Media releases

• Grade 4 students ready to taste business success at Brock

  Monday, June 05, 2023 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: June 5 2023 – R0046

  Niagara’s newest entrepreneurs will be ready with refreshments to satisfy the thirst of customers at Brock University’s main campus this week.

  On Thursday, June 8, Grade 4 students from Glynn A. Green and Stevensville Public Schools will bring their lemonade stands to Brock’s Jubilee Court from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The students have spent the spring receiving an introduction to entrepreneurship, planning the basics of their businesses with the help of Brock’s Goodman School of Business and Goodman Group, its community programming unit.

  Since 2017, the Goodman Lemonade program has been teaching local elementary students the process of building a for-profit business, which culminates with the lemonade sale.

  “This program helps us introduce the concept of entrepreneurship as a career option early in a student’s educational journey,” said Lauren Smith, Goodman’s Student Leadership Co-ordinator.

  “Through the in-class visits and the sale experience, we also get our enthusiastic Goodman student leaders engaging with and supporting the elementary students to help make their first business venture a positive experience.”

  Divided into 12 teams, 60 students will compete to see which group can make the most profit with the seed money they were given. They will use market research they conducted to customize their products and stands in hopes of maximizing their returns.

  FirstOntario Credit Union has partnered with Brock to help students of all ages build financial literacy skills through the development of innovative, student-centred programming. In addition to its support of other Brock financial literacy programming, FirstOntario’s support has helped further develop the Goodman Lemonade program.

  “Our unique partnership supports our focus on connecting with students and helping to build important financial literacy skills in a fun, practical way,” said Joanne Battaglia, Senior Vice-President, Marketing, Communications and Community Partnerships.

  “We are pleased to continue to connect with youth and community leaders such as Brock and the Goodman Lemonade program and to see students get excited about entrepreneurship.”

  Goodman Lemonade is designed to tie into the Grade 4 curriculum, reinforcing concepts students have learned in class this year, including measuring volume, using decimal points, plotting data and making graphs.

  Attendees are asked to bring their change and small bills for their lemonade purchases.

  Goodman Lemonade details:

  Who: Sixty Grade 4 students from Glynn A. Green and Stevensville Public Schools
  What: Twelve teams of students competing for top lemonade sales
  When: Thursday, June 8 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  Where: Jubilee Court at Brock University (Free parking available in Zone 1, 2 or 3)

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews: 

  * Doug Hunt, Communications and Media Relations Specialist, Brock University dhunt2@brocku.ca or 905-941-6209

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  Categories: Media releases

• Hockey executive, Indigenous entrepreneur and corporate governance champion to be honoured at Convocation

  Friday, June 02, 2023 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: June 2 2023 – R0045

  Three impactful leaders who’ve made their mark in their respective fields will be recognized for their contributions during Brock University’s Spring Convocation.

  Pittsburgh Penguins President of Hockey Operations Kyle Dubas (BSM ’07), Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics Inc. founder and CEO Jenn Harper and Women Get On Board Inc. founder and CEO Deborah Rosati (BAdmin ’84) will each receive an honorary doctorate from Brock and deliver a Convocation address to the University’s latest graduating class during the week of June 12.

  Brock’s 113th Convocation includes nine ceremonies from June 12 to 16. Ceremonies will take place at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. each day, except for Friday, June 16, when only a morning ceremony is scheduled.

  Rosati and Harper will receive their honorary doctorates on Tuesday, June 13 at ceremonies held at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., respectively. Dubas will have his honorary degree bestowed upon him Wednesday, June 14 at 2:30 p.m.

  It has been more than 15 years since Dubas crossed the stage to receive his Bachelor of Sport Management at his own Brock Convocation. He has since established himself as a national sports leader.

  On Thursday, June 1, Dubas was named President of Hockey Operations for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He will oversee all aspects of the team’s hockey operations department, including establishing the strategic vision and philosophy for the franchise.

  Prior to joining Pittsburgh, the Brock graduate spent nearly 10 years with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

  Dubas began his time with the Leafs in 2014 as Assistant General Manager. In the role, he oversaw the organization’s top prospects as General Manager of the Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, leading the franchise to its first-ever Calder Cup title in 2018.

  In May 2018, Dubas, who has become known for his forward-thinking approach to analytics in hockey, was named the Leafs General Manager. He spent five seasons in the role, which concluded this May.

  Before his time in Toronto, Dubas served as General Manager of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the Ontario Hockey League from 2011 to 2014.

  In 2015, he was recognized by Forbes magazine as one of the sports industry’s brightest young stars in its annual Top 30 Under 30 in Sports list. He was also honoured that same year with Brock’s Distinguished Young Alumni Award.

  Harper, who is based in St. Catharines, has made an impact in the beauty industry, quickly raising the profile of Cheekbone Beauty through its commitment to sustainability and community.

  An Anishinaabe woman and member of the Northwest Angle #33 First Nation in Kenora, Ont., she aims to help Indigenous people see and feel their value in the world while developing sustainable colour cosmetics that won’t add to growing landfills.

  Harper has been building the Cheekbone Beauty brand since it was established in 2016, but interest in the company grew significantly after an appearance on the hit CBC show Dragon’s Den in 2019.

  The award-winning social entrepreneur has since been featured as Chatelaine’s Woman of the Year in 2019 and recognized in Canadian Business’s New Innovators List and Entrepreneur magazine’s 100 Women of Influence list, both in 2022. Cheekbone Beauty’s products are now available in Sephora stores across Canada and JCPenney stores across the U.S.

  Giving back to the Indigenous community is critical to Cheekbone Beauty’s mission. The business has contributed $200,000 in monetary and product donations to youth and women’s organizations across North America, with no plans of slowing.

  A Corporate Director, entrepreneur and Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant, Rosati has built her career around creating meaningful change in the corporate world.

  Through her work with Women Get On Board Inc., the Brock University alumna is building a community of the next generation of women corporate directors. The 850-member social-purpose company is committed to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion; and encouraging collaboration, courage and confidence in the boardroom.

  Rosati has chaired many public company audit committees, as well as nominating and corporate governance committees.

  Her passion for good governance and board diversity is rooted in her personal journey, during which she found she was often the only woman in the boardroom. These first-hand experiences cemented Rosati’s conviction that having more women on boards makes better business sense.

  Rosati’s journey has also inspired her to give back to future Brock students throughout the years, with her contributions supporting the creation of a new Women in Leadership mentorship program at the University and an entrepreneurship award that aids students in their business pursuits.

  In addition to the honorary degree presentations, Brock’s Spring Convocation will include the installation of the University’s seventh President and Vice-Chancellor, Lesley Rigg, on Monday, June 12 at 10 a.m.

  Throughout the week, about 3,500 graduands from seven Faculties will receive their degrees. All ceremonies take place in the Ian D. Beddis Gymnasium of Brock’s Walker Sports Complex and will be livestreamed online at brocku.ca/livestream

  For more information and a full schedule of Brock’s Spring Convocation, visit brocku.ca/convocation

  Media are welcome to attend Brock’s Spring Convocation ceremonies. Photographers shooting from directly in front of the stage are asked to wear a Convocation gown, which can be arranged through Doug Hunt, Communications and Media Relations Specialist.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Doug Hunt, Communications and Media Relations Specialist, Brock University dhunt2@brocku.ca or 905-941-6209

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  Categories: Media releases