sean Tait

A week from the moment I am writing this, I will be attending the final class of my MBA career. I’m not an overly sentimental person, but it is hard not to reflect and remember the fond memories I have of my time at Dalhousie.

During my classes’ very first session together as a class in 2013, Jenny Baechler (the Associate Director of the Corporate Residency MBA program) told us something that I remember very clearly: “A master’s degree is where you develop mastery of a subject.” Perhaps that view is obvious to most people, but to me it struck a chord and framed how I approached the next two years in the program. While I can’t say I have “mastered” business, I am now much stronger in both the technical skills that underlie business practice, and the numerous soft skills needed to succeed the world of business.

However, the value I have gotten from the program extends beyond the business skills I have developed. I have made exceptional friends from my class – all of whom I am convinced will be successful in their careers. I certainly did not expect that some of my best friends would be made during my two years at Dalhousie, but I am thankful for these lasting relationships.

Quin MacKenzie

One of the benefits of the CRMBA program is the people you get to meet. Our cohort is a very diverse group. Each of us brought a different suite of skills and capabilities to the program, and our differences have enriched the MBA experience. I have tried to incorporate the strengths I admire in my colleagues into my own leadership style.

We are in the home stretch! A few more papers, presentations, and exams and then it will be time to celebrate our accomplishments together. As we move closer to graduation, we are each entering a new chapter in our lives. I know that we will do great things and be a successful group.

Our network , of talented young people, is ready to take on the world! I am proud to be a part of the CRMBA class of 2015. I entered this program to gain business skills, relevant work experience, and a Masters degree. I have had the opportunity to accomplish much more than the addition of three letters beside my name. Thank you, fellow classmates, for growing with me over the past two years.

Emily Van Dop

I was nervous to start this program because I had no background in business. I was worried that I wouldn’t fit in, and that I would look like an idiot to my peers and professors. However, these fears were alleviated in the first week, when then-strangers went out of their way to help everyone succeed.

This was not limited to course content – that first summer, I had made the mistake of needing to move apartments during exams and interview week, and my peers bailed me out of a bad situation. I am from Ontario; so, I had no family to help me, but my classmates volunteered their precious free time to help me move, donating their vehicles and muscles to the cause (thanks again Courtney, Jay, Thomas, Adrian, and Harry!). It is this sort of kindness from my classmates that I will be ever grateful for.

I believe that the person you become is made up of the small moments in your life, not just the big picture stuff (like getting an MBA). It’s the endless stream of inside jokes, the social gatherings, the small acts of kindness we show each other every day. I also love that some of my closest friends in this program are so different from me (just ask to see their Myers-Briggs results), and yet that’s what makes them so special – they challenge me to grow and become a better person, as I do for them.

Thanks for an incredible two years, Class of 2015 – I am so glad I had the good fortune to know all of you, and I look forward to seeing our plans of taking over the world play out in the near future.

Class of 2016: Corporate Residency Update

March 24, 2015 Kathleen Heymans Leave a Comment

The Corporate Residency is a key part of our program because it gives students eight months of solid work experience where they are not treated as students so much as real employees. Students take positions across Canada (past CRMBA students have done international residencies, too!) to gain experience across different industries.

Returning in second year is exciting and enriching in part because the class is able to bring so much work experience from diverse sectors back into the classroom. The class of 2016 is a few months into their Corporate Residencies now, and we thought it was time to hear how they have been doing! Here are a few updates from the cohort:

Alison Conrad

Background: Environmental Sciences
Employer: Scotiabank (Halifax)
CR Position: Commercial Banking Associate, Scotiabank

“When I entered the CRMBA program, I knew that I wanted a residency that would be completely different than anything I had ever done before. I wanted a challenge so that I could not only find what I was passionate about, but push the boundaries of my mind and grow as a businessperson. Working in commercial banking has brought me from analyzing metals in a lab to analyzing and understanding businesses, and it has been an amazing learning experience in so many ways. After just two months, not only do I feel more comfortable in the corporate world, but I also feel more confident and capable in my technical skills and my overall self. If I were to say one thing, it would be don’t be afraid to push beyond your limits – you never know, you may end up finding something you love doing.”

John Aitken

Background: Geography and Environmental Studies
Employer: Stantec (Toronto)
CR Position: Sustainability Analyst

“The Corporate Residency was one of the main reasons I chose Dalhousie for my MBA. Having ‘real-world’ experience simply cannot be replicated through lectures, projects, or cases. I knew before starting the CRMBA that consulting was a field that I wanted to get into. I felt that consulting would give me exposure to many different clients, and a variety of unique projects. My particular role is great because it integrates my environmental studies background into consulting.”

