Student Spotlight – Hannah Forsythe

February 5, 2020 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Our student spotlight features a student who has truly set an example for how to make the most out of case competitions.

Hannah Forsythe is a fourth-year commerce student majoring in Marketing Management. Originally from Wolfville, NS., she chose Dalhousie’s business program because of the mandatory co-op component.

Over the past four years, Hannah has participated in numerous case competitions. She was excited to be selected as an external delegate for a case competition hosted by RBC Commercial Banking in January. Hannah was selected to take part in the consulting stream out of applicants from over 15 universities around the world, based on her application, understanding of international business and her desired to learn. The conference included established keynote speakers, such as Sarah Davis, the President of Loblaw Companies Limited, and Sandra Stuart, the President & CEO of HSBC Bank, case simulations about the international insurance industry, office tours of Oliver Wyman, and most prominently, a case competition.

The case competition was focused around the consulting industry on an international scale. As the only student from Dalhousie, Hannah was grouped with students from other universities of different years and case experience.

Hannah decided to begin participating in case competitions because, as she said “Case competitions have helped me apply everything that I learned in the classroom to real-life setting and to improve my communication skills (which was the biggest draw for me).”

When asked about managing a heavy academic workload, Hannah said “Sometimes it has been hard, especially when competitions were external to Dal. I have really had to be organized with my class work and build my priorities out.”

Hannah added that case competitions push her out of her comfort zone to develop soft skills necessary in today’s work environment. “The team-based skills that I learned with different teams have been invaluable, and something I haven’t been able to find in other extra curriculars or class,” she said.

Hannah’s short-term goal is to work in a tech role as a consultant or a data analyst and her long-term goal is to hold a leadership position in the digital/tech space.

Tip of the week from Hannah:

Put yourself out there and get involved as soon as possible! I had no idea what a case competition was when I came to Dalhousie, but the Dalhousie Commerce Society provided the resources to learn and they still do today! The first competition is always the hardest, but once you’re done with that you can go into your next one and understand what’s going on, and you’ll learn!

If you want to be a part of case – competition, join Hannah’s “Ace the Case” workshop on February 28^th at 5:30 pm in room 2068 or join JDCC.

Student Spotlight: Kevin Vigneau

November 5, 2019 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Kevin Vigneau is a fourth-year student from Bradford Ontario. Originally planning to go to university for kinesiology, Kevin found a passion for finance and decided to come to Dalhousie. Here he had the opportunity to explore Nova Scotia from its trails to beaches, as well as the mandatory co-op portion of the Commerce Program.

Two of Kevin’s three co-ops have been with large real estate investment and development firms. Working with the Toronto market, the growth and demand in the industry was eye opening with an added twist of being able to see what you were investing in rather than seeing it as a general financial asset. Over the past summer, Kevin secured his position with CacheFlow through Venture for Canada, a government funded program to connect students with small start-ups for mutual growth. CacheFlow is an organization focusing on creating a smart budgeting tool for organizations that helps match and predict spending patterns as well as understand spending behaviour. Watching the entrepreneurial process and being able to work directly on projects affecting the direction of the firm was a amazing learning opportunity. Kevin recommends this exposure in entrepreneurial realm to any student, especially if you are driven by the fast-paced problem solving. Venture for Canada also has workshops available during your time with them. They offer training that is applicable in the business world as well as networking with businesses across Nova Scotia.

In his final year at Dalhousie Kevin is balancing his school and graduate job hunt as well as being the Commerce Society President. This is a challenge that he recommends to any student, as it provides the ability to work on leadership skills and make a positive impact for fellow students. The balancing of commitments is difficult, but the society works as a team with delegation and team work required to succeed. Through this and an organized schedule, Kevin has been able to successfully balance his obligations while still being able to enjoy his final year.

In this spare time Kevin has been participating in case competitions and summits. In October he participated in the Rumble in the Rowe Case Competition with his team of 4th year Commerce students coming out on top against MBA students and his peers. Kevin got into case competitions as a recommendation from a friends and has continued to pursue them. Kevin says they can get stressful taking on a challenge in such a short amount of time but the skills you develop and experience is worth a little stress. He also displays these competitions prominently on his resume saying they really help show your aptitude to handle high stress situations and problem solving.

After graduation Kevin is looking to explore career options, possibly going back to his co-op roots in real estate investment and development. To follow Kevin’s success’ check out his LinkedIn page here.

To find out more about Venture for Canada click here for their website.

To find out how you can get involved in case competition watch out on the MyCareer calendar as well as the Management Career Services and Commerce Societies news feeds.

