Latest News
- Category: Innovation and Entrepreneurship
"Enactus uOttawa has been named both the 2018 TD Entrepreneurship Challenge National Champion as well as the Scotiabank EcoLiving Green Challenge National Champion for their business, The Growcer.
The Growcer’s core product is a state-of-the-art farming system that utilizes hydroponic technology to enable entrepreneurs to create their own businesses growing produce locally in northern food-insecure communities. Enactus uOttawa’s Growcer system has yielded 10,000 servings of vegetables in just 5 months.
Enactus uOttawa was also named a finalist in the Scotiabank Youth Empowerment Challenge, and the Hellman’s Food Security Challenge. These competitions were created to empower post-secondary students to develop and deliver projects that teach relevant entrepreneurship skills to aspiring and existing entrepreneurs.
Drew Stirling, VP External, mentions that “Enactus has been an incredible platform to develop personally and professionally, meet other driven students, and travel the world - all while learning to use business to change the world for the better”.
The Growcer was also named finalist in the Scotiabank Youth Empowerment Challenge, and the Hellman’s Food Security Challenge.
Not to be outdone, Alida Burke was named Project leader of the Year, while Holly Todd was also named the HSBC Woman Leader of Tomorrow runner up. uOttawa had a strong showing at nationals finishing 2nd overall amongst 70 other schools.
"It's always great to challenge ourselves at competition and see the growth of the team year after year - I could not be more proud to lead this team", says Holly Todd, President of Enactus uOttawa.
Congratulations to Enactus uOttawa on a successful National Championship!
- Category: Telfer Announcements
TORONTO, May 7, 2018 - With its continued focus on maintaining the highest ethical standards, CFA Societies Canada has named a group of four students from Telfer School of Management as winners of the 2018 CFA Societies Canada Ethics Challenge at a reception at Terminal City Club in Vancouver, BC. The Ethics Challenge asked participants to analyze and evaluate a case study identifying ethical dilemmas based on the CFA Institute Code of Ethics & Standards of Professional Conduct with the goal of increasing knowledge and professionalism among future finance professionals.
Finalist teams were announced in March, and on May 3, 2018, they gathered in Vancouver for the final round of the competition. The winning team earned its title by providing the best analysis of a new case study to a judging panel of CFA charterholders and participating in a question and answer period. They, along with their competitors from four other schools, had three hours to complete the analysis.
"The CFA Societies Canada Ethics Challenge was a great opportunity to put what we've learned in school into practice," said Aamena Chatoo, part of the winning Telfer School of Management team along with James Beaudoin, Christian Cotroneo and Natalie Dokmajian. "Learning more about the CFA Institute mandate to uphold the highest ethical standards and accessing mentors helped our team accelerate our learning and make connections as we start our own careers in the finance industry. Winning was truly just the icing on the cake."
The winning team members each won $500 in addition to a commemorative award from CFA Societies Canada. All participants received a certificate of participation in the National Round. For more information about the CFA Societies Canada Ethics Challenge, please visit CFA Societies Canada online.
About CFA Societies Canada
CFA Societies Canada is a collaboration of CFA Institute and the 12 Canadian member societies, whose mission is to build brand awareness of the CFA designation and to advocate for the highest standards of integrity and ethics for the ultimate benefit of Canadian investors. For more information, please refer to www.cfasociety.org/canada.
- Category: Alumni in the Lead
Upon graduating from a private school in Bahrain, George Khalife set out to find a university that he could grow with, and help grow. After deciding on the Telfer School of Management, George graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce in 2015. George came to the Telfer School because of the genuine professors, untapped opportunities, a strong and improving curriculum and a student and alumni base that was, and still is, very closely connected.
During his time at Telfer, George remembers certain classes and professors that stood out as making an impact on him, including MIS with Nour El-Kadri, the Financial Research and Learning Lab with Pouya Safi, and Equity Valuation with Miwako Nitani. George also mentions three classmates, with whom he helped found a student-run investment fund called T&V Capital Management, which is now known as Telfer Capital Fund. It was this initiative that introduced him to the fund’s first capital sponsor, and lead him to joining the TMX group.
George lists many things from his time at Telfer that helped get him to where he is today, including the connections he built with professors, the friends he made while studying, the clubs and extracurricular he took part in, the alumni network, networking events and academic workshops held by Telfer. George says: “these are the things that positively contributed to my success during university and post-graduation”.
As for his inspiration, George draws that from his parents. George’s parents moved from the Middle East in order to give him and his sister a chance at a better future. As George puts: “every time I feel challenged, I feel tired, or I feel like giving up, I go back to them and remember how much they struggled to help me get here – that’s all I need to keep going”.
Post-graduation, George immediately started working for the Toronto Stock Exchange (TMX Group), in their two-year rotational Associate Program. At the conclusion of this program, he signed to stay on full time and lead TMX’s sales efforts in Toronto and New York. While working at TMX, George had many projects being developed on the side, including BookBack, and app for university students to buy and sell books, hosting his podcast – “Let’s Grab Coffee”, and blogging on LinkedIn as well as his personal site.
- Category: Innovation and Entrepreneurship
As part of the Leadership, Strategy and Sustainability course, nearly 150 Telfer School of Management students in courses ADM 4717, ADM 4317 and MBA 5211 participated in an interactive online simulation called Fishbanks.
It is a multiplayer web-based simulation during which each team of students plays the role of a company that owns and manages a fishing fleet. The teams compete to maximize their net worth during the simulation. They begin by defining their strategy for the next 10 years. They must plan their annual operations, mostly their fishing activities, by allocating their resources each year according to their initial strategy. They decide whether to buy, sell or build their ships, where to fish, and they negotiate with one another. Students focus on strategic thinking and decision making. The program automatically calculates all the annual financial results and indicators for each team. It simulates a real business system where marine natural resources are the main source of income for the companies. However, the goal of the simulation is not limited to merely raising students' awareness of the importance of strategic planning and the short- and long-term consequences of decisions. It is especially meant to expose them to the issues surrounding the dynamics of ecosystems and irrational exploitation of resources.
"We are preparing the decision-makers of tomorrow who will be managing businesses directly or indirectly involved in exploiting living ecosystems," said Dorra Jlouli, professor of course ADM 4717. "The interdependence of the system's different parameters is the main challenge of system dynamics, such as those in the management of natural resources. This simulation is an excellent tool that simplifies for students this complex aspect of the tragedy of the commons," she added.
The debriefing following the simulation is as important, if not even more important than the simulation itself, as students realize and understand the consequences of their decisions. "The players all tend to exceed the maximum size of the fleet for rational and sustainable exploitation of resources, despite having learned about renewal dynamics of fish stocks before the simulation. This is typical behaviour in different contexts in which this simulation is used, regardless of the level of knowledge of the subject matter," said Dorra Jlouli.
"When designing the course, we deliberately sought a teaching method that allows students to experience a certain cognitive dissonance between the type of leader they think they are and the real impact of their business decisions on the planet's future," said Daina Mazutis, professor of courses ADM 4317 and MBA 5211. "The Fishbanks simulation provides a learning experience that allows for profound personal reflection on the connections among leadership, strategy and sustainability," she added.
Fishbanks is a simulation created by the MIT Sloan School of Management. Renowned international universities use it mainly for management and sustainable development programs. It is also used by international institutions, chiefly GIZ, for strategic planning workshops pertaining to sustainable development and to explain the Tragedy of the Commons phenomenon.
- Category: Innovation and Entrepreneurship
During the Winter Study Week (February 20th - 23rd, 2018), the Telfer School offered a four-day intensive course entitled Global Marketing & Innovation Strategy: Learning about and from China, taught by Amy Karam, a Telfer alumnus, who is the author of the book, The China Factor. The course addressed the topic of whether: “There is a global economic power shift and whether Western-based businesses are being challenged in different ways by the rapid growth of China and other emerging entrants and what can they do about it?”
The course offering served as a guide for Western companies to understand how their Chinese competitors do business and how they can change their strategy to be more successful in international markets. A third of the class were BCom students from China who shared their expertise regarding the Chinese emerging market with other Canadian BCom students.
With the emergence of China, the rules of the global business and trade game have changed. Innovation and product superiority are no longer enough to win business in international markets – especially in emerging markets. Western companies need to re-evaluate their sales and marketing strategies and reposition themselves in the context of a new genre of competition and different customer demands. This course explored how China and other emerging entrants do business using the 5Ps of Global Marketing Framework while studying how a Western-based company can learn from them and adapt their strategy, all while incorporating competitive dynamics into their plan. Maintaining an innovation advantage is also a key success factor in the new global economy and students learned ways to become innovative at innovation by learning about new models.