Sydni Kind (JD/MBA)

Background: Commerce, Marketing (Minor in Political Science)
Employer: Cushman & Wakefield (Calgary)
CR Position: Junior Consultant, Valuations & Advisory Department

“Working in a commission-based department, dependent on the current flow of clients requesting property valuations, can cause the workload to fluctuate significantly. I have had the opportunity to work with major commercial real estate clients, assisting in financial and operational decision-making. I have been able to learn from some of the best in the field of valuations, developing in a time-sensitive but learning-focused environment, where collaboration is highly encouraged. The confidence they have in the work I produce and the opportunities available to take initiative are some of the best parts of the job thus far, and I feel these can only improve going forward. I look forward to the rest of my residency experience.”

Patrick Tillman

Background: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Employer: Medavie Blue Cross
CR Position: Customer Engagement Specialist

“My previous work experience took place in a research lab, so my Corporate Residency has been a refreshing change of scenery. Equipped with the tools obtained in a vigorous six months in the classroom, I was able to hit the ground running and contribute to the Marketing & Communications team at Medavie Blue Cross almost instantly. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my Corporate Residency up to this point, particularly the level of involvement I’ve had so far, and the number of responsibilities I’ve been given. If I had any words of advice for the incoming cohort, it would be to not shy away from stepping outside your comfort zone whenever you can, especially those coming into the program without any business experience like myself.”

Lauren Bosnjak

Background: Neuroscience
Employer: Bank of Montreal (Toronto)
Position: Brand Advertising Coordinator

“Coming into the program I imagined myself doing something related back to my neuroscience undergrad, however the program has opened me up to opportunities I didn’t know existed. Brand advertising at BMO has taught me invaluable experience in project management. I am managing my own projects as well as learning as my team manages their own; I think this is the biggest thing I will carry with me no matter where I end up in my future. The advertising team at BMO is supportive of my learning and getting the most out of my experience; that is my favorite part about working with them.”

The Corporate Residency is one of the best parts of this program. It’s a great opportunity to work in an area of interest, build on existing experience, and prepare to launch your career!

For prospective and incoming students, spending a bit of time considering where you might be a good fit and what you are most interested in can help you target and obtain the position you want. When you join the CRMBA program, you become part of a much larger, stronger network of students and professionals. I would encourage the incoming class to connect with current students and alumni if they are interested in learning more about the program or a particular residency experience!

Ignite Your Inner Entrepreneur in the CRMBA Program

March 10, 2015 Kathleen Heymans Leave a Comment

The Corporate Residency MBA comes with built-in flexibility. Students can tailor their work experience and electives to their specific goals and interests, which is perfect for students with entrepreneurial spirit. If you have ever been interested in being your own boss, or working in an exciting startup environment, the Corporate Residency MBA has some great opportunities! This blog post explores some of the entrepreneurial opportunities students are exposed to in the program.

To start with, the program is ideally located: Halifax has a dynamic and tight-knit startup community. A few of my classmates are working for local startups for their corporate residencies, and I caught up with them to learn more about their experiences.

Laura Park, CRMBA Class of 2016

Laura Park is working as a Strategist with Affinio, a local tech company. Before coming to Dalhousie, Laura worked as Director of a Youth Entrepreneurship Camp. In this role she was immediately drawn to the passion and drive of the local entrepreneurs she met. This sparked her curiousity to learn more about startups. In her new role at Affinio, she loves the fast-paced and entrepreneurial environment. Everyone is ready to get their hands dirty and take on a new task or idea with very little direction.

In Laura’s own words, she says: “The exciting thing about Affinio is that it was founded in late 2013, and here we are in early 2015 and we’re doing business with clients all over the world. It’s really inspiring to see how an idea supported by passion and drive can come a long way in a short period of time. They really weren’t kidding when they said it was fast-paced! “

Beyond the location, the CRMBA program also offers courses designed with entrepreneurship in mind. The Starting Lean Class is a truly unique academic experience. This course is a second-year elective and is open to students across all faculties at the graduate and undergraduate level. In addition, recent graduates are also able to take Starting Lean. The result is a pool of diverse people that form teams around a business idea and work on developing a startup over the term.

Staring Lean Course

The course follows the lean Launchpad methods to build a business using the business model canvas. Students are taught how to create a sustainable business model at a low cost. Each team of students is paired with an experienced entrepreneur from the broader community to act as a mentor.