Student Spotlight – First Year Case Competition Winners

February 5, 2019 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Our Student Spotlight for this week focuses on the winners of the First Year Case Competition, a team that included Ben Walch, Kate Grondin, Neve Pianarosa and Evan Urquhart. The First Year Case Competition is an annual event hosted by the Dalhousie Commerce Society that takes place in the Rowe building. We caught up with three of the team members, Ben, Kate, and Neve to hear more about their experience in the competition. Each of the group members are from Calgary, Alberta, and were drawn to Dalhousie’s Commerce program because of the mandatory co-op.

What did you learn from the First Year Case Competition?

Ben: I gained valuable case experience by competing. I have heard that many upper-year classes are often case-based, so I will be one step ahead. I also learned how to work as a team from an academic standpoint, as most of the teams I’ve been a part of in the past have been athletic.

Kate: I learned how much information one must evaluate when looking at a case of this size. Because we were given an actual problem PepsiCo was facing, we had to apply all our knowledge from past classes and the outside world to come to a viable solution. This taught me that there can be many alternative solutions when it comes to a problem for a company of this size because many factors come into the decision.

Neve: I learned that dividing the workload between team members and really knowing what you are talking about is the key to success. I also learnt to have confidence in my teammates and trust that they know what they’re talking about.

What skills did you develop through competing in the case competition and how do you see yourself applying those skills in the future?

Ben: I think that I developed better time management and public speaking skills. My time management skills were developed as we needed to find all the important information, create our different solutions, and put it all together in our PowerPoint within a small time frame. Everything we did had to be organized and purposeful. I think that my public speaking skills improved because I had not presented without a script in front of such a large group before. This public speaking experience was significant because I’m now more confident in my skills. I think that both of these skills will be useful on my co-op because I may need to present my work to a large group of people that I don’t really know.

Kate: My communication skills improved immensely. When we were announced as finalists, my stomach dropped, knowing we had to speak in front of all of those people. This was very intimidating at first, but once we got up front I felt confident speaking and answering their questions. Another skill that I improved was my ability to work as a team. We talked openly about ideas and alternative solutions which allowed us to generate our best ideas. In the future, I know that my communication skills and ability to work well in groups will be crucial for my success in the workplace.

Neve: Working on something that I do not know much about and figuring it out along the way is something I most definitely will have to do in the future.

How did your group play to each other’s strengths and work effectively as a team?

Kate: As a team entirely from Calgary, who knew each other prior to Dalhousie, we had an advantage because we had a strong bond to begin with. We divided the work and began tackling points of the case, such as S.W.O.T analysis or Decision Matrix, individually. When one team member was stuck, we would open the problem up to everyone’s perspective, in order to come to a consensus on how to approach said problem. Our biggest strength as a team was trusting one another and listening to everyone’s ideas. It was a true honour to win this award with some of my closest friends.

Has this experience made you want to participate in future case competitions? If so, what would you do differently next time?

Ben: Yes, all of the members in our group had a great time because we all work well together and enjoy solving problems.

Kate: This experience has opened me up to a whole world of Commerce opportunities that I didn’t even know existed. Next year, I plan to join the J.D.C.C. In the future, I would definitely research the company prior to the competition. This is a key asset to a case competition as company values and their mission will be important factors in their decisions and our consensus on the case.

Student Spotlight – Douglas Bowerman

December 11, 2018 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Douglas Bowerman is a 4^th-year Bachelor of Management student who is completing his 8-month internship with Scotiabank as a Marketing and Customer Engagement Analyst. Through hard work and networking, Douglas was the 1st BMgmt Internship student to self-develop an internship opportunity with Scotiabank, although the bank recruits many Commerce & CRMBA students for work terms. If you’re interested to learn what it can be like to develop your own job opportunity, take inspiration from Douglas who seized an opportunity to make a meaningful connection and saw it pay off in big ways.

Douglas says that he was interested in the Internship Program from the beginning of his first year at Dalhousie; recognizing the importance of obtaining work experience while completing his undergraduate degree.

“The Internship Program gave me the freedom to graduate in four years and work for 8 straight months. Additionally, I was excited for a work term more towards the end of my degree. I believe a work term later in an undergraduate degree allows for more practical application of course material and increases the potential of post-graduate employment.”

Dedicating an appropriate amount of time to his job search, while keeping up with the demands of a rigorous course load proved to be one of the biggest challenges he faced while searching for an internship. He was also set on staying in Halifax and wanted to do his internship with a large organization.

“The most difficult part of my job search was finding something local, that aligned with my job preferences. At the time, the majority of marketing related job postings were located out of province. I was pretty firm on staying in Halifax, so that came with some limitations.”