Amy Karam, who is a speaker, consultant, author and corporate instructor of Stanford University professional development courses, taught this intensive seminar. She has advised and trained sales teams, executives and managers across North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa and at companies such as Cisco, Apple, Visa, Nationwide, Capital One, SAP, Bell Canada and AT&T. Notably, she led a CEO-sponsored global competitive sales support program at Cisco Systems, the catalyst for her current practice. She has also led business development initiatives with the World Bank, ITU-D, government Ministers of emerging countries and high-technology companies, to foster public and private sector collaboration.
- Category: Rising Stars
From the moment Gabriel Chapman toured the Telfer School he knew it would be a unique place to study. Gabriel mentioned, “Telfer’s diverse opportunities for student involvement, its CO-OP program, and many scholarships were what drew me in. The student guides were genuine and passionate about their experience and I felt a sense of connection and belonging since Day 1.”
The Telfer School is proud to have so many exemplary students like Gabriel who take advantage of the many offered opportunities and make the most of their undergrad. As a fourth year BCom student with a specialization in Management Information Systems & Analytics (MISA) with the CO-OP option, Gabriel has been the recipient of the Chancellor’s Scholarship, the Peter and Ann Koppel Scholarship for Excellence, the StoneShare Scholarship, and the Kevin Vollett Entrepreneurial Award. Gabriel gratefully acknowledged how without these scholarships he would not be able to dedicate the same time and energy to his extracurricular and academics.
Taking the ADM 2302 Business Decision Models course was a turning point in Gabriel’s undergrad as it inspired him to add the specialization in MISA. In this course, Gabriel was introduced to problem solving through algorithms and saw the potential that this could have in real life business scenarios, thus, influencing him to narrow his scope of study.
Continuing to make the most of his undergrad, Gabriel has been incredibly involved in a number or organizations and initiatives. To name a few, Gabriel has been involved with the Telfer Management Competitions de gestion Telfer (TMCGT), the Entrepreneurs’ Clubs (TECDE), and Telfer Student Council (CéTSC). On top of his club involvement, Gabriel has incredible philanthropic drive that has allowed him to fundraise over $25,000 for Cystic Fibrosis Canada, Special Olympics Canada and the Government of Canada’s Workplace Charitable Campaign.
When asked about a fond memory of Telfer, Gabriel reflected on his CO-OP term at BDO Canada LLP where he had the opportunity to fly to PEI in the middle of a snowstorm to work on Renewable Innovation Strategies. During this trip, he mentions, “I got to conduct stakeholder interviews for our economic development projects. It was an amazing experience meeting people from diverse business sectors who were really engaged in the process and would benefit directly from our team’s recommendations.” He emphasized the trips were also a great way to develop foundations for professional networking with colleagues.
Gabriel advises future students to take advantage of all that Telfer has to offer, including financial assistance, clubs that provide relevant experience and skills, the CO-OP program, the French immersion opportunities because they will take your undergrad, to a life changing and fulfilling four years.
Link to LinkedIn profile: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/gchapman14
Also – you can follow Telfer’s LinkedIn activities here!
- Category: Telfer Announcements
From January 5th to 7th, 2018, nearly 130 students represented the Telfer School of Management at two of Canada's largest inter-university competitions. The teams participated in academic, sporting and social events.
The first competition, Jeux du commerce (JDC), brought together 13 universities at Concordia University in Montreal, home of the John Molson School of Business, as the bilingual competition celebrated its 30th year.
Unfortunately, the second competition, Jeux du Commerce Central (JDCC) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, was cancelled due to extreme weather conditions.
- 1st place – Finance Case: Dmitry Shorikov, Katya Berez and Xing Zang.
- Coaches: Michael Reynolds and Professor Allan Riding.
- 1st place – Tax Case: Dominic Piscopo, Julie-Anne Given and Nikita Gupta
- Coach: Dominic Franchi
- 2nd place – Netball: Sean Lumney, Curtis Lu, Santiago Pinzo, Tamara Roy-Stang, Emily Potvin, Jordan Earls, Marisha Sesto, Michael Shaheen and Maxime Frost
- Coaches: Fadi Azzi and Emily Ryan
- 3rd place - Human Ressources Case: Marie-Claude Monette, Isabelle D'Aoust and Deanna Carter.
- Coaches: Maral Elliot and Matt Archibald.
- 3rd place – Project Operation Management Case: Austin St. Pierre, Dylan Budimir-Hussey and Cherise Naidu.
- Coaches: Professor Jasmin Manseau and Aghilas Chebini.
- Category: Rising Stars
“Coming to the Telfer School of Management gave me the opportunity to have a fresh start; I knew very few people, and really wanted to maximize my university experience. Becoming involved in the school community through a number of clubs and associations proved to be the perfect way to achieve this,” said Spencer Lee, a fourth year student pursuing his BCom with option in Finance. Spencer explains, “The Telfer School of Management has been incredibly instrumental in connecting me with unique learning experiences, professional contacts and lifelong friends. Through my coursework, club participation, and extracurricular activities, I have truly been connected to what matters to me time and time again, as I develop and grow as a student and a person.”
The Telfer School’s dynamic tagline “Connects you to what matters” has been especially true for Spencer, who has taken full advantage of the multitude of opportunities available to him by getting involved on campus with initiatives like the Capital Markets Mentorship Program (CMMP), the Telfer Capital Fund, being a Teaching Assistant, and being a uOttawa ambassador for the Montreal Exchange program. During the summer, Spencer worked as a Summer Associate at the TMX Group and he will be Telfer Peer Mentor for the 2017-2018 school year. He was also recently accepted into the Telfer Executive Mentorship Program, which will allow him to be mentored by an industry executive, receiving career guidance, one-on-one learning, and networking opportunities.
Always eager to learn new things, Spencer says that being involved in clubs and initiatives that interest him has allowed him to share his passions, while also learning from his peers and industry professionals. “I am constantly motivated by upper year Telfer students who have taught me a great deal and have shown me the countless opportunities available through participating in these clubs and associations, which has been a truly invaluable experience.”
Through his studies at Telfer, Spencer has been able to network, gain practical experience, and travel. He credits much of his success to the initiative he took to get involved. Outside of Telfer, Spencer plays intramural hockey, which he says “provides a great opportunity to stay in shape and socialize with other classmates.”
Spencer concludes that, “One should never stop learning and growing, and it is this concept that really inspires me to get involved and try to gain new knowledge and understanding from any opportunity available to me.”
Connect with Spencer Lee here https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-james-lee/
Also – you can follow Telfer’s LinkedIn activities here!
- Category: Rising Stars
Maybe you’ve seen her around campus, or was it her identical twin sister?
Fourth year BCom student Holly Todd has been extremely active in the Telfer School community, serving as President of Enactus and participating in Jeux du commerce central and Happening Marketing case competitions, as well as an international exchange to England.
Getting involved with Enactus has shaped Holly’s experience at Telfer. Enactus’ mission is to use the power of entrepreneurial action to better their community. One great example of this is Sprout, an Enactus uOttawa social enterprise that aims to address urban food security by stocking fresh produce and instructional meal kits in corner stores. Holly explains, “Enactus gives me the opportunity to gain real-world business skills and impact people in communities across Canada by running social enterprises, which I find very rewarding. I love the challenges that Enactus presents, as well as the ability to experiment and go outside my comfort zone”.
In fact, Holly enjoys working for Enactus so much that she applied, and was selected for, the RBC CO-OP Entrepreneurship Program, which allows her to work full-time on Enactus’ social enterprise, Sprout. The RBC CO-OP Entrepreneurship Program allows students to learn how to become successful entrepreneurs by doing a CO-OP placement either in an existing startup or working on their own startup to get it off the ground. Being selected for the program allowed Holly to work on Sprout full-time, focusing her time and energy on bringing Sprout to the next stage in its evolution and giving her valuable transferable skills that she can use in her career moving forward.
Holly was drawn to Enactus because of the drive she saw in other students. She states, “My fellow Enactus students continue to inspire me – they dedicate thousands of hours per year to causes that they’re passionate about, all while juggling classes, social obligations, part time jobs and other involvement. It always amazes me what a group of students can do when we put our heads together and work towards a common vision.”
Holly says that she initially chose Telfer because it had a good reputation as a top business school and says that she chose marketing because of her goal of working in advertising. Now, a few years since she first chose Telfer, Holly has travelled to eleven countries, grew as a person, explored her passions and got great work experience, all while helping communities in need.
Connect with Holly Todd here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-todd-520a21b1/
Also – you can follow Telfer’s LinkedIn activities here!
Interested in learning more about the RBC CO-OP Entrepreneurship Program? Click here: https://coop.uottawa.ca/en/rbc-uottawa-co-op-entrepreneurship-program
- Category: Community Engagement
The Telfer School of Management’s undergraduate office is thrilled to announce the official launch of the Telfer Workshop Initiative! This initiative offers an overview of post-secondary education in management, as well as professional development training to students in grades 10 to 12, in secondary 4 and 5, and in cégep.
