Many students already have experience in their dream industry, like MBA-CFA candidates Lawrence Raponi and Tawfeek Al-Dabbagh, but, being aware of how competitive it is, they wish to build on their existing competencies to gain a competitive edge.
Blog post
Meet the MBA students starting this Fall 2020
Meet the class series
As recruiters, our team has had the privilege to meet hundreds of MBA candidates from all over the globe, many of whom share common traits: a thirst for knowledge, drive beyond measure, and empathy for others. At Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business, we actively look for these qualities as they represent those of the leaders of tomorrow. Looking at the profiles of the incoming John Molson MBAs who will participate in the Full-time / Part-time MBA and the MBA in Investment Management programs, it is our sincere belief that we have succeeded in our mission to recruit some of the best and brightest from Canada and all over the world. Here is the first post of the 2020 incoming MBA student series.
An MBA for many purposes
Our students chose to pursue an MBA for a variety of reasons. Some, like operations manager Jesse Fine-Gagne, see the MBA as an opportunity to add more strategy skills to their tool belt and engage in enjoyable discussions with like-minded individuals. Others, like trilingual community pharmacist Amy Tang, want to take up a new challenge while diversifying their career opportunities.
For some international students, like former software engineer Ashita Sharma, the MBA represents the opportunity to change roles and kick-start their careers in North America. For some others like Julio Alferez, the desire to do an MBA has been a life-long goal, rooted in their country’s history. In fact, Julio was just a teenager when Peru’s economic and social struggles sparked an interest in business, paving the way for him to start an MBA. These students have chosen to do an MBA for a multitude of different reasons, but they all chose to do it here, at the John Molson School of Business.
A real-world, next-generation business school
Renowned for our case-learning methodology and ranked #1 in Canada for Return on Investment (QS, 2020), the John Molson School of Business offers challenging programs that allow students to build the skills they need while living in North America’s top student city. Some students like Ting Gong feel right at home in our programs because they did their bachelor’s degree at Concordia University. Others, like Aswin Thiru Puram chose us in part because of Montreal, which offers incredible career opportunities and an affordable cost of living. Lifelong entrepreneur Prathamesh Wanare picked the John Molson MBA for two important factors: the experiential learning opportunities and the co-op internship program. Indeed, as part of both the full-time and part-time MBA programs, our students can organize or participate in world-class case competitions, support a non-profit organization or social enterprise, take on consulting cases for local businesses or manage a one-million-dollar fund, as well as apply for internships in top companies such as Deloitte or Bombardier.
Interested in finance? Our MBA in Investment Management students are the living proof that ambition has no limit as they work towards two internationally renowned designations (the CFA Charter and the MBA) in order to showcase their in-depth knowledge of finance, as well as their leadership potential.
“The John Molson School of Business is the only ranked school that offers an MBA with a CFA curriculum integration, which is an excellent combination to remain and grow in the investment management field”, says Filipino-Canadian Ian Velonza, who is now Senior Fund Analyst at RBC Global Asset Management.
In addition to the top skills gained through a rigorous curriculum, the convenience of having a program that is located in both of Canada’s largest cities was key for Billy Chan, who moved from Montreal to Toronto around the same time he joined the MBA in Investment Management. “Montreal and Toronto are both incredible cities with a cosmopolitan vibe, and the flexibility of networking in both locations is priceless,” explains Chan. However, in an effort to ensure our community remains healthy, both campuses will be inaccessible at the moment, as Concordia University announced that all Fall classes are to be delivered online as a means to slow down the spread of COVID-19.
Thriving in the era of COVID-19
COVID-19 has certainly been one of the defining challenges of 2020. From physical isolation to impactful personal consequences, professionals from all over the world have had to overcome multiple ordeals and demonstrate their adaptability in a constantly changing business context. That being said, our John Molson students did not let this crisis deter them, finding ways to thrive in the face of adversity. In fact, MBA in Investment Management candidate Cecil Belanger, a former football coach who started his own business in trade support, customs and logistics, saw COVID-19 as an opportunity. “I used the COVID-19 situation as a tool to refocus on my personal and professional goals. I used the time it freed up to clean up many areas of my life, such as diet and spending habits, to put in place an optimal morning routine and set a plan to ensure I had a productive day.” Speaking of productivity, MBA-CFA candidate Vraj Patel, who is currently the Senior Dispute and Fraud Specialist at BMO, decided to take on more responsibilities at work, securing a promotion to become a supervisor.
As our students embark on their MBA journey, you might be wondering how COVID-19 impacted their plans. Some continue building their work experience until they can travel to Montreal, like Deputy Manager Rishabh Wasandi who works in the mining and metals industry. Others are ready for online classes and motivated to make the most of their experience, like mobile developer Jean-Raymond Daher. “While I wish we could start the program in person,” explains Daher, “I intend on making extra efforts to sustain good communication and get involved in the school’s activities.” Only time will tell, but with such a positive attitude, we are confident our incoming students will make an impact on the business world well before this crisis ends.