It was through the 2017 Ethics in Action Case Competition in his third year that Douglas found the opportunity he had been looking for. His team placed 3^rd overall and during the gala dinner, he had the unique opportunity to network with Scotiabank executives. Through those conversations, he was encouraged to follow up about a job opportunity at the Atlantic Regional Office.

“Following the meeting, I kept in touch on a monthly basis via email. I was assured there was still interest in hiring an internship student, and that the process was underway. This process took a number of months, but in the end, a job posting was made for a marketing position at one of their regional offices. I applied online and received an offer shortly after.”

Through his internship with Scotiabank Douglas has had the opportunity to be involved with various marketing initiatives. He played an important role in coordinating the Maritime NHL’ers for Kids event in Digby, NS this past summer. Maritime NHL’ers for Kids is a celebrity golf tournament that raises money for families involved in youth hockey programs across the Maritimes. He was tasked with designing Scotiabank-branded socks to provide as part of the participants’ gifts. Douglas says that his team “received great feedback, and the socks were a huge success”.

He was also presented with the opportunity to partake in the United Way Campaign Associate program as a Scotiabank representative. The leadership of his supervisor and the executive team has made his internship a great learning experience because of the focus they put on their employees and on creating an environment that allows them to experience different roles and ultimately thrive personally and professionally.

“The leadership team at Scotiabank makes a conscious effort to create opportunities for deserving employees.”

Douglas says that his advice for students looking to create a self-developed job opportunity is to never underestimate the power of networking.

“A job search can be hard but can pay off if you put in the work. Learn how to market yourself, speak to your skills with conviction and proof and reach out to people in a respectful and professional matter.”

“You can’t get a job you don’t apply for, and you won’t create a job you don’t ask about. This raises the importance of networking and treating every person you meet as a potential employer and an important professional contact. Usually, the best opportunities come about when you least expect it, but they won’t arise without effort and involvement in extracurricular activities or networking opportunities.”

“Ultimately the more effort you put into your job search, the more opportunities you will have to choose from.”

If you want to learn more about the Bachelor of Management Internship program and how you can apply, register to attend our Information Session on Tuesday, January 15^th via myCareer.

Student Spotlight – Qi (Vicky) Chen

November 20, 2018 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Vicky (Qi) Chen is a 3^rd year international Bachelor of Commerce student majoring in Marketing. Vicky is originally from China and came to Canada to study and experience the Canadian workplace culture. She is currently on her second work term with Atlantic Business Interiors and completed her first co-op work term with the Undergraduate Advising Office. Throughout her time in the program, Vicky has gained Canadian workplace experience through her co-op work terms as well as immersed herself in various extracurricular activities. As an international student immersed in an unfamiliar culture, Vicky was able to leverage the transferable skills she gained through her extracurricular activities to boost her professional development.

Although she is kept busy with both academic studies and co-op work terms, Vicky has made time to participate in various student societies. She is currently the International Student Representative for the Dalhousie Commerce Society (DCS). Her position with the DCS has allowed her to work closely with the International Student Success Program (ISSP) to increase international student engagement. One of Vicky’s more recent projects, one which she is quite proud of, was to create a WeChat account for international students to keep them informed of DCS events. Since launching the account, it has attracted more than 170 international student users.

“I work closely with the VP Internal and VP Marketing of the DCS to organize events, create content, and help with language translation. I have hired volunteers, allocated tasks and encouraged volunteers to perform well; I have contacted different organizations about events such as ISSP, the International Centre, and Pier 21; and created marketing posters and flyers in different languages to help international students feel involved. I am very happy that I can help international students get involved on campus.”

Within the past year, Vicky has also participated in two case competitions: the Atlantic Throwdown Case Competition and the International Student Case Competition. During both of those competitions, Vicky chose to take on leadership roles which helped to lead her teams to victory.

“I encouraged the team to discuss the case from different perspectives and fields: marketing, finance, human capital, operations, and international market expansion. We discussed the topics and main issues of the company, practiced the presentation, and improved our ability to think quickly and effectively.”

When asked about how her experiences volunteering with the DCS and participating in case competitions has influenced her professional development, Vicky is quick to note that her academic performance and confidence have increased as a result. She believes that the transferable skills she was able to gain through her participation in these activities ultimately helped her secure two work terms in Canada.

“These experiences enhanced my professional skills such as the written communication skills I use to write emails and posters, the verbal communication skills that I have used to discuss projects in different languages, as well as event planning and organizational skills. The interpersonal skills that I have gained have taught me how to work more efficiently with team members and have given me the confidence to speak out and be more involved.”

Expanding and building her professional skills have ultimately contributed to Vicky’s work term success. The advice Vicky has to share with other international students is to be confident and well prepared.