Offered free of charge during the school year (October – June), this initiative is organized in collaboration with our School’s dynamic professors, our current Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) students and alumni, our industry partners, and our Student Services Centre. The workshops have been designed to complement students’ curriculum, while allowing them to experience a taste of university studies.
We are convinced that these workshops offer an unparalleled opportunity for students to discover commerce, and for teachers to enrich their course content. If you are a teacher or guidance counselor and would like your class or school to participate in this innovative program, please contact
- Category: Rising Stars
For Shokoofeh Manesh, her BCom studies with option in Accounting at the Telfer School of Management have presented opportunities to get involved on campus, allowing her to grow her network and gain invaluable skills. “They say that your university experience will only be as good as what you make of it, and getting involved with clubs at Telfer has allowed me to make my experience truly great,” stated Shokoofeh. “My involvement with clubs and associations has allowed me to make the most of my time at Telfer: not only have I made amazing friendships by getting involved, but I have also grown as a leader in my community.”
Getting involved in the Telfer Accounting Club (TAC) is where Shokoofeh found her place to thrive. She’s been part of TAC since her first year of studies, slowly climbing up the executive ladder to now serve as Co-President for the 2017-2018 academic year. In addition to TAC, Shokoofeh has been involved with Enactus, the Telfer Internal Case Competition (TICC), Jeux du commerce (JDC), and 101 Week. As a recipient of the Peter and Ann Koppel Scholarship for Excellence, Shokoofeh was able to prioritize her involvement and academic success. The scholarship rewards students who exemplify academic achievement, social responsibility, and involvement in the Telfer community. In fact, Shokoofeh noted that the skills she gained by studying at Telfer and participating in these clubs have been integral in securing and excelling in her CO-OP work terms, and most notably, her placement as Analyst for Deloitte’s Risk Advisory department.
In addition to having the opportunity to get involved, Shokoofeh said one of her main reasons for choosing the Telfer School was its French Immersion stream, which allowed her to study what she loves, business and math, while also continuing to improve her French. For high school students who are going through the process of choosing a university themselves and are considering the Telfer School of Management, Shokoofeh says, “If you want to surround yourself with students who are resourceful, innovative, and passionate, the Telfer School of Management is the place for you.”
Connect with Shokoofeh Manesh here https://www.linkedin.com/in/shokoofehm/
Also – you can follow Telfer’s LinkedIn activities here!
- Category: Donations / Fundraising
Fulfilment Enough
I’m an accountant, and my practice includes a specialization in fundraising. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that when you ask people to give money to a cause, you better be ready to give when they ask you for something in return. I approached fundraising for the Kevin Vollett Entrepreneurial Award with this insight in mind. The scholarship award is given each year to recognize a member of The Entrepreneurs’ Club for his or her participation and dedication to the club. The award is named for a friend, former fellow club executive and budding entrepreneur who died in an accident back in 1993, when we were both Telfer BCom students.
I was asked by the school to revive the award financially so it remains viable for years to come. Rather than simply putting the touch on a few club alumni with fat wallets, I asked the school and its students for something instead. I decided the school’s request would be a great opportunity for me to work with today’s executives of The Entrepreneurs’ Club and share my knowledge and experience with fundraising. What better way, I thought, to honour Kevin’s memory and further his legacy than not only to raise the necessary funds, but also mentor his successors at the club about this vital part of business life.
The fact that the Telfer School is honouring me is proof that my approach is a winning one. The Kevin Vollett Entrepreneurial Award is well on its way to becoming fully funded and sustainable for many years, and several students have gained important knowledge and valuable real-world experience in the process. Best of all, Kevin’s legacy at the school and the club is secure. That’s more than fulfilment enough for me.
- Category: Donations / Fundraising
Who I Am Now
If you don’t respect where you’ve come from, how are you going to respect where you are now? This rhetorical question has influenced me throughout my adult life and certainly does so as a loyal Telfer School donor. My time at the Telfer School, which started back in the 1970s, was made possible by money from scholarships and other generous support. As a woman from a hard-working farm family in southern Ontario, I care that young people from unremarkable backgrounds can get the financial support they need to reap the rewards that education and hard work bring. Opportunity is important to me.
So is inclusiveness. It matters that the Telfer School is bilingual and that it also welcomes students from across the country and around the world. When I was a Telfer BCom student, this spirit of inclusiveness enabled me to study with people who had much different backgrounds than mine. And this exposure helped make me a better student, person and, eventually, accountant and public servant. That inclusive institutions such as the Telfer School and the University of Ottawa exist in Canada’s capital city is of great significance—both as a symbol to everyone throughout the country and as a source of broad-minded professionals, especially for our public service.
These connected values—opportunity and inclusiveness—are why I’ve been a loyal Telfer School donor. I’ve given regularly to scholarship funds and to support the Dean’s strategic priorities. Opportunity and inclusiveness are also why I’ll continue to give. This place and its characteristics helped shape who I am. And if you don’t respect where you’ve come from, how are you going to respect where you are now?
- Category: Donations / Fundraising
Turn A Little Into A Lot
Lack of money is a talent waster. I believe students should focus their time and energy on improving their skills, deepening their knowledge and expanding their experiences, not on trying to earn the money they need to pay their tuition and academic expenses. It’s the reason I give financially to the Telfer School every year. It matters to me that students—Telfer BCom students especially—get the financial support they need to take full advantage of the special student experience at the Telfer School.
As an accountant, I give mainly to Professor Sylvain Durocher’s accounting students. I act as a judge in their annual case competition and supply a portion of the prize money that goes to the winning team and finalist. That money is important to these students. It’s a tangible reward for their sharp thinking and hard work, and it helps ease their financial burden in a small way, enabling them to focus more fully on their student experience. Even a modest amount of money means a lot to these students. My financial contribution also gives something to me—mostly satisfaction in seeing the joy on the faces of the winners and in knowing that I’m helping them hone their professional talents.
I urge all recent Telfer BCom grads to think of their own creative ways to give financially to the program and the school. Opportunities to advance your profession or fulfill your academic passion while helping students are there to be found. And if you can’t give at the level of Ian Telfer, don’t let that stop you. Even a small financial contribution has a way of building momentum and attracting even more dollars. Trust me: you can turn a little into a lot—for Telfer School students and for you.
- Category: Rising Stars
“From the staff to the exchange opportunities, the experience has been great. Take it from a student who has graduated twice from the School and just keeps coming back! I’ve really enjoyed my time here,” said Nicolas Legendre, a PhD candidate in Management with a field of study in Finance. Nicolas has shown true commitment to the Telfer family over the past 7 years, completing a Bachelor of Commerce with an option in Finance, a Master of Science in Management with an option in Finance and now a year into his PhD. He continued, “I wanted to continue my studies here because of all the great people I’ve met at Telfer and in other faculties at the University of Ottawa.”
Looking back on his experience as a Teaching Assistant for different statistics courses, completing his MSc, and now working on his PhD, Nicolas noted, “As PhD students, the relationship with faculty changes, becoming more collegial. With professors for example, the relationship is less student-teacher and more of a co-worker kind of relationship, where both parties bounce ideas off each other and learn from one another.”
Through hard work and dedication, Nicolas was the winner of the prestigious Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS Doctoral Scholarship. He said, “As a recipient of the Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS Doctoral Scholarship, I was able to apply for the Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement, which I was pleased to be granted. Through this scholarship, I am currently in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, investigating their loan guarantee program with Professor Jonathan Scott at Northumbria University. This gave me the opportunity to not only study abroad, but to research a topic that matters to me: as my PhD thesis investigates the Canadian loan guarantee program, this research period abroad is directly related to my PhD thesis. I’ve also had the opportunity to spend weekends traveling around Newcastle, visiting monuments such as Alnwick Castle from the Harry Potter films, and slowly learning the culture here in the Northeast of England. It has been quite the experience so far!”
Nicolas is also the recipient of the Lilian and Swee Chua Goh Doctoral Scholarship. Lilian and Swee Chua Goh will be recognized as Donors of the Year at the Telfer Gala of Excellence on October 21 2017.
Connect with Nicolas Legendre here: www.linkedin.com/in/legendrenicolas
Also – you can follow Telfer’s LinkedIn activities here!
- Category: Appointments and Honours
Professor Daina Mazutis has received an Honorable Mention for the 2016 Page Prize for Excellence in Sustainable Business Education awarded by the Darla Moore School of Business. Professor Mazutis was recognized for her undergraduate course “Leadership, Strategy and Sustainability” (ADM 4317).
This fourth year Bachelor of Commerce course focuses on corporate social responsibility and sustainability at multiple levels – self, others, the organization and society. It covers topics such as social entrepreneurship, carbon-negative enterprises, regenerative business models and the circular economy, instilling within undergraduate students and business leaders a keen understanding of the importance of sustainability in business.
This recognition underlines Professor Mazutis’ expertise in the field of sustainability and CSR. She holds an endowed Professorship of Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability at the Telfer School, through which she focuses her research on the path to more socially and environmentally conscious organizations. Her research lies at the intersection of strategy, leadership and corporate responsibility, approaching environmental and social issues facing organizations today as critical strategic issues that require a broader understanding of business' role in society.
