为什么选择Dal? -从国际生的视角

November 4, 2015 Coburg Consultants Leave a Comment

千里之外的第二故乡

在陌生的国度求学无疑是巨大考验。但是对于有志挑战自我的人，这段经历将会收获满满。多少年来，这些敢于挑战的国际学生跨越海洋来到Dalhousie，Dalhousie也成了他们千里之外另外一个温暖的家。他们成为了CRMBA项目不可或缺的存在。

正如一位本地同学所说：

“Dalhousie的国际学生真的非常优秀。不仅仅是学术水平，综合素质也非常出众。他们的存在很大程度上使我们的项目有了质的飞跃。和他们在一起，我受益匪浅。”

国际学生缘何来到Dalhousie？我们决定从班里的同学和朋友那里寻找答案。

问：Dalhousie首先吸引你的是什么？与其它项目相比，它有哪些不同之处？

Iris Liu (中国)：最先吸引我的就是这8个月的带薪工作机会。我在申请的时候就倾向于提供工作机会的项目。这种项目能将学术和实践相结合，让我在学校的所学与职场接轨。

Hamilton Jie (中国)：肯定是8个月的工作机会了。对于国际学生来说，这种工作机会更为重要。因为这样的工作经历将会在未来在加国求职过程中成为最有力的敲门砖。

8个月的工作机会无疑是项目最大的亮点，也是这8个月使得Dalhousie与众不同。对于国际学生来说，这8个月更能协助他们充分融入到加拿大的职场文化和氛围。

问：在来新斯科舍省之前，你对它有多少了解？

Matthew Cheung (香港)：相当有限！香港很少有人知道新斯科舍省。刚来的时候，我只知道这儿的人口还没香港多。但是因为临海，新斯科舍省的海鲜应该非常不错。

Saleem Tawakol (埃及)：我虽然了解不太多，但对漂亮的海滩和国家公园却早有耳闻。我觉得这里会是非常舒适宜人，人和人之间非常友善。虽然是座小城，但却十分便利，一应俱全。

的确，新斯科舍省的海鲜十分丰富。但是除了有美味的海鲜外，新斯科舍省更有其他丰富的内涵值得挖掘。哈利法克斯作为商业枢纽重要性更不言而喻。可以说，哈利法克斯既有东海岸最大城市的繁华，又有海边小城的静谧。

问： 如果是对一位想来Dalhousie求学的学生，你最想和他分享什么？

Saleem Tawakol (埃及)：就我个人而言，项目的老师和管理人员对我倾注了非常多的关心。这种关心会让你觉得他们是真的关心你的学习生活，而不是在糊弄你或者打发你。这种关系亲近而真诚。并且我肯定，我绝不是一个个例。

Thomas Sykes (巴哈马群岛／英国)：所有的教授们都非常敬业。他们相当认真的对待课程设置和内容。你能感受到他们真的希望你能在学校抑或在社会上成功。

在Dalhousie最明显的感受之一是教授们非常希望能帮助你实现目标。他们在课后不遗余力地帮助学生，他们热情地参与学生活动，教授们很大程度上成为了超越老师的存在。

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.

CRMBAs Take on Toronto – Toronto Connect 2015

February 24, 2015 Quin MacKenzie Leave a Comment

Halifax is a beautiful city to live in while completing your MBA, but not where everyone wants to stay after graduation. Ontario is not only where many of our MBA candidates hail from, but is where over half of our graduates seek employment. In order for our students to be able to establish connections and pursue post-grad job opportunities, this year Dalhousie’s Management Career Services (MCS) created a two-day networking trip called Toronto Connect. I was fortunate to be able to experience this excursion first-hand.

In January, 16 of us embarked on the inaugural Toronto Connect trip. On the first day of the trip we attended several corporate tours. We got to visit the downtown offices of companies including Scotiabank, TD Bank, Aon, Sustainalytics, Avison Young, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. There was also an opportunity to network with CRMBA Alumni over drinks at a popular Irish pub after a day of touring these potential employers.

On the second day, we were hosted by the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University for the MBA Employment Summit. This was another opportunity to network with potential employers as well as other MBA Candidates; there were students there from DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, the Goodman School of Business at Brock University, and of course the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University. The summit included breakout sessions run by professionals in the Toronto business community as well as a networking lunch and trade show.

All of the feedback I have heard about the trip has been very positive. Our MCS team of Anna Cranston, Amy McLellan and Ally Howard spent months working on the logistics of the trip and coordinating meetings and tours with employer partners. They even created two streams to accommodate the different interests of the students attending the trip! There was a finance group and a group for those interested in other opportunities such as consulting and marketing.

Not only did we have the opportunity to scope out the downtown offices of a group of amazing companies, but we also got to do this at virtually no cost! That’s right – most of the funding for the trip came from the Annual Fund and not from our personal bank accounts. This means that each student who attended Toronto Connect had most of their expenses for the trip completely covered.