“Don’t be shy, get out of your comfort zone and get involved in the local community. Getting involved and exposing yourself to different situations increases your comfort and confidence in the workplace.”

Want to learn more about how you can enhance your resume by adding your volunteer experiences and extra-curricular activities? Access the e-learning webinar on ‘How to write a winning resume’ under the Resources section of myCareer.

Alumni Spotlight – Kaitlyn Veitch

October 23, 2018 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

If you’re interested in knowing what it’s like to work in a Supply Chain and Logistics role, keep reading to learn about Kaitlyn Veitch’s unique experience through the BComm program that led her to decide to pursue a career in Supply Chain and Procurement.

Kaitlyn Veitch is an alumna of the BComm Class of 2013 with a major in Marketing. She is currently the Acting Procurement Manager for Irving Shipbuilding. During her time in the program, Kaitlyn explored three separate marketing roles through her co-op work terms. It wasn’t until her 4^th year that she became interested in the Supply Chain sector. Kaitlyn says that she stumbled upon the field of procurement through a case competition that she participated in. She says the case competition opened her mind to other career avenues and opportunities that she didn’t know were available.

“Procurement brings in elements of marketing I love; such as creativity and building strong messaging, along with analytical aspects of finance. I love the balance of analytical and interpersonal skills that Supply Chain/Procurement requires”.

When asked about her biggest learning outcome from the program, Kaitlyn says to view every experience as an opportunity for growth. The challenges she faced throughout her work terms turned out to be the most valuable to grow and learn from as a young professional. Kaitlyn also believes that the nature of the BComm program gave her a significant competitive edge when applying for jobs post-graduation.

“I felt so prepared thanks to the structure of the program and the added value of utilizing the Management Career Services team”.

“The integration of practical work and coursework really allowed me to develop a diverse set of skills. It was of great benefit to see how the classroom work applied in an industry setting. I grew and developed professionally and personally in a way that I never could have without the integrated learning structure that the BComm program offered”.

Kaitlyn says the biggest piece of advice she has to offer to current students is to keep an open mind and to stop worrying about making the wrong choice when it comes to your co-op work experiences.

“The co-op program not only allows you to kick-start your career, but it also allows you to learn about what you enjoy and what skill sets you would like to continue developing once you graduate.”

“Looking back now, I don’t think there was such a thing as a wrong choice for my work terms. Each work term gives you the opportunity to learn and develop while exploring different opportunities. Each work experience is what you make of it”.

If you want to gain more industry-specific advice about either a career in Supply Chain and Logistics, or the other industries related to the various BComm program majors, make sure to attend the Industry Student Panel & Fair on October 30^th. Attend this event to learn tips and tricks to make the most out of your co-op work terms. And for more information on the Supply Chain & Logistics sector, check out our Industry Fact Sheet available on through the resources page in the MCS section of myCareer.

Student Spotlight: Bryce Cross

March 6, 2018 Andrea McKay Leave a Comment

Bryce Cross is a fourth-year Bachelor of Commerce student majoring in Accounting. Bryce has been involved with multiple case competition teams as well as with the Dalhousie Accounting Society. Bryce entered the Institute of Advanced Financial Planners (IAFP) Student Presentation Competition to expand his network and to engage with a professional world that was completely new to him.

When asked about the benefits of competing in case competitions, Bryce was quick to talk about the opportunities that come from participation. He described his newly developed network saying, “Countless doors have been opened for me as a result of the IAFP. Many of their members showed strong interest in having me become a part of their professional organization and/or part of their financial planning practice.”

Bryce discussed the skills that participating in competitions has helped him to develop, including strong speaking skills and building a valuable network. Overall, he noted that gaining a sense of accomplishment has been one of the greatest advantages for him, adding that he will look back on his university career with great satisfaction while many of his friends who didn’t get involved are regretful for not having done so.

“They (case competitions) are vastly more valuable than anything you learn in the classroom. The Rowe School of Business is all about experiential learning so if a student goes to the Rowe and isn’t getting involved, they aren’t really getting all they can out of their education.”

To find out more about case competitions check out the MCS website.

Talent with a Competitive Edge

March 4, 2016 Andrea McKay Leave a Comment

Dalhousie business students continue to strive for new heights beyond the classroom, resulting in fantastic performances at business competitions across the country and across disciplines. Meanwhile, employers such as PepsiCo are getting in on the case competition action – fostering the development of young talent by contributing their sponsorship to the Dalhousie Commerce Society’s First Year Case Competition, which will now be known as the PepsiCo First Year Case Competition. Read more.