We would like to congratulate Professor Mazutis on this remarkable honour.
About the Page Prize
Now in its 10th year, the Dr. Alfred N. and Lynn Manos Page Prize for Sustainability Issues in Business Curricula is designed to encourage and support efforts to introduce or substantially upgrade sustainability courses or associated course work into the curriculum of business schools, both nationally and internationally.
The Page Prize is awarded annually for the best submission based on the integration of sustainability into business curricula. Submissions are welcomed from faculty, doctoral students and others related to innovative approaches to teaching sustainability to business students. Previous applications have covered a wide range of disciplines including accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, international business, management, marketing, operations and supply chain management, and organizational behavior.
For more information on the Page Prize or on the recipients, please click here.
- Category: Rising Stars
Jordan Samaroo is a BCom-JD student who benefitted from the Telfer School of Management’s First-Year Advising initiative and is now beginning his second year of study. According to Jordan, what’s unique about Telfer is that it "acknowledges the entrepreneurial spirit innate in all business students. Whether it is through the extensive list of clubs offered in every commerce discipline, the Telfer Capital Fund, challenging case competitions, or academic excellence, Telfer ignites ambition in all its students. In my opinion, such ambition breeds the type of healthy competition that drives the business world and pushes students to do their best.”
Involved in the Telfer Business Law Association (TBLA), Jordan says that as a student studying both commerce and common law, he has enjoyed being able to be a part of a club whose goal is to connect with undergraduate business students who are curious about the field of law and the prospect of going to law school. Through TBLA, Jordan has been able to participate in events like the TBLA Mock Trial, help coordinate the planning of the TBLA executive leadership retreat, and speak on behalf of TBLA at the Place à la jeunesse academic competition. Jordan says that he is motivated to participate in all of the opportunities that Telfer and uOttawa have to offer because he believes student engagement is an integral part of being involved in the university community.
Reflecting on the difficult decision of choosing the right university for him, Jordan explained, “My decision of choosing where to study was not easy, but Telfer has definitely proven to be the right choice. Being a bilingual student, Telfer offered an unparalleled bilingual experience. Having the opportunity to study in both French and English, coupled with the opportunity to study two fields that I’m passionate about - Commerce and Law - allowed me to enhance my language skills while being passionate about what I am learning. A bilingual university as a whole offers an enriched learning experience for all students.”
For high school students going through the process of choosing a university, Jordan advises, “Committing to a university is so much more than simply evaluating averages; it is about choosing the institution that can provide you with the best student experience. For me, Telfer offered it all: from intensive case studies and competitions, to high quality professors, to a great CO-OP program and career prospects. The School is actively working to connect each and every student to what matters to each of them. For these reasons and so many more, I recommend you choose Telfer; you won’t regret your choice!”
- Category: Rising Stars
“At Telfer, you won’t only gain knowledge; you’ll also acquire valuable skills and experience – that’s something I always say at Telfer open houses and I think it really sums up why I feel Telfer stands out. At any business school in Ontario, you will find great in-class learning opportunities. But Telfer excels at offering students a plethora of hands-on experiences like case competitions, CO-OP, and mentorship programs that will make them stand out against the 20,000 other business graduates each year,” stated Lawrence Quan, a student completing his Bachelor of Commerce with option in Marketing.
Throughout his undergraduate studies, Lawrence took advantage of the opportunities available to him and got involved with a variety of initiatives including CASCO, 101 Week, the CO-OP program, working as a Teaching Assistant, and participating in the Digital Marketing Development Program.
“Joining clubs is a great way to get to know people. I can look back and say that my involvement in the many clubs and activities available at Telfer made up about 80% of my university memories. If I just went to class, went to work, and went home, I would have missed out on the many other amazing opportunities and experiences that Telfer has to offer.”
Lawrence was able to combine his passion for hockey with his career goal of being a marketing strategist through a dream CO-OP placement at Telfer: “My final CO-OP term was at EA SPORTS NHL on the Global Brand Management team. Every Canadian hockey fan has grown up playing their video games. Getting this job was a dream come true and allowed me to get paid to think about hockey all day, every day.”
As Lawrence explained, it’s not just the hands-on experience that is valuable to students, but also the professional network they can build through their studies. “Telfer exists within the great business community in Ottawa. Professionals are happy to help students, share advice, and provide mentorship. Telfer helps students connect with these professionals, pick their brains, and take advantage of the knowledge in the community.”
Lawrence is now working at FarmLead, a Canadian AgTech Startup, as a Customer Acquisition Specialist. He is responsible for FarmLead’s digital advertising and search engine optimization strategy. He credits his success in the workplace to his involvement. “Your success in getting a job will rely on so much more than just grades. Your grades may get you the interview, but it is your other experience that will get you the job.”
Connect with Lawrence Quan here: www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencenathanquan
- Category: Latest News
CASCO, a student-run charity organization, hosted its 2nd Annual Golf Tournament on Sunday, May 28th 2017. With a strong team effort made by CASCO executives, they managed to raise $5,414 towards their cheque to present to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) at their Annual Gala on November 29, 2017 at the Infinity Convention Centre.
CASCO President Conor O’Doherty discussed his fellow classmates’ involvement in this initiative: “I am extremely proud of all the work the CASCO executive team has put into organizing our Golf Tournament. Their dedication to our cause and willingness to get more involved never ceases to amaze me. Our mission to raise funds for CHEO would never be accomplished without their commitment and I cannot wait to see how they will keep impressing me throughout the year."
About CASCO
CASCO is a student-run charity organization at the University of Ottawa. Comprised mostly of students from the Telfer School of Management, the club allows students to apply business knowledge to raise both awareness and funds for charity causes and promote corporate social responsibility. Now entering its 18th year, CASCO has raised over $500,000 for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), helping to purchase new equipment and to provide assistance to families in need.
- Category: Rising Stars
Each semester, students in the final-year Equity Valuation classes (ADM 4350 and ADM4750) take part in a real-world, real-time project, competing with each other to advise a business that is facing a difficult situation. Led by Professor Nitani, students during the winter 2017 semester tackled a challenge being faced by Dragonwave Inc., a company that offers high capacity broadband wireless networking systems for network operations and service providers.
Scott, a member of the winning team, described his experience: “The competition challenged my team’s ability to separate the information that truly mattered from all of the noise. We also had to actively fight our own biases as we created our valuation and storyline for the company.” According to Scott, his team brought many different strengths to the table, which ultimately sold the judges on their investment recommendations. Scott has one semester left of his undergraduate studies before he graduates in December. He’s currently one of the Capital Fund’s Portfolio Manager Leaders and will be working in investment banking at BMO Capital Markets this summer.
For Roma, another member of the winning team, the Equity Valuation case competition was the most all-encompassing and fun competition of his undergraduate studies. He really enjoyed the challenges associated with valuating a small public company, exploring the possibility of an acquisition, and presenting his team's hard work to fellow classmates, faculty, and industry professionals. After his graduation in June, Roma will be working as a Private Equity Associate at an Ottawa-based firm while pursuing his CFA designation.
Congratulations to the winning team:
- Roma Stepanchenko
- Scott Beiersdorfer
- William Tu
- Category: Rising Stars
In April 2017, students in the 4th year class Case Studies in Accounting (ADM4340) presented their final project in the context of the CPA Accounting Case Competition.
Congratulations to the winning team:
- Jordano Gonzalez
- Sarah Morin
- Zachary Princi
- Vaughn Asher Sapers
- Iskandar Nasrallah
We asked the winning team to share their experience with us as well as their plans after graduation since most are graduating this term.
Jordano began by sharing a few tips for students who taking the class next year. He said that being confident in a presentation is key to having the audience agree with what you’re saying. He also suggested being prepared for the question period since it can be quite stressful. After graduation, Jordano will be joining RCGT (Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton) as a Consultant.
Like Jordano, Sarah will be graduating this semester and will be working for the government as well pursuing her CPA designation. This competition was her last as an undergraduate student. She explained “this presentation is not something I’m going to forget any time soon and quite honestly, it's pretty cool that this was the last presentation of my undergraduate degree”.
Zach has a strong passion for entrepreneurship and has co-founded a startup called Eephorea. Eephorea is an entertainment production company that produces and promotes live entertainment experiences. After graduation, he hopes to expand his startup and help pioneer the live entertainment and music industries here in Ottawa. In addition to that, he is being bridged in full-time at the House of Commons as an Accounting Officer.
As for Vaughn, he currently works for the Canada Revenue Agency and will be bridged into a full time position there after graduation. He strongly feels that he wants to use his degree and the knowledge and experience acquired during his studies to help fight those that abuse our taxation and financial systems.
