Last week's @GoodmanSpirit Instagram Takeover was covered by Melissa Trapani, BBA student and social media ambassador
Melissa Trapani, third year BBA student and social media ambassador, shows her week through the @GoodmanSpirit Instagram account.
See a recap of Melissa’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.
Posted by: Neal Sengupta
Goodman School of Business Dean Don Cyr with BGS student Neal Sengupta
With its AACSB accreditation, the Goodman School of Business ranks among the top 5% of business schools in the world. As a result of this high educational standard, Goodman earns the right to instate its brightest academic performers into the Beta Gamma Sigma International Honor Society (BGS). Induction ceremonies occur twice per year and coincide with convocation.
I had the pleasure of attending the latest Spring ceremony, which was held on Thursday, June 11th. In total, 18 undergraduate students and 62 graduate students accepted their invitation into Beta Gamma Sigma. This semester’s event additionally inducted two faculty members: Drs. Dipanjan Chatterjee and Eric Dolansky.
Also inaugurated was the Spring 2015 Chapter Honoree, Mr. Edward Werner. Apart from being a corporate lawyer, Mr. Werner is a St. Catharines native. You may know him better as one of the co-founders of Trivial Pursuit – a board game available in almost 20 languages with estimated sales of $2 billion.
Before accepting his certificate and Key, Mr. Werner gave an inspiring speech about never losing your guard even when you think you have achieved success. He referenced a $300 million lawsuit against the inventors of Trivial Pursuit (which was eventually unsuccessful).
All in all, the attendees had a fantastic time! As someone near the tail-end of my undergraduate degree, it provided a great push to finish my degree with gusto. Special thanks go out to Goodman staff members Michelle Leece and Alyssa Freeman for organizing the fantastic induction ceremony.
Neal is a Goodman Social Media Ambassador and is in his final year of the BAcc program at the Goodman School of Business.
Last week's @GoodmanSpirit Instagram Takeover was covered by Marie Veloce, who graduated from the BBA program this week!
Marie Veloce went from a BBA co-op student to a Goodman School of Business alumna this week during Thursday’s convocation ceremony.
See a recap of Marie’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.
Posted by: Joe Ross
After a brutally tough school year, I found that I suddenly had a huge surplus of time on my hands with summer break. With so much extra time, it became of perilous importance for me to find something productive to do with my summer. Should I take a spring course? Should I take dancing lessons? Should I get a second part-time job? The options were endless! Enter: the Graduate Business Council. Their partnership with the Brock Golf Course is set up for all Goodman students, undergrad and grad, to enjoy. For only $18 their Friday weekly golf sessions give students a free one hour golf lesson, a big bucket of balls to hit at the driving range, 18 holes of golf, and a free hot dog to top it all off! Given the vast time consuming nature of golf, it is the absolute perfect program for me to constructively spend my spare time in this summer!
Register here for GBC Golf Days.
Joe is a second year BAcc student at the Goodman School of Business and is a Goodman Social Media Ambassador.
This week's Instagram Takeover was covered by BAcc student Neal Sengupta
Neal Sengupta is in his final year of the BAcc program and is also the VP Internal for the Accounting Students’ Association (ASA) and a Goodman Social Media Ambassador.
See a recap of Neal’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.
First year student Jacob Sackett represented the Goodman School of Business at DECA ICDC and placed in the top ten in the Hotel and Lodging category
Jacob Sackett just finished his first year at the Goodman School of Business and has already been involved in several students clubs and had the opportunity to travel to Orlando, Florida to compete at the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC), where he was very successful in the Hotel and Lodging category.
Congratulations on your success at DECA ICDC! Tell us a little bit about how ICDC works and what your experience was like.
Thank you! As a first year student, I didn’t expect to compete at internationals so I was really happy to just get a chance to go and the hardware was just an added bonus. ICDC runs similarly to how provincials run but with some alterations. The case prep is 30 minutes instead of 15 and the presentation is 15 instead of 10. Not to mention that you have to finalize in order to move onto the second case. As for my experience, it was great! I had such a fun time. The difference in how it runs gave us an advantage I think. The cases are the same length as those at provincials so it gave us more time to refine our ideas. But it wasn’t all about the case – there were fun times too, like our trip to Disney! I would strongly advise everyone to try out DECA at least once.
You competed in the Hotel and Lodging category at ICDC – what attracted you to this category?
At provincials, I competed in the travel marketing event, and since the events differ slightly between collegiate DECA and DECA Ontario, I thought this would be an interesting event to do that was similar to one I previously competed in. The first case was about handling complaints, whereas the second was marketing-based which is what I was expecting. It gave me a chance to think about something I never would have otherwise. This is what attracts me to events like DECA; as an accounting student, it’s mostly what I learn. With DECA, I can branch out into different areas, learn new things and just round myself out. It’s the same thing that attracted me to BUMA.
