This blog was written by Kimberly Nicolasora

Graduating is always the icing on the cake when it comes to education. It is that moment when you finally close the chapter to one part of your educational story. However, with graduation comes the start of a new adventure. This new stage comes with new responsibilities, new adjustments, a new environment and certainly a new life. 

We sat down with Hannah Brown, an Accounting and Co-op student graduating this fall semester. She shares snippets of her undergraduate experience and final thoughts as she moves on from the Asper School of Business and onto the start of her professional career. 

“I have met so many amazing people, and I think the people really make your university experience so much more valuable. You can learn from them in ways that can’t be taught. I have loved being part of some of Asper’s biggest events as well; it really creates a sense of pride in your school when you play a role in putting on these events. University has taught me a lot about myself as well, I’ve learned to take a risk occasionally, and I’ve seen my confidence in my own abilities grow exponentially. 

The Covid lockdown and shift to online learning was a challenge for me, as I am sure many other students can relate to. After having my first two years on campus, it felt very odd to be doing all my classes from home suddenly, and I still wanted to be involved in university activities. I decided to apply to a couple of different committees during this time and was able to help plan some great events, including Business Banquet 55 and Professional Development, this really helped me still feel connected to the student community.

I also come from an incredibly rural area, and moving away was a huge adjustment, as I’m sure many students can relate. It took some time to get my feet under me and adjust, but I found that putting myself out there and embracing new experiences really helped me succeed.

I do wish I had tried more in my first two years to get involved. Things like the First Year Rep or some of the other committees are great opportunities that I passed on as I felt I didn’t have the experience for the positions. I realized later that these committees are the perfect place to learn and gain the experience I felt I was missing since there was a great deal of support from the other students involved, and people are always willing to help.” 

Joining these extracurricular groups became a comforting place to connect with other students for Hannah. Whether they are positions on committees or STAGS, volunteering, or simply attending events, “stepping out of your comfort zone” allows you to meet so many new people and gain experience that can be transferred over to many other areas in your life. 

And as lasting advice, Hannah tells students to keep in mind that “the first few years can be difficult to adjust to a higher level of learning while figuring out a balance between school and life, but remember to take a break for yourself sometimes, even if it is short. And for new grads like myself, don’t be afraid to take a risk, even if it is small. Call the company you have your sights on, ask to be a part of that project, take the first step and know you have the drive to succeed at whatever you set your mind to.”

The Asper School of Business is a great school to be a part of, with wonderful support from the Greater Manitoba Business Community. As everyone’s time in undergrad eventually ends, it’s best to reflect on your time in university and celebrate your successes. University flies by fast, with many small and big successes you should celebrate. So, make a point of enjoying your time. Take every opportunity at Asper in every sense—say yes to as many social invites, career events and departmental jobs as possible. Your university experience is personal to you; make it your own, enjoy the ride, and remember all the success you have achieved along the way!

Professional Events Recap

As we are near the end of the fall semester, November experienced two major professional events at the Asper School of Business. Let’s take a look and reflect with some of the planning co-chairs on their experiences hosting their respective events. 

Within the first week of November, Business Banquet, the CSA’s flagship event, returned to the RBC Convention Centre for the second time post-lockdown, hosted at its original time of year midway through the fall semester. 

Pauline Mariano, the Business Banquet 56 Co-chair alongside Kristen Boychuk, shares that “planning Business Banquet comes with great responsibility and a lot of pressure. It’s one of the big events that the CSA plans for the Asper School and Manitoba business community. In terms of planning it, it went very smoothly from the beginning. We knew our goals for BB56 and strived to make those goals come true. All of our committee members showed their commitment, and they are a big part of why it went smoothly. 

The theme ‘Evolve’ really showed throughout planning Business Banquet. We saw ourselves and our committee members grow into the best versions of themselves to execute our vision for BB56. Everyone’s hard work truly paid off!”

With this year’s banquet theme of Evolve, the keynote speaker, Ashley Smith, the HR Manager at Ubisoft Winnipeg, showcases her ongoing journey of evolving every day. Some take a more direct route, and others have a more winding path. Nevertheless, as everyone participates in different stages in their lives, everyone engages in evolution every day. 

On a personal note, Business Banquet has been one of my favourite events at the Asper School. It was the first networking event I attended, and each year it became a milestone where I am currently in my undergraduate year. I can’t help but allude to the theme of evolution to self-acknowledgement. To evolve, you must acknowledge your efforts, your good intentions, your value, and yourself that carried you forward to today. It’s striking a balance between self-love and self-improvement, acknowledging your worth, and finding the internal drive to make positive changes.

And to speak of balance, we can easily transition to reflecting on Asper’s second major professional event of the month, the National Business School Conference (NBSC). Hosted a week after Business Banquet, the NBSC Committee was hard at work throughout reading week to welcome Business School Association (BSA) Executives, Jeux du Commerce (JDC) West Captains, and Canadian Association of Business Students (CABS) Executives to Winnipeg. 

Madeline Boonstra and Shaelynn Su, the National Business School Conference 30 Co-chairs, communicate their thoughts and feelings throughout the event’s planning. Maddie shares that “NBSC was an extremely rewarding and challenging experience. Seeing our months of hard work come to life was great. Planning the conference was truly tons of fun! It was stressful at times, so I am very grateful to have had such an amazing committee, Co-chair and VP through the whole experience.” And, Shaelynn adds that “planning NBSC and being on the organizing committee can be summed up with the word memorable. It’s really difficult planning a 3-day conference when you have to account for all the little details and hours of the day, especially since some of my committee had never been before, but it feels surreal once it’s over. Also, you get to try your hand at different genres of event planning within one big conference, which is such a rare opportunity; professional workshops and keynotes to networking events to evening/social activities and anything else you want to throw in the mix.”

With the Conference’s personal theme of Balance, the NBSC committee was able to provide delegates from across Canada a warm Winnipeg welcome despite the early snowfall in the week. Student leaders came together to share their insights on work-life balance, and ways to avoid burnout in this fast-paced “hustle culture.” 

Christina Compton, the President of the University of Victoria Commerce Students’​ Society, states how attending NBSC as a BSA Executive last year essentially propelled her run for her student association’s presidency. This event was a reminder of how much she has grown in the past year throughout her term and with her team. The event became a space for student leaders to make time for themselves, which is critical for our mental and physical well-being. She further says, “this trip was beneficial to unwind, bond with the team, and network with student leaders from all across the country. I gained a lot of insight and inspiration, and I look forward to applying new initiatives with my department in the upcoming semester.” 

And with many notable speakers, the Conference closes with Robb Ritchie and Shreeraj Patel and their fishbowl-style conversation, where they invite the audience to come and go throughout the conversation to share their thoughts. Again, this allowed student leaders to get out of their comfort zone and speak in a public space with no preparation but rather freely participate in the conversation. 

The National Business School Conference continues to become a space for student leaders to connect, learn from industry professionals and peers, and overall relax and bond with their respective team members. Winnipeg may not be on everyone’s bucket list location, but it certainly became a memorable place for these business students.