This week was covered by Sophia Kircher on the @GoodmanSpirit Instagram account
BBA student Sophia Kircher covered this week on Instagram. Sophia is studying at the Goodman School of Business this year on an international exchange from the Innsbruck School of Management in Austria.
Each week a different student takes over the @GoodmanSpirit account on Instagram to show what they are up to and what #GoodmanSpirit means to them during that week.
This week was covered by Alyssa Waldes on the @GoodmanSpirit Instagram account
BBA student Alyssa Waldes covered this week on Instagram. Alyssa is the president of the Brock Human Resource Management Association (HRMA) at the Goodman School of Business and a Goodman JDCC delegate.
Each week a different student takes over the @GoodmanSpirit account on Instagram to show what they are up to and what #GoodmanSpirit means to them during that week.
This week was covered by Jennifer Philpott on the @GoodmanSpirit Instagram account
BBA student Jennifer Philpott covered this week on Instagram as she started into a new semester at NEOMA Business School in France on her international exchange.
See Jennifer’s week on Storify!
Each week a different student takes over the @GoodmanSpirit account on Instagram to show what they are up to and what #GoodmanSpirit means to them during that week.
This week was covered by Brenda Scott on the @GoodmanSpirit account on Instagram
Goodman BBA Dual Degree student Brenda Scott covered this week on Instagram and showed us what the week looked like as she started a new semester at the EBS Business School in Germany.
Each week a different student takes over the @GoodmanSpirit account on Instagram to show what they are up to and what #GoodmanSpirit means to them during that week.
The second week of school was covered by Olivia Poulin on the @GoodmanSpirit account on Instagram
First year BBA student Olivia Poulin covered the second week of the school year and showed us what the week looked like as she started into classes and participated in #GoodmanSpirit Week.
Each week a different student takes over the @GoodmanSpirit account on Instagram to show what they are up to and what #GoodmanSpirit means to them during that week.
The first week of the school year was covered by Allison McConnell on the brand new @GoodmanSpirit account on Instagram
The new school year marks the beginning of a new initiative: Instagram Takeovers. Each week a different student will take over the @GoodmanSpirit account on Instagram to show what they are up to and what #GoodmanSpirit means to them during that week.
BAcc Co-op student and BSA Orientation Week Coordinator Allison McConnell covered the first week of the school year and showed us the behind-the-scenes story of orientation week planning.
How can you describe Goodman BAcc co-op student Neal Sengupta? Globe-trotting adventurer? Student leader? Multi-lingual future accountant? How about all of the above? Neal was recently awarded the Export Development Canada International Business Scholarship in recognition for his accomplishments in the field of international business. Neal shares some of his global highlights (so far) of his undergrad experience at Goodman.
What sparked your interest in international business?
The notion of working abroad was introduced to me when I was about 6 or 7 years old. My dad told me about “working holidays”, which he described as travelling while earning subsistence funds by doing temporary jobs such as stacking cans at supermarkets.
The thought replayed itself in my mind over the years, and it felt like a dream when I boarded a Dusseldorf-bound plane in 2012. Thankfully, I landed an accounting internship at Henkel – no can stacking involved! I was, however, able to use my monthly stipends to backpack throughout Europe on weekends and holidays.
I had a memorable time in Germany; I learned not only about local business practices, but also about how fun it is to work in cross-cultural settings. My experiences in Germany solidified my desire to pursue an international career, and I would encourage all Goodman students to do a work term (or three!) abroad.
Why did you decide to study accounting instead of international business?
As a major, accounting stood out to me because it requires a great deal of quantitative analysis and problem-solving. I did, however, flop-flop between majoring in accounting and international business.
When I was in Germany, one of my co-interns from France did an exchange at the European Business School (the institution that hosts the other half of Goodman’s Dual Degree program). He raved about how amazing the school was. I took the train to EBS the next weekend and fell in love instantly. I contacted Goodman and switched into the Dual Degree program. Twenty-four hours later, I got cold feet and switched back to BAcc because I’m a numbers nerd at heart!
Thankfully, accounting can be an international field since the CPA designation is recognized abroad. I hope to use my CPA as a door to opportunities around the world.
You got to speak to the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium when you participated in the 2012 World Youth Forum for Ethics in Business. What was that like?
Speaking at the European Parliament was the most surreal experience in my life – and I am forever thankful that Goodman selected me to attend WYFEB. At WYFEB, we participated in many different workshops which centered on the Forum´s mandate of encouraging companies to build and sustain ethical business practices.
Apart from these workshops, we were broken into three groups: a group tasked to film a video documenting our experiences at the Forum, a group tasked to write an action plan for future WYFEB attendees to follow, and a group tasked to write and deliver a speech to be presented at the World Forum for Ethics in Business (WFEB) at the European Parliament in Brussels.
