Program: Masters in Business Economics
Program Entry Date: 2014
What is your current status in the program? I have graduated from the program.
What made you choose Brock?
I chose Brock University for the renowned co-op program. After finishing my undergraduate degree and honours thesis, the one thing I felt was missing from my resume was relevant work experience in the field I wanted to pursue. After talking with Brock co-op representatives during the interview process, I felt comfortable knowing that their staff was going to be putting as much effort as I would be giving in order to secure a co-op opportunity that was relevant to where I wanted to go in my post-secondary career. I can’t thank Julia Zhu and Kathryn Lestner enough for all their help.
What have you learned in your graduate education that you would share with future or current students?
The MBE program is incredibly challenging, but it prepared me very well for what life is like in a fast-paced environment like the NHL. The critical thinking skills, data mining techniques and communication skills I developed in the MBE program have all served me very well working in the NHL.
What services have you used to help you overcome any challenges?
On entering the co-op program, I was really eager to get a co-op opportunity that worked for me and what I wanted to pursue and I can not say enough positive things about the co-op program or the MBE faculty with how they guided me through a stressful process.
What makes Brock stand out for you?
The faculty in the MBE program was second to none. The professor’s always had time for me and my questions, and would take time out of their own personal schedules to help me out when needed. Coming from a less quantitative undergraduate program than some others in my program, professors such as Lester Kwong and JF Lamarche worked tirelessly to make sure myself and others understood the course material and were in the best position possible to succeed during the 18 months of course work.
What are your tips for thriving in grad school?
Work hard and work smart. In graduate school, you fill all your hours with studying and assignments etc. but it is as important to work smartly as it is to work hard. Take breaks, get proper sleep, eat properly so that when you are grinding it out your mind and body are functioning at their peak performance levels. Always trust your body and when your eyes are drooping or you have read the same paragraph on a page 5 times, it is time to call it a night.
What were the best parts of your experience at Brock? Why?
My top experiences at Brock are the connections I made with staff and my fellow classmates as well as the co-op experience which was an incredible experience for me. I was a groomsman at the wedding of one of my fellow graduates, who I now call one of my closest friends, and I developed a friendship with many of my professors such as Lester Kwong and JF Lamarche. The support system that was in place at Brock to help their students succeed in the MBE program, through classwork or the co-op program, was something that I really enjoyed and stood out for me.
How is being a graduate student different from being an undergraduate student?
There is a comradery among the graduate students that is different from what you face as an undergraduate student. I got to know all the fellow graduate students in my program well and we all worked together to help each other out. We were all in it together, and with such a small number of people in the MBE program we were able to help each other out by running study groups or tutorials on subject material that was discussed through the year.