Finally, Iskandar started his own tax prep company specializing in student taxes. His aim is to give accounting students the opportunity to gain experience by doing other students’ taxes at a very low cost. He and his partner won a government grant and have been featured in Glue magazine's business journal.
We would like to congratulate the winning team, and wish them the best of luck on their future endeavours!
- Category: Rising Stars
As is done at the end of every term, the Telfer School of Management was pleased to organize the Intopia Simulation for 4th year students as part of their Strategic Management class. The competition starts on the Friday afternoon and ends late on Sunday. Students spend the three days at Desmarais Pavilion and often stay late into the night on Friday and Saturday night.
One of the winning teams shared their impressions with us. Team 38 includes Sogui Sylla, Mohamadou Barry, Philippe Langlois, Philippe Émond and Yazid Agougou, who are all 3rd and 4th year students. The majority of them are planning to finish their studies this term or in December 2017. Yazid explained that this weekend was extraordinary and memorable for all team members. They worked hard day and night, throughout the weekend. They were so committed that they even stayed overnight to negotiate sales contracts for their products with other teams. Surely, very few students slept during their Intopia weekend!
Intopia participants are required to make quick decisions before a predetermined time elapses. Students must negotiate with each other in order to grow their business over the weekend. Intopia participants get immediate feedback on their decisions and are given the opportunity to apply what they learned during their 4 years at the Telfer School.
For participating students, the simulation is very realistic. Some of the members of Team 38 even dressed up in suits to negotiate with the other teams found throughout Desmarais. In the early decisions, Team 38 did not rank among the top teams, but thanks to their hard work, perseverance and team spirit, they won first place in the category of Best Strategy – Finished Goods Producer.
Team 57, a small team comprised of three members, won first place in the category of Best Strategy – Component Producer, despite their small size. Members Alexandre Ranger, Benoit Guilbault and Francis Grenier, also said that they found the weekend beneficial. Alexandre, a student who hopes to get his CPA, shared that the Intopia simulation was not only a very rewarding and fun experience, but it helped him put into practice a lot of the knowledge he gained throughout his studies. In addition, participants apply skills learned outside of class, such as negotiation skills.
The three team members learned a lot from this simulation, but they said that the primary benefit of this experience was the networking aspect. For them, being able to network with students from the English classes was representative of the real job market and this experience will play a positive role in their professional lives.
Congratulations to Team 19 (Anita Mahava, Cody Miller, Mike Bowen, Miroslav Gacic and Mussie Hailu) on winning first place in the category of Best Strategy – Service Provider. Congratulations also to Team 53 (Matthew Monteith, Miranda Chan, Stefanie El-Beyourti and Isra Sabunju) on earning first place in the category of Best Strategy – Integrated Firm.
- Category: Rising Stars
“I believe you can accomplish much more when you focus on things you are naturally attracted towards,” stated Maxime, a 4th year at the Telfer School of Management.
His passions? Surfing, problem solving, and international management – his specialization. “I happen to be one of the few surfers at the University of Ottawa. I believe that having a hobby you are passionate about is essential, because it makes you go out of your way to do it and push your limits. It is only this way that you can accomplish great things.”
Going back in time to four years ago, Maxime was in high school, visiting the University of Ottawa during the Open House. “I was interested in management and was hoping to get specialized right away.”
Today, Maxime is the perfect example of an engaged, opportunistic student. Throughout the past four years, Maxime has attended many networking events, met with plenty of students and professionals in all fields and interests, and participated in a mentorship program as well as career counselling.
What’s more, Maxime went on two different exchanges in France and Australia. “I take pride in the two exchanges I had the opportunity to take part in during my third year of university. Adapting to a new environment personally, professionally and culturally should be mandatory. Adjusting to a small city in France, attending English immersion in Australia, leaving for a long period of time and going outside of my comfort zone was a challenge, but an amazing experience. I made friends from all around the world and developed my professional skills by taking part in seminars, very interesting projects and, of course, networking.”
When asked what advice he can provide to future students, he urges them to get involved in the mentorship program, to join student clubs, to go on exchange and to take each and every opportunity that Telfer has to offer.
“Today, I feel ready to take on the many challenges of the business world.”
Connect with Maxime Therrien-Arel here.
Also – you can follow Telfer’s LinkedIn activities here!
- Category: Rising Stars
Congratulations to Brenda Lam, winner of the CO-OP Student of the Year Award from the Telfer School of Management as well as the University of Ottawa!
Brenda is completing a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours), specializing in marketing in the French Immersion stream at the University of Ottawa. Brenda is passionate about learning and never shies away from a challenge. Over the past few years, she has participated in an international exchange to France and in the French Explore program in Moncton to hone her French-language skills. Her latest employer, Sun Life Financial, hired Brenda to be the company’s Campus Ambassador following her exceptional work as a marketing CO-OP student. Brenda is very involved in her community and has volunteered with a variety of organizations including CASCO, a university-based charity of which she is vice-president of sponsorship. She also volunteers at CHEO, the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, where she has organized multiple fundraising events.
For more information on the awards, click here.
- Category: Rising Stars
When Rebecca isn’t busy reading from Modern Library’s 100 Best Novels list (at last count, she had read 94 out of the 100), she takes advantage of any and all opportunities offered by the Telfer School of Management, namely the Profession of Management Consulting Program (PMCP), a two-year development program for students interested in consulting.
Every Thursday evening, the small cohort meets with consultants for workshops, mock interviews and case presentations based on real consulting projects. “I feel a stronger connection to the Telfer School of Management than ever thanks to the PMCP. In fact, I became a Peer Mentor in my fourth year because I wanted first year students to experience that connection too. It has been rewarding to encourage new students to get involved in associations, ambassadorships, special seminars, career development programs, events and panels, and to access the many support services available on campus.”
Following her own advice, Rebecca made it her personal goal during her time at Telfer to attend a networking event every month. “Though I chose the school for its location, what I love most are the experiential learning and networking opportunities. Most of my courses have a group project component and many of my classes have had an experiential learning component, such as a simulation or a business process like customer discovery.”
When asked which classes she recommends to future students, Rebecca highlighted two of them. The first, Change Management with Professor Samia Chreim, “was built on experiential learning through case studies, personal reflection, and an online simulation. I finished the class with a better understanding of the theory and practice of change management and a desire to learn more throughout my career.” The second class, the seminar on Leadership and Personal Development, enables students to build their own personal mission statement, develop and accomplish personal development goals, and coach another student to do the same. “Many students have told me that this seminar is a life-changing experience, so I knew that I could not miss out!”
Rebecca, who is in her last year at Telfer, will be working at Accenture starting in May, an opportunity she secured in part through her connections at PMCP. “This validated the work that I put into the PMCP and gave me an opportunity to explore the profession before graduating.”
- Category: Latest News
The University of Toronto’s Rotman International Trading Competition (RITC), brings together some of the world's top business schools for a 3 day intensive simulation. Out of the 52 attending schools, The University of Ottawa’s Telfer School of Management performed exceptionally and emerged 13th. Telfer surpassed competition from schools such as McGill, Pennsylvania State University, Columbia, University of Chicago, Western, Queens, The Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance and University of Hong Kong.
This year’s team consisted of six of our highest-performing finance students: Evan Friend, Danika Fu, Jack Lau, Dmitry Shorikov, William Tu, and Patrick Winogron, and was coached by Pouya Safi, the Manager of the Financial Research and Learning Lab. The team was formed following their exceptional performance at the Telfer Trading Competition in October. Since then, the team had been meeting regularly to devise their strategies and practice on the RIT software. Anyone passing by the Financial Research and Learning Lab was likely to have seen these students preparing for the competition. The preparation only became more intense as the competition approached. By the time reading week had started, RITC team members could be found practicing round the clock, often spending more than 12 straight hours in the lab. Even on the train ride to Toronto, the team continued to fine-tune their strategies.
The events opened with a welcome ceremony and introduction to the event. There was also a social outcry round for competitors to practice outcry strategy, and Jack Lau placed 2nd in this event!
This year, the competition was broken down into six official events focusing on options, sales & trading, commodities, fixed income, algorithmic trading and quantitative outcry. The competition was largely made up of graduate students in programs such as finance, mathematics, financial engineering and quantitative financial modeling.
First among the events was the BP Commodities case. Here, team members were assigned roles as traders, producers or refiners. The team had to work together to interpret market signals and trade various petroleum commodities and futures contracts. This was an extremely strong case for the Telfer team, placing 6th in this event.
In the options case, teams had to analyze market data to trade different call options on a fictitious exchange-traded fund. Competitors devised a model that collected, interpreted and modeled this data and devised a strategy to successfully trade on this model’s data. The final strategy combined volatility measures, delta hedging and pricing arbitrage to result in a 6th place finish.
With two sixth place finishes on the first day, the Telfer team occupied 6th place going into day two. Day two included cases such as credit risk, algorithmic trading, sales & trading and quantitative outcry.