Dr. Mary Kilfoil, the Academic Lead for the Starting Lean Initiative in Dalhousie University’s Norman Newman Centre for Entrepreneurship, teaches the class. Her industry-leading course has received national recognition; last year she received Canada’s Entrepreneurial Educator of the Year Award from Start Up Canada.

Chris Gallant (left) Chris MacRae (right) CRMBA Class 2016

Two more students in the class of 2016 are working for a local startup: Chris Gallant and Chris MacRae are currently employed at Air Institutes. Air Institutes’ founder, Dr. Jackie Kinley, took the Starting Lean class, and when Chris Gallant started his residency at Air Institutes he also attended the class. Here’s a bit about his experience with the class:

“I initially audited the Starting Lean course to gain a deeper understanding of how my boss, Dr. Jackie Kinley, developed a business model and a business plan for Air Institutes. I met with Dr. Ed Leach and Dr. Mary Kilfoil, who gave me the resources to understand exactly how to develop an effective value proposition. Overall, the Starting Lean class has given me substantial information to perform in my corporate residency.”

For my own corporate residency, I am working as the Project and Communications Coordinator at Dalhousie University’s Norman Newman Centre for Entrepreneurship.

Dr. Kilfoil and the Director, Dr. Ed Leach, have built something truly extraordinary and very important to the student entrepreneurs at Dalhousie University and the broader community. I would encourage students from the incoming class to reach out to myself or my other classmates if they have any questions about entrepreneurial opportunities in our program!

Thoughts on Interview Day from the Class of 2016

September 30, 2014 Kathleen Heymans Leave a Comment

If you had 60 seconds, could you persuade an employer to interview you? After your first summer in the CRMBA program, you will know how to deliver an effective elevator pitch and ace the interview.

My name is Kathleen Heymans, and I am in the first year of the CRMBA program. At the beginning of September our class completed the program’s notorious Pitch Day and Interview Day events. On Pitch Day, each of us delivered our 60-second pitches to a room full of potential Corporate Residency employers. If an employer is interested in a student after their pitch, they can offer a interview for Interview Day, which typically takes place the day after Pitch Day. This is one of several ways an interview offer can be made for Interview Day.

Throughout July and August, the first two months of the program, my class worked closely with Dalhousie’s Management Career Services (MCS) to prepare for Pitch Day and Interview Day. We crafted our resumes and profiles, honed our interview skills, and prepared our 60-second elevator pitches. Pitch Day and Interview Day allowed our class to practice the professional skills we learned during the summer, but ultimately, they were an opportunity for many of us to secure an eight-month Corporate Residency position.

I struggled for weeks to write my pitch. My passion is for sustainability and entrepreneurship, but I was trying to write a pitch that would have a broader appeal to employers. In the end, I learned to be true to myself and delivered a pitch focused on my interests. After Pitch Day, I received two ‘wildcard’ interviews and ended up accepting a job offer from one of those employers. In January I will be starting my Corporate Residency at the Starting Lean Initiative.

Pitch Day and Interview Day were unique and exciting experiences for all of us. I asked a few other students from the Class of 2016 to share their thoughts:

Alison Conrad, BSc. Environmental Science, University of Guelph

“Interview Day was the best kind of whirlwind. The experience really pushed us all outside our comfort zones, which is what I think the program aims to do so that when we graduate, we know how to take on a challenge head on and succeed.Coming into Interview Day, I was less focused on the type of degree I had and more focused on what I had learned from my past experiences both within my degree and in my life, and how that could be an asset. I really wanted a job in finance, and with no financial background, I had to be able to show employers that I possessed the qualities needed to succeed in that aspect of business.”

Patrick Brousseau, B.A. Political Science and History McGill University

Patrick Brousseau

“The best thing to do on Interview Day is be yourself. It may sound cliché, but some of my best interviews happened when I was able to showcase my personality. Employers are looking for more than what is on your resume; they’re looking for someone they like and can work with. Because Interview Day can be very stressful, I also made sure to keep everything in context. If you don’t get a job out of it, there are plenty more opportunities later on! This really helped me relax and answer questions confidently and without (too much) stress.”

Tongfei Wang, B.A. Business English, Shanghai International Studies University

“I came from China with a major in Business English, aiming to find a new career path and an international perspective. As an international student, it was particularly difficult to adjust to a totally new culture and catch up with the fast pace of the program at the same time. But after I got through the busy summer, I found that this program provided me with a great platform and skill set to start my new career. Having secured a Corporate Residency job at BMO from Interview Day, I’m really excited to be approaching my goal and to be immersing myself in a brand new work environment.”

Check out our Class Galleries to learn more about CRMBA students and graduates!

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