My fellow student, Sean Tait, “appreciated the opportunity to extend [his] network in Ontario and meet in person with prospective employers.” To read Sean’s blog post on networking click here.

My favourite part about the trip was the first day of corporate tours. I enjoyed visiting both the Aon and Sustainalytics offices and found everyone there to be very welcoming and willing to answer all of our questions. Representatives from senior management and HR were in attendance, and we were able to hear many different perspectives to get a broad picture of what it would be like to work there.

Our class really appreciates the effort put in by MCS to organize Toronto Connect 2015 and we hope that future cohorts are able to have similar experiences!

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!

Networking as a Continual Activity

January 27, 2015 Sean Tait Leave a Comment

When I first started the Corporate Residency MBA program I was approached to take part in the Faculty of Management’s Alumni Mentoring Program. Students are matched with a Dalhousie graduate who has agreed to mentor students on everything from general career advice to salary negotiation. One benefit of the program is that, in many cases, students can leverage the network of their mentor to make professional connections.

I was once surprised at the power of networking to make things happen. As I gained more experience with networking though I realized just how often actively networking can create connections and significant value.

For instance, I recently mentioned to my own alumni mentor (a 2008 MBA graduate who is currently a senior executive at a technology company) that I was interested in a post-grad opportunity with a particular company. It turned out that he had a strong connection to the organization and a long-standing relationship with the recruiter who hires for the position. My mentor put me in touch with this recruiter and I had an initial interview as a result. Serendipity? Perhaps, but I have had enough situations like this one to know that this was just networking paying off.

Marianne Hagen

Marianne Hagen, Alumni Officer for the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie manages the Alumni Mentoring Program. She highlights how “most students find the program most helpful in making connections” and that “alumni really do want to help the students!” This last point, that graduates from Dalhousie are open and willing to help current students is a key lesson. Many students with no networking experience hesitate to contact someone. They worry they are intruding or asking too much. Realizing that 99% of the time the person you are connecting with would love to help you makes the networking process much more approachable.

While formal networking opportunities like the Alumni Mentoring Program are powerful tools, instilling networking as a continual activity which you pursue at every turn is equally important. This is a concept that Adrian Lake, a classmate of mine, has realized and ingrained in his professional life.

He says that “networking is not an event but rather a practice. It is not about getting a new job, a new client, or maybe a new business relationship. It’s about forming relationships with people and maintaining that relationship. The maintaining part is often the most challenging for people.”

This is definitely true in my experience as well. During my time at Dalhousie I have met hundreds of people, many of whom I have maintained contact with to varying degrees. Relationship management is a skill in itself.

Adrian suggests Paul Nazareth as someone to learn from to improve your networking skills. Nazareth “states that there are three things your network has to know about you: who you are, what you do, and where to find you.” Given these three pillars are maintained, networking is really not that difficult and can even be a fun experience. Even better it can allow you to share your skills with others and gain the help of your connections when needed.

MBA Students Giving Back

December 9, 2014 Sean Tait Leave a Comment

Volunteering at Feed Nova Scotia

For me and many of my colleagues, altruism expressed through volunteering is an important part of our daily lives. Sometimes these contributions to our community are part of a school project, but more often they are the result of individuals caring about a certain issue and contributing their time and skills to making things better.

Personally, I have recently turned my attention to the issue of affordable housing. My career ambitions lie in the real estate industry, and this semester I took a course called ‘Housing Theory’ in the Faculty of Architecture as one of my electives. This class was structured around the history of and the need for decent housing for all members of society. It also discussed the real world application of this theory through the provision of housing for the most disadvantaged in our community. When I started the course I didn’t think I would be inspired to become involved with this cause, but I was wrong.

As I learned more about this topic, it dawned on me that the skills I have developed as an MBA student and the experience I gained during my Corporate Residency are valuable to the not-for-profit organizations trying to provide low income housing in Halifax. As a result, I looked for an opportunity to apply my skills and I will now be spending part of my Christmas break helping a not-for-profit group, led by my architecture professor, understand the business implications of a proposed housing project in the city and how affordable, low-income, or co-op housing options could be incorporated into it.

While all of my colleagues are involved outside of the classroom, my classmate Kaleigh MacMaster is particularly noted for giving back to the community. I asked her to share her thoughts on volunteering as an MBA student.

Kaleigh is currently on exchange in Denmark at the Copenhagen Business School, but even from there she has remained involved with a cause she has been part of for years: Movember. The “Movember Foundation challenges men to grow moustaches during Movember (formerly known as November), to spark conversation and raise vital funds for its men’s health programs.”

She began her involvement with the cause during her undergrad at St. Francis Xavier University as a member of the Student Union, where she helped to start their fundraising team. Her interest in Movember is rooted in her belief that “men’s health specifically is not something that is widely talked about, but it needs to be.” To highlight this she told me that “testicular cancer is the most common cancer for men aged 15-29; this is something we should be comfortable talking about in order to create change!”