Here is a round-up of the most notable recent student achievements:

Jeux de Commerce Central: Academic Gold for Rowe team at JDCC Case Competition

“These students clearly demonstrated this weekend why they are the future leaders of business.”

Queen’s University Sports Industry Conference: Dal Students Knock It Out of the Park at Sports Industry Conference

“Being the campus ambassador, I had a lot of pride in knowing that Dalhousie had such a strong showing. I’m really proud of the people we brought.”

IAFP National Student Competition: a presentation by three Dalhousie Commerce students at last year’s symposium, inspired the Institute of Advanced Financial Planners to create a new competition for students to win the chance to present at the annual event.

Halifax Partnership’s Pitch It Competition: Corporate Residency MBA student Sarah Deveau took home a win in the video pitch category.

The Great Canadian Sales Competition: Commerce student Molly Marcott and Management student Jonathan Gammon have been selected from 1,550 entries to advance to the finals in the competition, taking place later this week at the Google Office in Toronto.

Student Success Stories Demonstrate Dal’s Results-Driven Talent

March 12, 2015 Andrea McKay Leave a Comment

We’re proud to report that this winter our talented Rowe School of Business students have earned podium-level results at case and business skills competitions, and received special recognition for their achievements. Here’s a roundup of the latest and greatest since the start of 2015:

Family Enterprise Case Competition

The Dal team, made up of 4th year BMgmt students Anna Baranowski, Charcy Britten-Boudreau, and Andrew Faircloth came in 2nd place, with Andrew Faircloth picking up the award for Best Undergraduate Presenter. The Rowe School of Business has been competing in the Family Enterprise Case Competition since its inception in 2013 and has improved its performance each year, finishing at fifth place in 2013, third in 2014, and now second in 2015. Read more.

Denver Transportation Clubs Operation Stimulus Case Competition

Dal’s Logistics team won first place thanks to students Lorena Maria Garcia de la Parra, Julia MacKey, Alexander Martin, and Benjamin Quinn. Dal’s team has place in the finals four out of the five years they have attended this competition, coming in 3rd in 2013, and capturing first place in 2014.

The You’re Hired Interview Competition

2015 marked the 10th anniversary for the Interview Competition which invites students from Dal and Saint Mary’s University to compete. This year, 3rd year BMgmt student, Callahan Murphy won first place, and 2nd year BComm international student Pengpeng Jiang, snagged 2nd place. View the Facebook album from the competition finals.

Inter-Collegiate Business Competition

This year’s competition saw Dal’s team, made up of BComm students Stephen Vincelli and Adrian Hutchenson, win 2nd place in the HR category. Hosted by Queens University, ICBC is the oldest and one of the most prestigious competitions in Canada. View full competition results.

JDC Central Case Competition

The team representing the Rowe School of Business brought home a total of 5 podium finishes: two 1st place, one 2nd place and two 3rd place:
1st place – overall charity
1st place – International Business
2nd place – Social Challenges
3rd place – Overall Academic
3rd place – School of the Year

Student Spotlight: Wendi Zhao

February 10, 2015 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Wendi Zhao is a second year Commerce student who is currently doing her first work term at the Undergraduate Advising Office, in the Faculty of Management. Wendi is interested in Accounting and International Business, and hopes to pursue a career in one of these fields. In school, she wants to get involved in more activities to build her network and gain more hands on experience. Recently, Wendi participated in the International Student Case Competition. At the competition Wendi won Best Speaker and her team was recognized for Best Team Spirit.

“I noticed from the ISSP (International Student Success Program) that the International Student Case Competition is available to students in every year, so I took advantage of the opportunity and signed up.

This was my first case competition, and I did not know the process and the rules going into it. I attended the information session, which was led by three senior students. They shared their experiences when doing case competitions, and they gave us their advice and tips on how to do the presentation and manage our time.

The most important skills I learned from the Case Competition were critical thinking and analytical skills. It was a great opportunity to put the theories I learned in class into practice and it helped to strengthen my teamwork skills.

My first work term helped me with this competition. The case problem we had to present on was, ‘what should the company should do to gain more attention?’ I gave suggestions to the company based on what I learned from my work term. Working in Canada helps me enhance my oral communication skills, which is essential in competition.

I believe all international students should try to get involved in case competitions. It may be intimidating for some international students to participate in opportunities like the International Student Case Competition, as English is their second language, and first one is always difficult. I felt nervous when I signed up but now I feel more confident about myself and am excited to participate in more events in the future. These opportunities not only help international students gain confidence but also help them to build their network. Solving an actual problem by using the theories they learned in class will make them more prepared for their work terms.”

Category: #WorkTermPride