You are finishing up your first year at Goodman and you have already been involved with several clubs – BUMA, BSA, ASA and DECA – what advice do you have for incoming first year students who are considering getting involved in extra-curricular activities or student clubs?
I’ll take a page from Nike’s book here: “just do it”. I knew I was going to get involved in maybe one thing in my first year. I did not expect to be involved in so many clubs to the point where I’ve become known with some of the executives and they would approach me for volunteer opportunities and such.
Perhaps the biggest piece of advice I can give incoming students is not to be afraid. It’s scary joining these new clubs not knowing anyone. But all these clubs are super friendly and everyone welcomes you with open arms. If you keep with them they become your little fam jam. If you are a little shy to go at it alone, grab a friend. If it weren’t for a friend or two I wouldn’t have been as involved. Also, step out of your comfort zone. Go do things that aren’t necessarily related to your major. I’m an accounting kid serving on the executive for the marketing association now. By doing things like this you just round out yourself and learn a bunch of new things.
Who has been your strongest mentor at the Goodman School of Business?
It’s hard to pick just one person for this. There have been so many people who have talked to me, let me pick their brains or who encouraged me to do things. I think a few of the biggest ones would be Jill Windeatt who showed me an opportunity for the BSA and coached me through that which lead to all my involvement. To the BSA executive board who help show me what I can do and the various opportunities that are presented to me. And one last shout out to Sultana Naimi who was my voice of reason by the end of things and being there to talk things out with what I wanted to do next year.
What was the most important lesson you learned during your first year at Goodman?
This one is super simple: FOMO (fear of missing out) is a thing and how to say NO. Countless people have helped me with this lesson throughout the year: “two terms” Aqib, Najlaa, Sultana, and pretty much every upper year student I met and am friends with.
I think for any individual who gets involved, heed this warning. I wish I had slowed down a bit as second semester was really busy. But with everyone’s help, by the end of the year, I was able to say no and only apply for one position and not four. This is something that I plan on working on through the coming years. Because say no is actually hard.
This week's @GoodmanSpirit Instagram Takeover was covered by BAcc students Katelyn Hall
Katelyn Hall is a fourth year BAcc student and is also a co-chair for the Brock University Accounting Conference (BUAC).
See a recap of Katelyn’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.
BBA student Laikin Beresford was a social media ambassador at the Goodman School of Business last year.
This past year, you were a Social Media Ambassador for the Goodman School of Business. Tell us a bit more about this opportunity – what was involved?
I was approached last summer regarding the Social Media Ambassador position as a result of my already strong social media presence and promotion of the Goodman School of Business. This position required promotion of Goodman School of Business events, as well as #GoodmanSpirit. Part of my duties were to go to events held by the various Goodman clubs and live-tweet. We also covered events such as Table Talks, Orientation Week, and the “How to Get a Job In….” series, just to name a few. This year we had four Social Media Ambassadors which meant that we were able to schedule at least one Ambassador to be at each event throughout the year.
What has been the best part about being a Goodman Social Media Ambassador?
The best part about being a Goodman Social Media Ambassador would have to be the number of connections that I have been able to make. As an Ambassador, I have the opportunity to network with all of the Goodman clubs and attend many different kinds of events. The importance of connections has become so evident in my university career that I am thankful that I have had this opportunity to make these connections that not only help me now, but also with finding a career in the future.
Who has been your strongest mentor at the Goodman School of Business?
My strongest mentor would have to be my best friend, Cody. Cody is a fourth year BBA Co-op student, meaning that he is two years ahead of me in his studies. From my first day at Brock, he was able to make the transition easier and was able to help me with numerous assignments throughout the year. We all know that school can be extremely stressful and I am very thankful that I have had him to guide me through the good times and bad. I would highly recommend having a friend in an upper year of the same program as you, as they have been through what you are going through and they can offer some great advice. I would like to say a huge thank you to Cody for everything that he has done for me in my past two years at the Goodman School of Business.
Why is it important for students to maintain a professional image on social media?
Maintaining a professional image on social media is becoming one of the most important thing a student can do. It’s no secret that employers are looking at your profile when they determine that you are a candidate for their company. Social media has emerged immensely in the last five years, to the point where you can now apply for jobs using your Facebook profile. If a student fails to maintain a professional image, they are hurting themselves and likely missing out on many opportunities because the photos from the bar last night ended up on Facebook. Social media is a great way to stay connected and communicate with one another, but be aware of what you are posting online.
What are your plans for the summer?
This summer I will be working as an Engineering Student at IMT Corporation. The office that I am working out of is located in Ingersoll, Ontario. IMT has three divisions which include the Integrated Manufacturing group, the Transportation group, and the Defense group. I am working for the Transportation group doing administrative tasks and data entry. I am super excited about the opportunity to work for this company and the possibilities for the future!! I’m also looking forward to checking out Ripley’s Aquarium and catching a few Blue Jays games! I hope you all have an amazing summer and I wish you all luck with your summer positions (or studies if you’re taking classes)!!
