Originally from Ahmedabad, India, Meet Patel is currently in his second year of the Corporate Residency MBA program. Confident that Dal was the right fit, it was the only MBA program he applied to. “Being new to Canada, I knew I needed an MBA that would give me real industry exposure and experience. The corporate residency component offered exactly that opportunity to build professional experience and connections.”

During his Bachelor of Business Administration degree, Meet gained hands-on experience through internships in the hospitality and education industries. Those experiences also built a strong foundation in marketing principles, but it was his role as a student ambassador with his university’s admissions office that truly defined his professional interests. “It showed me the impact you can have when you connect with people authentically and help them navigate important transitions,” he says. “These experiences directly influenced my CRMBA journey and even helped me secure my current role at BMO.”

For his 8-month corporate residency, Meet worked at BMO in Toronto as a Marketing Coordinator in the Segments Marketing team, specifically focused on the student portfolio of products. “This role allowed me to combine my passion for working with students with hands-on experience in financial services marketing at a national scale,” he explains. One project that stood out to Meet was leading various marketing efforts for their Back to School campaign. He worked on developing targeted materials for international students, an area that hadn’t been prioritized previously. “This was especially meaningful to me given my own experience as an international student. I strategized the messaging by collaborating closely with product managers to ensure our campaign goals aligned with broader business objectives,” he says. “It was a pivotal moment that showed me how my background and passion for the student space could translate into meaningful business impact.”

The decision to stay on part-time after his corporate residency ended came naturally. “I genuinely loved the work I was doing and felt like I had found more than just a good fit.” Continuing in the role allowed Meet to deepen his impact on initiatives such as developing materials for international students, work he felt personally connected to. Balancing part-time work with classes has given him what he describes as “a richer and more integrated learning experience than I would have had with either work or school alone.”

Reflecting on his journey so far, Meet says, “the CRMBA has fundamentally shaped how I approach my career. The corporate residency gave me invaluable Canadian work experience, allowing me to build a professional network and establish myself in a new country. My time at BMO wasn’t just about gaining skills, it was about proving myself and building the confidence to pursue ambitious career goals.”

Looking ahead, Meet is excited to build on the skills and confidence he has gained to continue creating a meaningful impact in his career.