Mitchell Chan wasn’t in the running for a medal when he took to the cycling course at the Paris Olympics and Paralympics this summer.

That didn’t stop the crowds from cheering like the fourth-year Goodman School of Business double degree student was meant to be there, however.

He was, but not as an athlete.

Instead, Chan was helping to facilitate Olympic dreams for competitors in cycling and long-distance running events as the project manager setting up barriers and water stations for each sport. He was doing quality control when he got on a bike and caused fans to erupt, bringing his own Olympic dream to life.

“It was crazy. They were like, ‘Allez! Go!’ It was an incredible moment,” Chan recalls. “In French, they say ‘Prends plaisir’ — find pleasure in the moments. I feel blessed this happened, that I had the chance to do this.”

The opportunity sprung from Chan’s decision to attend Brock University’s Goodman School of Business and its prestigious international double degree program.

A natural athlete himself, Chan, who hails from Mississauga, had originally contemplated enrolling in Brock’s Sport Management program. He was beckoned to the business school after learning about the double degree program and the opportunity it offered to study at Goodman and a European university, and earn two bachelor degrees in nearly the same time most students graduate with one.

He would also be able to do co-op work terms in both Canada and abroad, gaining global experience and perspective in the process.

Chan had been in French immersion throughout elementary and high school, so choosing the double degree track that would lead to NEOMA Business School in Reims, France, was an easy choice.

It turned out to be one of the best choices he’s made.

When he moved to Reims in 2022 after completing his first two years at Goodman, he immediately fell in love. He joined NEOMA’s rugby team and when it came time to complete his international co-op term, Chan found a job with Mainfreight, a global shipping and freight company.

He showed his employer what he was capable of and returned to work for the company on contract as a business analyst. One of the company’s clients happened to be involved with the Paris Games, which led to a unique opportunity.

“They said it’s a bit outside your comfort zone but would you be comfortable placing the black and yellow barriers instead of just transporting them for the cycling and marathon events?” Chan says.

As project manager charged with the job, Chan became a logistics expert. He planned and organized trucks and a team of about 80 people. Together, they had to precisely measure the placement of each barrier on a course that included complex curves and angles, and would host thousands of fans.

There was set-up and tear down and set-up again for different events, each with their own unique layout.

The hours were long. The adrenaline was plentiful to get him through. And the memories will last a lifetime.

“The bonds I made, not just with people in the company I worked for but from everyone working at Paris 2024, it’s incredible. We were there every day,” Chan says. “We put in the grind.”

Now all that’s left to do is finish a handful of courses for his Bachelor of Business Administration from Goodman. Meanwhile, with a degree in hand from NEOMA, Chan has embarked on an apprenticeship as a financial controller that includes a salaried job and tuition for his master’s degree at NEOMA.

Building a career and life in Europe come next.

“I’m thankful for so many things,” Chan says. “If I wasn’t in the double degree program, this wouldn’t have happened. I can’t speak highly enough of the program.”