This week's @GoodmanSpirit Instagram Takeover is covered by Junior Career Associate Mikayla Zolis
Mikayla Zolis just finished up her first year in the BBA Co-op program and is spending her summer working full-time in the Goodman Career Development Office as a Junior Career Associate. She will continue the position on a part-time basis throughout the 2015-16 academic year.
Follow Mikayla’s week on Instagram!
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.
Cate Talaue (left) was saved from choking thanks to the quick actions of Goodman School of Business student Melissa Trapani (right)
You have likely read about the life-saving actions of Goodman School of Business student Melissa Trapani in Brock News and in the St. Catharines Standard. With her quick thinking and lifeguard training, she was able to rescue fellow student Cate Talaue in an emergency incident last month. Melissa talks about the experience in our “Five Questions With…” series.
When did you get trained on the Heimlich manoeuvre?
I have been in swimming lessons my whole life and starting at around age 7, the class was taught the basics of life saving. Since I continued swimming lessons, and all the life-saving programs, I managed to become a lifeguard as soon as I turned 16 (the minimum age to become a lifeguard). I did most of my initial qualifications at the YMCA in St. Catharines and worked there for one year in 2010. I now re-cert all my qualifications at Brock University.
Near the end of 2010 my mom found a job fair at Great Wolf Lodge. I had never been there before so I was a bit nervous to go from such a small pool at the YMCA to a whole water park. The staff and I clicked immediately and I continued to work there for 4 years. Great Wolf Lodge really pushed every month for the employees to review their skills, ask any questions, and practice. I guess you can say the saying “practice makes perfect” really does stand true in this case. Last September I left Great Wolf Lodge in order to pursue teaching swimming lessons for the City of St. Catharines at the Kiwanis Center. It truly is a change in pace as I am now teaching, life guarding, and being a deck guard. We rotate every 15 minutes which helps the time go by a lot faster! We also have monthly training, just like Great Wolf Lodge, which really grinds the information and skills into our minds.
What was going through your mind when you rushed to help Cate?
When I first heard Cate cough, I didn’t think anything of it. Once I saw her and her friend stand up I figured I would stand up and start walking towards her just to be safe. I thought more people would try to jump in to help, since she was clearly in distress, but apparently everyone just stared. Once I was about one step away from her, the sound stopped – which proved that she had an obstructed airway. I kept thinking “please, just keep coughing” on my way over to her, but once the sound stopped and she did the international sign of choking (two hands around her neck, shaking her head) I knew it was time to step in.
The two main things going through my mind while doing the back blows and Heimlich manoeuvre was “get this girl to breathe again” and “don’t call the ambulance”. I kept thinking “don’t call the ambulance” since standard procedure for coughing states that you do not call 911 until the person in distress goes unconscious. I can honestly say that all the practice and programs that I took throughout the years really paid off with Cate.
Even people who have been trained may hesitate to take action sometimes in an emergency situation – what advice can you offer to these people?
Don’t get me wrong, my adrenaline was pumping like crazy, but it was a matter of taking a deep breath and just doing it. I never thought I would be in a position where I would actually have to put my skills to work, but you never know what situation you will be put in. I have always had a routine of taking a deep breath before doing something stressful, like an exam or a sports competition, and for some reason it just felt natural to take a deep breath before going into the back blows. Great Wolf Lodge made it clear when I was there that “if you mess up the first time, you can correct it the second time.” Joe Veltman, an ex-manager of Great Wolf Lodge would always tell me this and it stuck to me throughout the process of helping Cate.
Ultimately, someone has to take the initiative when it comes to a lifesaving situation… and if you know how to help someone, why not do it. In my case, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and knew she needed help. My advice to those who may hesitate is to take a deep breath and don’t be afraid to help, you may need it someday.
What can people who have not been trained on life-saving techniques do in an emergency situation to play a helpful role?
If someone is not trained in first aid, CPR, or any life-saving practices, they can always help the friends, or relatives of the person in distress. In the situation that took place with Cate, her friend was sitting at the table with her when it happened. I’m not too sure what he was doing, or how he was feeling, but it would have been nice if someone could tell the friend that everything would be okay and ask him questions about Cate. If Cate were to have gone unconscious (thank goodness she didn’t) all information about her would have had to been known, and the sooner the information is received, the better assessment can be done by the life-saver in what action should be done next.
What has been your most memorable moment at the Goodman School of Business so far?
I am a third year business administration student and up until this year, I didn’t participate in any clubs, sports, or any other extracurricular activities. Although rescuing Cate will always be something that I will look back at, doing 5 Days for the Homeless made the largest impact in my university experience (so far). A lot of people have recognized me for saving Cate’s life, but I think of it as something that I was obligated to do – I was in the right place at the right time, and I’m very happy that I was there to help her… but Five Days for the Homeless has been the most memorable so far since I learned so much from this campaign and had the opportunity to meet and become friends with so many people. I will be doing it again next year and hopefully raise even more awareness for youth homelessness.