Diversity at its finest
If you were to ask us “What is diversity?”, we would start with video game casting team lead Laura Fraticelli, who followed in her MBA-graduate parents’ footsteps and now aspires to take on positions of increasing influence and leadership. Imagine her in the same classroom as Thomas Kim, a commercial manager in the electrical manufacturing industry whose power cable projects light up islands in Venezuela, Canada and Singapore.
Complete this picture with Shuo Han, a former Investment Director at a prominent Shanghai company who left his position to become a stay-at-home dad and take care of his three daughters. You might now understand why recruiters always say that there is no mold for an MBA candidate.
Would you like to hear about an unconventional path to business school? Ask Pamela Psihogios, a former varsity hockey athlete for the McGill Martlets, who used to train 40 hours a week before becoming a general manager in the food and beverage industry. We should also mention Bethea Clarke, former ski instructor and snowshoe guide, who hosted a live cooking show on HAL’s cruise ships for 6 years before becoming an adventure tour leader. Such unique perspectives add value to the classroom experience and we cannot wait to see which career path these students will pursue and how far they will take their career.
Speaking of career, is there such a thing as being ‘too accomplished’ before doing an MBA? Definitely not! Haseeb Khan worked in fraud detection and retail banking while completing his medical degree, just before deciding to join our program. We could also mention Marco Scanlan, a Project Manager in the aerospace industry, who went to France to pursue a Master’s degree in Space Sciences, during which he also played basketball and won a regional championship. Another great example would be Jordana Bernstein, who did our Graduate Diploma in Chartered Professional Accountancy, then became a lecturer while working full-time at Deloitte as an Audit Manager. She recently left the Big Four for a new challenge at a different company.
What about the MBA in Investment Management cohort? While some candidates come to the program with either a finance background, like Christopher Discenza, or an accounting background, like Anthony Castiglione. Some combine both, like Wael Abou Ammar, a former consultant in the financial and accounting advisory service line at Ernst and Young in Lebanon. The program also recruits students with more than one skillset, like Haleh Malekzadeh who studied software engineering in Iran prior to joining the banking industry.
Can one pursue a career in finance with a non-traditional background? Absolutely! Ask Vincent de Marinis, a former Wrestling Canada national team member who is currently working as a substitute teacher at the Riverside School Board.
All of this to say, if you are reading this and wondering whether your background fits with an MBA program, the answer is a definite “Yes!” And if you are wondering whether John Molson’s graduate programs offer you the right fit, all you need to do is to meet with our students and see if your values align with theirs. As industrial designer and John Molson MBA candidate Patrick Boire Schwab says, “Compassion is instrumental, as it really helps to understand the people that we work with and to maximize their potential.”
Doing good = doing well
At the John Molson School of Business, we sincerely believe that doing good is just as important as doing well and that empathy and compassion lead to success in business. In fact, much like our namesake, our students are very involved in the community and follow their steadfast beliefs to have a greater impact on issues that are important to them.
Take Anastasia Baikouskaya, a former nurse at the Montreal Jewish General Hospital, who used to work in the busiest emergency room in the province. Putting the well-being of her patients before her own, she volunteered to work at the intensive care unit during the COVID-19 peak and had to create a hot zone unit from scratch. Despite limited equipment and staff, she turned her floor into a fully functioning geriatrics department within a matter of weeks.
Another great example would be Khalil Guliwala, a former Director at Parkinson Quebec, who has worked for more than 10 years in the charitable sector with a focus on data analysis, business intelligence and communication strategy. Passionate about animal welfare, he also worked as a fundraiser for the Montreal SPCA, the third largest animal shelter in Canada. The campaigns he ran contributed to saving countless animals’ lives and improving their well-being.
Charity and impact are not limited by the workplace. In fact, another strong defender of animal rights, Manat Singh Madaan,who has spent most of his career in finance and investments, rescued animals directly from a slaughterhouse that was involved in animal cruelty. In spite of his various achievements, which include publishing a paper in the Commonwealth Journal of Constitutional Law and Public Policy, he says that saving these animals was his life’s proudest achievement.
Looking towards the future
We have so many more student stories, leadership examples and fun facts that we would like to share with you over the next few weeks and months. Stay tuned as we feature the above students in our upcoming blog post series about the new John Molson MBA and MBA in Investment Management classes.
Please visit our website for more information on the John Molson Full-time and Part-time MBA and MBA in Investment Management. Then connect with a recruiter to arrange a one-to-one meeting or participate in one of our many online information sessions.
You can also look at all our previous John Molson Graduate Blog posts, where you can compare this class to John Molson's Class of 2019 and to our Executive MBA cohort.
About the author
Keum-Yeo (Anna) Brochet is the Recruitment and Marketing Manager for Graduate Programs at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business. Anna has ten years of experience in marketing and business development in the educational sector, with five years spent promoting higher education programs in North America, Asia, Latin America, South East Asia and Europe. Having had the opportunity to work with and understand the aspirations of thousands of applicants from around the world, she is passionate about people and education, and the endless possibilities that result from combining the two.