Naturally, I wanted to have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of speaking at the European Parliament! Four other people and I ended up in the “Speech Group.” Given the nature of the event, we were assigned to talk about business ethics. The team itself was cross-cultural, so it was interesting to work with people who came from different parts of the world.
While reciting my part of the speech, I saw political figures in the crowd (current Members of European Parliament and former Prime Ministers of European countries, among others) and they attentively listened to what I had to say. The whole experience instilled a great deal of confidence in me.
What has been your favourite Goodman experience?
My favourite Goodman experience was attending the 2012 National Business School Conference (NBSC) in Winnipeg as the BSA’s Vice-President of Financial Affairs along with the other BSA executives. The “Faculty of Business” had just been renamed to the “Goodman School of Business” two weeks prior to us departing, so it was an honour to be among the first people to represent the brand new Goodman School. Nonetheless, Goodman has provided me with a plethora of amazing opportunities, and it was difficult to pick just one!
What is coming up for you next?
Currently, I am studying Spanish in Valladolid, Spain. Learning Spanish in Valladolid is great because the local Spanish accent is renowned for its purity and the inhabitants are incredibly warm (which fosters a great learning atmosphere both in the classroom and in the city). The Fundación de la Lengua Española, with whom I am learning Spanish, generously awards numerous scholarships for their 2-week courses to people of all ages from around the world. After my course, I will depart for Tallinn, Estonia to do a 4-week work exchange.
During this trip to Spain, I have visited two cities whose Old Towns have been designated as UNESCO Heritage Sites (Toledo and Avila) as well as the famous Prado Museum in Madrid.
In Tallinn, I will be working at the Feel Good Hostel. As a backpacker, I hope to use my past hostel experiences to ensure that backpackers to Estonia enjoy themselves. I visited Tallinn for a few hours in transit from Riga to Helsinki, so it will great to go back.
Apart from other places in Spain and Estonia, I also have plans to travel to Russia, Finland, Sweden, Germany (of course!) and Iceland while I am on this side of the pond.
I will return to Goodman in September, where I have a few more semesters to go before graduating. As I have alluded to, I wish to pursue my CPA and use my designation as a door to international opportunities! Perhaps being a Canadian Consul General or Ambassador is not out of the question?
Think the MBA is the only option for graduate studies in business? Think again. It's time to start exploring the MSc in Management, the research-based program that has been getting rave reviews from the academic community for it's ability to prepare scholars for management PhD programs. Abeeda Pooja is an MSc in Management student in organization studies.
Why did you decide to study for your MSc in Management?
I had always wanted an academic career, and so I have always had PhD as my ultimate target. Having completed a Bachelor in Business Administration, I realized that the MSc in Management program would be a great way to improve my conceptual as well as research-based knowledge in the field of my interest. Since the program prepares students for doctoral studies, it requires students to work under the guidance of thesis supervisors to complete a thesis that is generally of publishable quality. The opportunity of such a hands-on experience was the biggest reason behind my decision.
What’s different about getting a research-based graduate degree versus course-based degrees?
Research-based programs, rather than course-based programs, are better for academic careers and consultancy. With such programs, students who are passionate about ‘specializing’ in one particular area get the perfect learning platform and can also contribute to further development in the field. It was great for me also because after completing the required coursework, I got to focus all my time on developing my thesis.
You recently successfully defended your thesis, “Job Demands and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Roles of Organizational Commitment and Social Interaction.” Can you tell us more about your research?
In my thesis, I proposed that the effect of employees’ perceptions of job demands constricts their propensity to engage in Organizational Citizenship Behavior (a prosocial employee behavior that stems from employees’ feelings of reciprocation), and this happens due to a lack of organizational. This was true particularly in case of two of the three job demands I used, i.e., when employees experienced interpersonal conflict with colleagues and when they were dissatisfied with the current organizational situation. However, I also find that the presence of strong social interactions helps employees cope with the stress that comes with job demands, acting as a buffer against reduced organizational commitment toward the organization and thus against their reluctance to contribute to their organization’s well-being.
This past year, you competed in the preliminary round of the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. What is the 3MT? How does the competition work?
I see the 3MT competition as a platform for graduate students to showcase their research projects to a non-specialist audience. I found it very challenging because the main idea of the competition was to summarize the significance and breadth of my entire thesis into a three-minute talk. It definitely helps the students’ communication and presentation skills.
You graduated from the MSc program this past June. What’s next?
PhD, of course. I have always enjoyed teaching, and I know I will enjoy picking it up after my doctoral studies.