The S&P Global Credit Risk case involved pricing corporate fixed income products, and calculating their risks. Tools such as implied price difference, and Altman Z-scores were used to help predict the price path and if the company would default on their debt. After extremely high hopes for the case, Telfer was ranked in the top 20.
The sales and trading case, sponsored by Flow Traders, was another great event for the Telfer team, finising in 14th place. The case required participants to take on the role of a trader and make rapid evaluations of liquidity risk. Throughout the case, the traders had to assess the value and risk level of dozens of tender offers and execute trades on the positions gained through these tender offers. Success was determined by the team’s ability to manage its market exposure while exploiting market-making opportunities.
The Algorithmic Trading case, in which the Telfer team finished in the top 25, focused on the development of a trading algorithm that would analyze market data and trade on that data, all while avoiding market penalties. Requiring a tremendous amount of preparation, this case was carried out by a single team member, Dmitry Shorikov, sequestered in a closed room.
The most exciting competition was the Quantitative Outcry Case. This involved two team members acting as market analysts and incorporating market data into a model of numerous countries’ GDP in order to price a market index. This estimate was then transmitted via silent hand signals to two other team members working in an open-outcry trading pit. These players, dressed in bright costumes to make themselves more visible to the analysts, bought and sold based on the analysts’ instructions.
In the past four years of attending, it was clear that this was one of the most determined and prepared teams the Telfer School has ever sent. The team improved on the previous year's result, and considering all of the preparation and practice prior to the competition, it is easy to understand why. The RITC team had been meeting every Saturday since November practicing and creating strategies. The students returning to school next semester are already eager to improve on their excellent performance this year, and those graduating are wishing for one more chance. A special thanks goes to Mr. Pouya Safi, the Telfer Marketing Department, CETSC, and the Telfer Career Centre for their help in funding the expenses of attending the competition.
Every year, the team is looking to acquire new talent, and will be prospecting at the Telfer Trading Competition in October 2017. If you are interested in investing, trading, financial modeling or would just like to get more involved, do not hesitate to try out. The team encourages any interested students to try out or contact them for any information.
Highlighted Results:
- Overall Ranking: 13th
- Social Outcry: 2nd Place – Jack Lau
- Commodities: 6th Place
- Options Case: 6th Place
- Category: Rising Stars
- Eric Carmichael and Valerie Brault
- Evan Kerr and Nick Kazaka
- Tina Liusun and Andy Yu
- Adriano Pagliarello and Raymond Holtforster
- Category: Latest News
As part to the Telfer School of Management’s highly innovative new capstone course “ADM4317: Leadership, Strategy and Sustainability” for the Honours Bachelor of Commerce’s management option, students had the opportunity on November 10, 2016 to participate in an on-site visit of Windmill Developments’ Zibi project, Canada’s first and only One Planet Living planned community.
Professor Daina Mazutis, Endowed Professor of Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability, and her students were hosted by Jonathan Westeinde, CEO of Windmill Developments who graciously presented his vision for sustainable living. He provided students hands-on exposure to how businesses are tackling critical issues such as carbon neutrality, clean energy, waste reduction, the future of mobility and stakeholder engagement, amongst other inspirational examples.
In addition to this visit, students taking this course benefited from participating in a three-day immersion in running a Triple Bottom Line business through the Green Lab simulation and heard from two guest speakers from the community – John Purkis of The Natural Step and Mike Gerbis of Delphi Consulting, who both provided examples of leadership, strategy and sustainability in practice.
Within the course, students are also working on community service learning projects through the Michael Jean Centre for Global and Community Engagement with the both the Office of Campus Sustainability and CFUW (Canadian Federation of University Women).
About Zibi
Zibi is a world-class sustainable community and redevelopment project by Windmill Development Group and Dream Unlimited Corp. Through this multi-phase development, Windmill and Dream will transform derelict land into a blend of residential housing types of low and high rise condominium towers and townhomes, commercial and office space, unique waterfront plazas and outdoor squares, recreational facilities, and more. Truly one-of-a-kind, Zibi combines unparalleled views of the Ottawa River, Parliament Hill, Chaudière Falls, and downtown Ottawa and Gatineau skylines framed by a modern architectural design that still respects the heritage of the area. Zibi is where nature, culture, heritage and the joys of life culminate.
- Category: Alumni in the Lead
When alumna Diana Kolesarova graduated with a BCom a few short months ago, she made a promise to herself and to her alma mater to be an active alumna. Luckily for Diana, the perfect opportunity would present itself when she heard that the Telfer Alumni Association (TAA) was looking for a President. At their Annual General Meeting on November 8th, Diana was appointed the new President.
Three other new faces were added to the TAA’s Executive Board – Lucas Goshn as the Treasurer, Sushil Dahiya as the Director of Operations and Carl Lafleur as the Director of Marketing. Diana along with Lucas, Sushil and Carl join returning members Alexandra Batchelor, Vice-President, and Arianna Pontello, Director of Events.
Getting involved is something Diana has always done, whether it is in her community or her school. During her time at the Telfer School, she was a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Club for three years and participated in Happening Marketing and Jeux du Commerce.
“The TAA has the power to foster an amazing network and inspire future generations of Telfer students. I look forward to use this opportunity to give back to the institution that gave so much to me”, says Diana.
Join the new TAA Facebook page: facebook.com/telferalumni
- Category: Rising Stars
During the weekend of September 23 to 25, Telfer School of Management students in the ADM4317 Leadership, Strategy and Sustainability course engaged in an intensive simulation called The Green Business Lab.
“The Green Business Lab is unique in that it is the only interactive, live, comprehensive business simulation that can provide students with a hands-on experience in running a business while at the same time solving the most pressing problems arising from environmental and social issues facing organizations today” said Daina Mazutis, Endowed Professor of Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability at the Telfer School. “It connects students directly to important strategic decisions that they will need to make as future business leaders.”
Working in teams, the students were immersed in running a business where each team member played a key function in the company. They had to shape the company’s strategic direction, design and build a new product and improve performance. Yet, due to mounting pressure from various stakeholders — including customers, governments and NGOs — success depended on triple-bottom-line (economic, environmental, social) metrics.
Teams made final presentations to a panel of judges who evaluated their strategy. This board of directors was composed of Robert G. White, CA, CMA, CPA, Independent Investor and Adviser (Telfer BCom 1992), Kristina Haakman, VP Finance at Brookfield Renewable Energy (Telfer BCom 2003), Salim Charabati, B.Arch. MBA, Consultant BuildGreen Solutions (Telfer EMBA 2016) and John Purkis, Senior Associate, The Natural Step.
Spherical Solutions (George Amidjinov, Kacey Cryan, Francis Desjardins, Alexis Harrison, Adam Khawas, Philippe Lafontaine and Vanessa Mangano) finished first in the “Industrialized Nations” category and “Eco-Impact Spheres” (Patrik Hashem, Andrew James Low, Olivia Le, Cassandre Pomerleau, Isabelle Trudeau and Jacob Sousa) finished first in the “Developing Nations” category. These teams developed the best overall strategy from a triple bottom line perspective.
“Speaking on behalf of the majority of participating students, the Green Business Lab is a real life, fast paced scenario involving tough decisions” said student Francis Desjardins. “This weekend simulation gave us the possibility to apply our acquired knowledge in a sometimes stressful, but always fun environment. We not only learnt multiple typical business lessons, for example the importance of profits and cash flow, but also the impacts of other bottom lines: the importance of the environment and of social awareness. I would like to thank our Green Business Lab facilitator, our professor, my class colleagues and the Telfer School of Management for this great experience.”
This in-class simulation was made possible with the support of the Telfer School’s Yersh Family Pedagogical Innovation Fund.
About the Green Business Lab simulation
The simulation tests the students’ leadership skills, knowledge of core management disciplines, as well as broader understanding of business’s responsible role in society. The Green Business Lab simulation has previously been run in well-regarded universities such as Cornell University, Georgia State University, Central Michigan University, Denver University, University of Michigan, Georgetown University, University of Iowa, Wayne State University as well as major multinational organizations such as General Electric, Rio Tinto and Chrysler Financial.
- Category: Rising Stars
From July 8 to10, 4th-year students from the bachelor of commerce participated in the Intopia Strategy Simulation. This competition was created as a component of the 4th-year Strategic Management class.
The CPA Ontario Intopia Strategy Simulation aims to teach students the concepts of strategic management in a simulated online world, known as Intopia, where students get immediate feedback on their decisions. This simulation gives the students a chance to test the knowledge they have accumulated over their 4 years at university.
Congratulations to the members of the winning team:
- Jean-Francois Lupien
- David May
- Fanta Sow
- Nikola Vucic
- Category: Latest News
Interested in organizing the next edition of the largest academic competition among French high schools in Ontario? We are currently seeking candidates for the Executive Committee for the 13th edition of Place à la jeunesse in November 2016. The event will host more than 200 high-caliber students in the field of business among dozens of high schools across Ontario. It's your turn to offer a unique and unforgettable experience to the next Telfer cohort, all while developing your strategic planning, team management, and financial management skills, among others. If you wish to apply for the presidency or for the three other positions available on the Executive Committee, submit your online application by Friday, June 17, 2016.
