While virtually addressing the University’s top business students Wednesday night, Lynn Wells, Provost and Vice-President, Academic, said Beta Gamma Sigma’s (BGS) values of earnestness, wisdom and honour are also the characteristics of good leadership.

Wells reflected on the triad of values as she received an honorary membership into Brock’s BGS chapter. She was inducted alongside 53 Goodman School of Business student members and three faculty members.

Goodman Dean Andrew Gaudes and Ethics Professor Paul Dunn welcome Lynn Wells, Brock’s Provost and Vice-President, Academic, as an honorary member of Brock’s Beta Gamma Sigma chapter.

“I want to congratulate this group of students on being leaders in such an unusual time,” Wells said. “Our students have embraced the call to support communities and to help all of us get through this difficult year. That experience is going to serve you all well in the future.”

Wells said that as the world heads into the pandemic recovery period, there is going to be a need for strong leaders.

“The Goodman School of Business is renowned for its cultivation of young leaders through the business school, and I know the work that’s done through the Beta Gamma Sigma society has been fundamental in fostering that leadership capacity,” she said.

Each year, the top 10 per cent of undergraduate students and the top 20 per cent of graduate students are inducted as members of Goodman’s BGS chapter. The organization’s mission is to encourage and honour academic achievement in the study of business, to cultivate and celebrate leadership and professional excellence, to advance the values of society and to serve its lifelong members.

At the ceremony, Goodman Dean Andrew Gaudes announced the School was honoured to receive Beta Gamma Sigma’s Silver Outstanding Chapter of the Year Award, which recognizes excellence in chapter performance.

“We are honoured to receive this recognition,” Gaudes said. “This underscores the efforts Goodman has made to stay engaged with and support students during a challenging period and we are very proud of that.”

Brock is one of only nine Canadian universities to have a BGS chapter and is one of 615 global members. In the 17 years that Goodman has been a BGS member, the School has won an outstanding chapter award seven times.

The Silver Outstanding Chapter Award comes with a US$1,000 scholarship for a high-achieving student member. Third-year Bachelor of Accounting co-op student Ali Elkhodary was announced at the event as the recipient of the scholarship and was honoured to receive this recognition.

Third-year co-op student Ali Elkhodary is the recipient of a scholarship given to Brock’s Beta Gamma Sigma chapter for receiving the Silver Outstanding Chapter Award.

“I’m very fortunate to be part of a society that works to uplift students and provide them additional resources for success,” Elkhodary said. “Receiving this scholarship is a huge honour and motivates me to continue working hard towards my goals while giving back to my community.”

In addition to the student inductees, three Goodman faculty members were also inducted. Todd Green, Associate Professor of Marketing; Kareen Brown, Associate Professor of Accounting and Princely Ifinedo, Assistant Professor of Information Systems received lifetime BGS memberships.

Finance Professor Ernest Biktimirov was awarded with the Beta Gamma Sigma Professor of the Year Award, which is voted on by current student members.