Michael Cubelic (BAcc ’25) and Catriona Lee Cormier (SPMA ’23, MBA ’25) didn’t just pass through the Goodman School of Business — they helped shape it.

The pair’s outstanding leadership contributions were recognized on Friday, June 13 during Brock University’s 117th Convocation, when they each received the Board of Trustees Spirit of Brock medal. The honour is awarded to graduates who demonstrate qualities in leadership, courage, innovation, inspiration or community involvement.

Cubelic knew from day one that he wanted to make the most of his time at the School, getting involved in business case competitions from the start.

He had notable wins and placements at international competitions, such as the World Trade Centre Buffalo Niagara International Case Competition and the International Sustainability Marketing Competition, before taking on the leadership of Goodman’s JDCC competition team as co-captain.

The skills and experience learned through competitions helped him land an early accounting co-op work term but, more importantly, gave him experience speaking in public, communicating with others and pitching solutions to real business owners.

“We are a summation of our experiences and the individuals who have helped us along the way,” he said. “Every experience I had through these competitions is something that I will cherish and carry with me into all my future business endeavours.”

As JDCC co-captain, he saw first-hand the financial barriers some students face when participating in these experiences. That realization inspired the creation of the first Goodman Graduating Class Gift to help students participate without the hurdle of financial hardship.

Cubelic is working as Intermediate Tax Accountant at DJB Chartered Professional Accountants in Burlington, the same firm where he completed as his co-op experiences. He’s now focused on pursuing his CPA designation and staying actively involved with the School.

“I look forward to being an active alumnus and giving back to Brock,” he said. “I benefited greatly from alumni mentors and I’m excited to give back to the School in the same way.”

Cormier was already a Brock graduate with a degree in Sport Management when she started her MBA and was eager to learn more about the business side of sports and global business while continuing to play for the women’s hockey team.

As a graduate student, she spearheaded the organization of Athlete Bridges: Linking Nations through Sport event, which strengthened relationships and promoted healthy habits through sports by bridging the gap between varsity athletes and wider student body — particularly international students.

Her commitment to building bridges continued through her work with United Way Niagara, where she used sport as a tool to inspire and connect with underprivileged youth. She also took on leadership roles, acting as Sponsorship Co-ordinator for Goodman’s Graduate Business Council (GBC) and representing U SPORTS at the FISU World Forum in Zagreb, Croatia, in 2024.

“Athletics has given me much more than the physical benefits, it’s helped me to be open, and grow on and off the ice,” she said. “That’s how I got involved in GBC, it helped me grow as a person and make sure I was representing Brock and the Badgers in the best possible way.”

As for receiving the Spirit of Brock award to cap off six years at the school, Cormier says that finding out was a pretty incredible moment.

“It’s rewarding being recognized, but I just had fun doing what I did along the way.”

From June 10 to 13, about 3,800 graduates from seven Faculties received their degrees as part of Brock’s 117th Convocation. All ceremonies can be viewed online at brocku.ca/livestream. A full collection of Convocation photos by ceremony will be available on Brock University’s official Facebook page.

A gallery of images and videos of the Goodman School of Business ceremony are available below.