- Category: Latest News
In the spring of 2016, the Telfer School launched a video competition. With the intention of building a promotional video that would feature key aspects of our undergraduate program, we thought who better to unveil what we have to offer than our very own students?
Created by Sharanya Tharmarajan and Conor O’Doherty, both of whom are in their third year of Accounting in the BCom program, the winning video showcases our connection to our brand, to our student experience, and to our target audience. It also demonstrates the hard work and dedication of our students and is a prime example of what defines our student body at the Telfer School.
How does Telfer connect you to what matters? Let us show you.
The Student Services Centre
The Student Services Centre
- Category: Rising Stars
Each year, students in the 4th-year class Case Studies in Accounting (ADM 4340) participate in a case competition in which they analyze a real company and report on accounting issues being faced by the company.
This year, a total of 72 students took part in the competition, and the best groups presented their cases in front of a panel of judges on April 13.
We would like to congratulate the winning team:
- Arya Farahani
- Dylan Humphries
- Vishwa Rachamalla
- Martina Reabel
Thank you to CPA Ontario for sponsoring the event and to Professor Sheldon Weatherstone, as well as Matt Prime, Lee Tessmer, and David Albers, who were all members of the judging panel.
- Category: Rising Stars
Each year, students in the 4th-year Equity Valuation class (ADM 4350) take part in a case competition in which they estimate the value of a real company and propose recommendations to improve performance.
This term, the ADM 4350 students did an excellent job analyzing Blackberry Limited.
We would like to congratulate this year’s winners:
First place:
- Alexandre Richard
- Sadaf Naziri
Second place:
- Wenjun Tian
- Zhuohang Yu
Third place:
- Xu Zheng
- Yaozong Zhou
“Best Poster” Award:
- Patrick Joseph Murphy
- Spencer Robert O'Brien
We would also like to thank the judges: James Yearsh, Cassy Aite, Jivan Maharaj, Bart M. Bagrowicz, Evan Johnson, Kailin Araujo Noivo, Pouya Safi, and Allan Riding.
- Category: Rising Stars
From March 18 to 20, 4th-year students from the bachelor of commerce participated in the Intopia Strategy Simulation. This competition was created as a component of the 4th-year Strategic Management class.
The CPA Ontario Intopia Strategy Simulation aims to teach students the concepts of strategic management in a simulated online world, known as Intopia, where students get immediate feedback on their decisions. This simulation gives the students a chance to test the knowledge they have accumulated over their 4 years at university.
Congratulations to the members of the winning team:
- Sijia Yang
- Yichen Zheng
- Yuying Cai
- Mingguang Zou
- Ramin Rafiaie
- Category: Rising Stars
The University of Ottawa Enactus team just competed in the regional competition rounds of the Enactus Canada championships, and received distinguished awards among a gathering of over 25 different universities and colleges for their excellence in entrepreneurial action and community leadership. Enactus, Canada’s largest entrepreneurship focused student organization, fosters today’s youth to advance the economic, environmental, and social growth of their communities.
Hosted at the Hilton Meadowvale in Mississauga, Ontario, the Enactus Canada regionals for the Central Canada category endorsed the entrepreneurial achievements of over 500 students across the region. With the additional help of professionals, academic advisors, and organizers, it was a two-day event filled with competitive spirit, collaboration, and celebration. Students competed in live presentations that demonstrated their positive outreach in both their local and international communities - all within the categories of entrepreneurship, environmental issues, youth empowerment, and financial education.
Enactus uOttawa, now a group of over 116 motivated young leaders from seven different faculties at the University of Ottawa, competed in all four categories. In recognition of the amazing impact they made through a variety of innovative and impactful projects, the team was awarded as the first place Runner Up in the Scotiabank EcoLiving Green Challenge, the Capital One Financial Education Challenge, and the Scotiabank Youth Empowerment Challenge, and was the winnner of an Impact Award in the TD Entrepreneurship challenge. In addition to these achievements, VP Project Management Shevaun Ensor-Harrison was awarded the 2016 HSBC Woman Leader of Tomorrow for Central Canada, in recognition of her contributions to Enactus and her commitment to improving the livelihood of people in her community through entrepreneurial action.
The Enactus University of Ottawa team will now move on to compete in the Enactus Canada National Exposition taking place from May 2nd to 4th in Toronto, Canada at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, striving to retain the title of Team Canada once again for 2016. Follow the team’s progress on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Enactus uOttawa would like to thank all of their supporters and advisors, and would like to congratulate all participating teams on their positive impact on their communities.
- Category: Latest News
The uOttawa Enactus team hosted their annual rendition of the exemplary Strat 24 Case Competition this past weekend, Ottawa’s premier opportunity for Engineering and Commerce students to work together and showcase their intellectual and creative talents.
Twelve teams, consisting of 2 students from the Telfer School of Management and 2 from the Faculty of Engineering each, were given a live case, created in collaboration with Strat 24 sponsor Hydro Ottawa. With only 24 hours allotted to crack the case, the teams worked tirelessly overnight to find innovative and unique solutions. They then presented their solutions to a panel of judges, and the winners of each pool advanced to a final round of presentations.
Thanks to the support of Hydro Ottawa and the competitive spirit of 48 hardworking uOttawa students, the fifth edition of this annual event was a great success.
The winning team, comprised of uOttawa students Roma Stepanchenko, Katya Berezovskaia, Amanda Godin and Barry Li, proposed that Hydro Ottawa connect Smart Grid technologies via an app, allowing Hydro Ottawa to support residents in reducing their energy consumption and carbon footprint without impacting the company’s bottom line. Their solution earned the top prize at the competition, a $4,000 cash award.
Congratulations go out to all participants for their work and their creative solutions! Stay tuned for next year’s event online at www.strat24.com [This link is no longer available] or on Enactus uOttawa’s social media.
Contact
Enactus uOttawa
(613) 562-5800 ext. 3700
- Category: Latest News
The JDC Central (JDCC) competition took place January 8-10, 2016, in Toronto, Ontario, hosted by the Canadian Association of Business Students. The JDCC competition is one of Canada’s largest business school competitions that brings together 700 delegates from 14 universities across Ontario, Québec and the Maritimes to compete in academic, sporting and social events.
Congratulations to students for winning the following:
Team Awards
- 3rd place overall, School of the Year
1st place trophy:
- Entrepreneurship (Alamin Mollick, Elliott Foley and Osman Wais)
Coach: Sara Valentino
3rd place trophies:
- Accounting Case (Jenna Curran, Regina Melnyk, Sui Qu)
Coaches: Sheldon Weatherstone, Sylvain Durocher, Nadia Daskalova - Sports – Futsal (Victor Delage, Philip Kijek, Sunny Khorugdharry, Jeff Davies, Maurizio Ferme, Selena Saikley, Madison Cunha and Samantha Mikhael)
Coach: Justin Sweeney
- Category: Latest News
The 28th edition of the Jeux du commerce took place January 8 to 10, 2016, at the University Laval in Québec City, Québec. The Jeux du commerce competition is an interuniversity event that brings together over 1,000 delegates from 13 Eastern Canadian universities to compete in academic, sporting and social events. This year, our students placed 3rd overall and took home the following trophies:
Team Awards
- 3rd place Overall Standing
- Recognition Award – Diane Mugeni
2nd place trophies:
- Strategy (Jaclyn Tokarewicz, Drew Morash, Jesse Dunn)
Coach: Alan O’Sullivan
- Sport – BroomBall (Andre Caissie, Adnan Shaikh, Austin St.Pierre, Cassandra Perrier, Claudine Soucie, Jean-Manuel Turcotte, Joel St-Denis, Mike Shaheen, Myreille Chouinard)
Coaches: Max Hébert and Cameron Harvey
- Sport - DBL Ball (Jordano Gonzalez, Alexander Hannoun, Fadi Azzi, Max Frost, Michèle Marchand, Mathieu Brunet, Sophie Nadeau, Qusai Saleh, Mira Azzi and Lucas Ghosn)
Coaches: Carl Lafleur and Michel Bédard
3rd place trophies:
- Debate (Sonia Alb, Roy Atallah, Joshua Ayer, Sarah Morin)
Coach: Matt Archibald and Jed Cross
- Recruit Case (Vicky Wang)
- Social Team (Dominic Piscopo, Natasha Heinz, Channing Junor, Marie Beaupré-Olsen)
- Category: Rising Stars
We held the fall 2015 Michel Cloutier Marketing Competition on December 8, 2015 at the Desmarais Building.
