Unlike many of his fellow classmates, Sept. 3 wasn’t the first time Justin Gravestock walked into a university-level business classroom.
Nor was O-Week the first time the new Bachelor of Business Administration student got introduced to the world of student clubs and case competitions.
That’s because Gravestock’s first day at the Goodman School of Business was actually last November when, as a high school student, he spent a day on campus at the annual “Day in the Life of a Goodman Student”.
The full day of meet and greets, business competitions and campus tours paved the way for an easy transition from high school to university – and also helped Gravestock pick Brock as his first choice for university.
“I’ve never really heard of anything like this,” said Gravestock. “[Most schools do] your orientations and your presentations but never anything so specific for a business student. That’s what attracted me the most to it. I thought Goodman was really unique.”
For high school students like Gravestock who want a more in-depth look of the business school life, this year’s “Day in the Life of a Goodman Student” promises exactly that.
The Nov. 18 event includes a mock business competition, a sample lecture, lunch at a residence dining hall, an interactive campus tour and the chance to watch the PepsiCo Apprentice Challenge.
It’s such a full day that Robyn Makar, co-ordinator of the event, thinks it probably could be called “A Year in the Life of a Goodman Student”.
“I think it encompasses everything that a Goodman student kind of goes through within a year,” Makar said.
“The lectures, being involved in clubs, events on campus, watching a case competition, participating in one yourself, it gives you the whole experience.”
Makar, a third-year BBA dual degree student, is a member of the Brock Business Badgers, a team of student ambassadors who connect Goodman students with the community.
The student club works with high school students to ease the transition into university life.
Unlike Gravestock, Makar never attended “A Day in a Life”. Her experience as a first-year student from Sarnia was completely different from Gravestock’s.
“All my friends went to [other schools], stayed in the [same] area, and I did this big leap all the way over to Brock by myself and I feel like the transition was really rough,” Makar said.
“I want to tell all the students how much I learned in the first two, three years of school. All the tips and tricks that make university life easier.”
Makar’s first tip for incoming students is to get excited to watch the PepsiCo Apprentice Challenge, where the teams are guaranteed an interview for a position with PepsiCo Foods Canada.
“Watching a case competition and applying those skills yourself it gives you an insight of what you could be doing. [It] gives some perspective as to what [your] education is really giving [you].”
How to apply:
Applications for “A Day in the Life of a Goodman Student” will be accepted from Grade 11 and Grade 12 students until Oct. 31.