For Goodman students, the summer months aren't synonymous with relaxation. A number of business students are still writing papers for classes or building connections at their co-op jobs. Others, like Aqib Zia, who is entering into the fourth year of his Bachelor of Business Administration program, are spending the summer getting ready to welcome back students to a jam-packed year full of events, competitions and spirit. Aqib is the president of the Business Students' Association (BSA), the student group that represents all undergraduate business students and is the umbrella organization for all undergraduate Goodman student clubs. He'll be at the helm of the BSA for the second time this year.
Congratulations on being a two-term BSA president. Why did you decide to run for a second term as BSA president?
This is my third year being involved with the BSA and over the course of the three years, the experiences that I have gained from the BSA have been an influential part of my Goodman experience. Once you get involved with the BSA or any of our Goodman student clubs, it’s hard to stop!
This past year was a really big year for the BSA, we made a lot of changes to improve the services and events we put on for our students. Coming back for a second term would ensure that all these changes are being followed through and that we can take what we learnt this year and improve on our successes for next year.
Can you tell us what a “day in the life” of a BSA president is like?
Every day is different and that’s something I love about the BSA. As president, I have the opportunity to be thrown into a multitude of different situations and that has really helped me develop a lot of core skills that I will use throughout my life. Typically in a day I attend classes; being a student leader, the STUDENT part will always come first so I need to ensure that I am attending classes. Another large chunk of my time during the day goes to meetings with my executive team or our many stakeholders. This includes stakeholders such as the faculty, student groups, BSA’s across Canada, and other organizations. Apart from school and the BSA, I also work for the Goodman Career Development Office. Every student can relate when I say that you always need some money throughout university. Lastly, I try to attend as many events that the Goodman student clubs host. The BSA and the clubs put on over 100 events in a year, I try my best to go to as many events to support all the great initiatives that our students put on.
What’s your advice for school/work/life balance?
To be honest that’s a hard question to answer. For me I’m still developing my own system for the perfect balance. With classes, work, BSA, at times it does get very difficult to manage everything on my plate. The best piece of advice I can give about balance is to understand your limit so you don’t get overwhelmed with everything. Start with a few things that you are really passionate about, organize your time so you achieve them to best of your capability and go from there. Lastly, take some time every week to relax.
What has been the highlight of your Goodman experience so far?
There have been multiple things that I’ve been a part of throughout the year that have been highlights to my year. If I had to rank my top 5 Goodman Experiences it would be:
All these experiences were a few of the highlights of an amazing year!
How do you show your #GoodmanSpirit?
By living the dream. I try my best to have a positive, work hard play hard attitude towards whatever I do. Whether it’s representing Goodman at conferences and competitions all across Canada in front of dozens of business schools all across Canada or just a typical school day. As cliché as it sounds, every day is a new day with an endless amount of opportunities, you never know who you will meet, what you will do or get involved with but it may just change your life.
What's it like to participate in the world's largest trading competition? Five Goodman students attended the Rotman International Trading Competition (RITC) in February 2014 where they spent three days trading in a situation that closely mimics the different aspects of real world markets. We connected with graduate students Ghazanfar Qureshi (MBA) and Tunji Adeniran (MAcc) to learn more about this fast-paced competition. The pair attended the competition with classmate Kshitij Verma (MBA), Tashfin Bashar (MBA) and BBA Finance students Johnathan Holland and Timothy Adams.
The Rotman competition included six different cases. What were the six cases?
Tunji: The cases are: Option Trading, Quantitative Outcry, Sales Trading, Algorithm, BP Commodities, and CIBC Yield Curve.
Goodman placed third in the individual sub heat for the Options Trading case. Why do you think the Goodman team is so strong in options trading?
Ghazanfar: When we first started the options trading case, we needed someone with past experience. I have had trading experience since my days in college. I knew certain strategies from attending RITC last year as well so my insight on placing limits at the right time and how and when to execute them really helped.
What was your favourite part of the competition?
Ghazanfar: I think the opportunity to engage with others while working in a team environment was the best part of the competition. Working with unique individuals I can relate to and call my fellow Goodman team members gave me a sense of pride to uphold at the competition.
Tunji: My favourite parts are the quantitative outcry and option trading as it gave us the opportunity to witness the traditional method of trading before the advent of electronic trading.
Are you planning on a career in finance? If so, how will your participation in Rotman help you in your future career?
Ghazanfar: I am planning a career in finance and the RITC will help me put the different cases into perspective of real life scenarios. I now know better how to go about choosing a career in finance.
Tunji: Yes, (I agree). I am planning to have a career as Investment Banker or Portfolio Manager.
Any tips for next year’s Rotman team?
Tunji: Practice and (plan your) strategy!
Ghazanfar: You can never know too much about trading and your professors and colleagues are there to help you further understand the RITC platform and cases.