Kaleigh was also drawn to Movember from a business-oriented perspective – its unique and quirky branding. “I decided to become involved with Movember because their organization interested me from a ‘nerdy’ marketing perspective.” This initial captivation led to her involvement over the past four years, starting with her work with the St. Francis Xavier branch, which transitioned to her co-leading the 2013 fundraising team at Dalhousie, joining the Halifax Movember Committee, and even participating in events held in Denmark during her exchange.

Like me, Kaleigh has found that the people she meets while volunteering her time and skills is one of the great motivators to continue the work. She notes that volunteering can be one of “those experiences beyond the normal curriculum that form your unique perspective and story” and how she has “been inspired by the people I’ve met through the organization and the stories I’ve heard.”

In addition to the volunteering we do as individuals, our class as a whole is active in a number of group initiatives. This semester, my classmates helped sort food donations at Feed Nova Scotia, assisted with a Junior Achievement program by teaching young students about how to succeed in business, and ran the annual Ethics in Action Conference. Kaleigh was thrilled with our Movember efforts as well, as this year our MBA team raised over $1,000, and our joint Faculty of Management team raised over $66,000. Volunteering is something extremely fulfilling and has become a key part of our program’s culture. What would you get involved in?

2014 Dal MBA Movember Team (MoBots)

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)

The Corporate Residency MBA International Experience

October 20, 2014 Sean Tait Leave a Comment

Whether from Quzhou China, Dhaka Bangladesh, or Cairo Egypt, our program has long welcomed international students and the unique perspective they contribute to each cohort.

As someone who grew up here in Halifax, Nova Scotia, I was curious to hear about my fellow classmates’ experiences moving to a new city and a different culture. I spoke with some of the international students currently in the program about how they found adjusting to Halifax and Dalhousie.

Fahim Rizwan, a second year student, was born and raised in Bangladesh. The biggest change for him in moving to Canada was the language he uses day to day. He spent time in the US and Canada leading up to the program’s start, so he found the adjustment easier, but at first he still struggled with speaking English 100% of the time (I can imagine – learning about ROI and Perceptual Maps is hard enough in my native tongue). And of course, coming from a yearly average temperature of 25 degrees centigrade, Fahim also commented on the Canadian winters: “Canada is cooold!”

One of the first year students, Saleem Tawakol, hails from Egypt and has the distinction of being the first Egyptian in the CRMBA program. He was also in the unique position of being newly married to his wife when he first moved to Canada to start the program. She came with him to Canada, and Saleem spoke frankly when he said that being “raised in cities that are cultural opposites of Canada should have made our coming here a bumpy ride, but on the contrary, we were greeted with smiles as soon as we made it to Pearson and anywhere we went across the Country.” While speaking with Saleem, I was also reminded of something I take for granted, which is the large number of trees in Halifax – something which earns the city its nickname “The City of Trees”. Coming from Cairo this was certainly a contrast for Saleem.

Mirroring Saleem and Fahim’s comments, Elsie Chen, another first year student, found the colder climate the most striking difference between her home in China and Canada. Despite this, she loves the beautiful scenery that Halifax has to offer and its casual but hard-working culture. Canadian customs, like holding the door open for strangers, talking to people at bus stops, and a generally more open and friendly interaction between people, were some of the things she first noticed when getting to know this country.

Often coming from the warm climates of Asia and the Middle East, adjusting to life in Halifax for some international students can be a challenge. One thing the program does to help with this adjustment is the International Orientation Week before classes begin to assist students in their transition to Canada. For instance, the program takes students on a tour of Halifax, gives opportunities to practice English for those who want it, and provides learning activities like practice Case Studies, to set international students up for success. Saleem spoke fondly of this experience, saying how “the Dalhousie team was very warm and welcoming, and it was a great chance to get to know my fellow international students as well.”

International students bring incredible value to the CRMBA program. Their distinctive experience and perspective create opportunities for Canadian students to see things in a new light. In class it is common for professors to ask for international students’ perspectives on the issue being discussed, so they can be compared to the solutions proposed by Canadian students. Elsie shared her belief that Canadian students help international students improve their “soft” skills by encouraging participation in activities outside of the classroom, and in turn the international students reinforce the “hard” skills in the class with their steadfast work ethic. I personally believe that my class experience has been enriched by having students from across the country and across the world.

Having spoken with Saleem, Elsie, and Fahim, it is clear that their time as international students in the Corporate Residency MBA program at Dalhousie has been a positive one. I asked each to share their best piece of advice for international students considering the program:

Fahim: “Be yourself and work hard; most importantly, have fun!”
Elsie: “Be authentic and show whatever great qualities you have.”
Saleem: “Engage as much as possible and have fun!”

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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Category: Interviews