We would like to congratulate the winning team (Natasha Mieka Loepp, Liora Raitblat, Kelsy Sullivan, Jessica Verbruggen and Irene Zourdos), who provided the best pan-Canadian strategy for the Department of Canadian Heritage to engage Canadians in the Give Back Campaign for the 150th Anniversary of Confederation.
The winning team received a cash prize of $1,500 and Kelsie Zielinski, the student with the best presentation skills, received a $600 prize.
- Category: Rising Stars
All students in ADM4350 (Equity Valuation) and ADM4750 (Évaluation d’entreprises) took part in a case competition where they had to estimate the value of a real-life company and propose a course of action that the company should take to solve its problems. This term, the mandate was to analyse the valuation of Hydro One.
We would like to congratulate:
First place winners:
- Zachary Baldelli
- Wei Gao
Second place prize:
- Connor Flack
- Brandon Larochelle
Third place prize:
- Rose-Lornah D’Or
- Charmarke Omar Omar
- Sara Saddiki
Best poster Award:
- Xinglin Li
- Chuqiao Liu
We would like to thank all judges: Kash Pashootan, Homam Alattar, Danika Chilibeck, George André Skaff and Miguel Jutras and Mike Reynolds.
- Category: Rising Stars
In November 2015, 10 teams of students participated in a case competition as part of their Case Studies in Accounting course.
The winning team and the team that ranked second were respectively awarded $2,000 and $1,200. These prizes are courtesy of CPA Ontario and PME Performance + Croissance Inc. All members of both teams also received a gift certificate of $100 from Logan-Katz.
The judges of the competition were Denis Chainé, CPA, CA, partner at Logan-Katz; Marie-Geneviève Bégin, CPA, CA, Chief of Internal Controls at Justice Canada and Jean-Philippe Aubé, CPA, CA, owner of PME Performance + Croissance Inc., as well as Professor Sylvain Durocher, CPA, CA.
We would like to congratulate the winning teams, from left to right:
1st place: Justin Bélanger, Jia Li, Tania Fécu Dupuy, Joël A. St-Denis, Kristjan Johannes Luik
2nd place: Rebecca Bradley, Jérémy Boileau, Marie-France Bougie, Michelle Farley
- Category: Latest News
The CPA Ontario Intopia Strategy Simulation is an exciting and integrative learning opportunity for BCom students, as part of their 4th year Strategic Management class, and for MBA students.
From November 11 – 15, 2015, 39 BCom teams and 9 MBA teams participated in this simulation at the Telfer School of Management’s Desmarais Building.
Congratulations to the members of the winning BCom team
- Brandon Brown
- Euan Smith
- Kelsie Throop
- Andrea Howland
- Filipus Tjong
Congratulations to the members of the winning MBA team
- Alexandre Beaudoin
- Wendy Hopkins
The CPA Ontario Intopia Strategy Simulation has been a component of the BCom’s 4th year strategy course for close to 20 years. It aims to teach students the concepts of strategic management in a simulated online world known as Intopia. The simulation allows students to practice their skills in a concentrated amount of time where they can get immediate feedback on their decisions.
This capstone activity has recently been renamed to recognize CPA Ontario’s comprehensive contribution of $370,000 to the Telfer School to support students, teaching and research.
- Category: Rising Stars
BCom Finance Student Receives “Volunteer of the Month”
Neekita Bhatia is a driven second year BCom student in Finance who wants to leave her mark through volunteering. She has already amassed a Co-Curricular Record, an official university document that records approved and verified volunteer activities undertaken by students, with lists volunteering experience ranging from being a proxy agent with the uOttawa Residents’ Association to a tax filer with ACORN Canada.
Neekita’s favourite position, however, was leading an Alternative Student Break project with the Office of Campus Sustainability. “We conducted waste audits for DMS and MRT [Pavillons], analyzed the data, and made reports on it. I learned so much about sustainability in that week that I use every day including good recycling practices,” she says. Neekita also recently joined Enactus.
When asked what matters to her, Neekita responds: “I greatly value my networks. […] With my diverse background, I tend to appreciate the individual experiences of every person I meet. It is amazing how different people’s beliefs and personalities are, even within Canada. And I believe Telfer connects me to amazing people through the diverse student body, opportunities in student clubs, speakers at events and a professional and comfortable environment.”
Neekita was awarded the Volunteer of the Month for the month of October with the Centre for Global and Community Engagement.
- Category: Latest News
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The uOttawa Enactus team just competed in the semi final round at the Enactus World Championships, and was named one of top 16 teams among 1,700 other universities and colleges worldwide.
After their humble beginnings of starting as a group of 12 tight knit members, Enactus uOttawa has grown to be a team of 116 highly capable and innovative students, spanning across 7 different faculties at the University of Ottawa in just four years. In recognition of both the local and international impact they’ve made through a variety of projects, the team, after having been crowned National Champions in Toronto this past May, represented Team Canada at this year’s World Cup - taking place for the very first time on the continent of Africa
A 3 day event of competition, collaboration, and celebration, the Enactus World Championships are an opportunity for representatives from 36 different countries to showcase the social impact they’ve made through presentations of up to 17 minutes. Enactus uOttawa showcased 2 of their 12 projects which have empowered countless individuals, created many jobs, and effectively eliminated waste in their local community - the most notable being a project by the name of CigBins. CigBins, a cigarette butt and recycling service, provides meaningful job opportunities to individuals with mental illness. It has thus far diverted over 183,000 cigarette butts off the city streets, and generated $129,000 in revenue.
In addition to the competition rounds, the Championship’s events also consisted of two Action Leaders Forums (covering the topics of Food, Water, and Energy Security) in addition to a Women’s Economic Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Forum - which were supplemented by various guest speakers. Featured performances included African Footprint, The Soweto Gospel Choir, and DJ Reactagirl.
With last year’s Enactus World Cup taking place in Beijing, China and this year’s competition in South Africa, a country in which every public university is involved with the organization, the championship moves internationally from city to city each year, and will be taking place in Toronto, Canada for the 2016 rounds.
Contact
Enactus uOttawa
(613) 562-5800 ext. 3700
- Category: Rising Stars
This year marks the return of the Telfer School of Management at the largest HR competition in eastern Canada. The HR Symposium took place from November 21 to 23 at the University of Quebec at Rimouski. The competition brings together more than 250 university students from nine business schools
The delegation distinguished itself by winning two 3rd place trophies;
- 3rd position in the collective agreement negotiation simulation.
- Samantha Paiement
- Benjamin Macré
- Émilie Fournier
- 3rd position in the case of human resources management.
- Brook Runions,
- Ibrahim Gheriani
- Mia-Kin Viau-Gamache
Congratulations to all the members of the delegation that was composed of Maral Eliott, Marc Anthony and Patrick Guénette Patenaude (quiz) Émilie Fournier, Samantha payment, Benjamin Macré (collective bargaining agreement); Magali Mayrand Janice Chapman and Richard Laberge (arbitration); Brooke Runions, Mia-Kin-Viau Gamache and Ibrahim Gheriani (HRM case); Renée Leduc, Oneal Ishimwe Fadi Azzi, Cameron Harvey, Tamara and Alexander Roy-Stang Hannoun (sports) and Patrick Furgeson, Sera Ertan, Steven Benoît Ménard and Marie-Pierre Lafrance for their work as coaches and volunteers.
Congratulations to Rafael Morin, who assumes the dual role of president and coordinator of the Telfer delegation. With the help of all the participants, a colossal work has been done to ensure our participation in the competition.
The delegation wishes to thank the coaches, Suzanne Payette and Jane O'Really and offer a special thank you to the coach and godmother Anne-Julie Charlebois students in human resources. They also want to acknowledge the cooperation of Telfer alumni Audrey Lamarche and Alex Massi.
The financial contribution of the Telfer Human Resources Association (ARHHRA) has been essential to the project and the organizers would like to thank the president of the association, Abhiram Sarvepalli.
Finally, all participants want to personally thank the Rimouski organizing committee who made this event a success.
Photo: Brook Runions, Ibrahim Gheriani and Mia-Kin Viau-Gamache (HRM)
- Category: Latest News
On October 17th, 15 students from the Telfer School of Management embarked on a journey to China that truly brought them a once in a lifetime experience.
Enactus uOttawa is a non-profit organization consisted of a community of student leaders who are committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better more sustainable world. With 5 incredible projects with this common goal, Enactus uOttawa is currently one of the top teams in Canada, thereby leading to the opportunity to attend and support Team Canada, represented by Enactus Memorial, at the 2014 Enactus World Cup Competition in Beijing, China! Thus, 15 representatives from Enactus uOttawa flew to Beijing, China on October 17 to participate in this Olympic equivalent of the Enactus world.
The experience that followed is one that we will cherish for our entire lives.
Our team arrived in Beijing and experienced numerous exciting tourist attractions: The Summer Palace, the lively markets, Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, and of course, The Great Wall of China. Not to mention the luging we did down the mountain from the Great Wall!
With 34 countries represented, ranging from Brazil and South Africa to Russia and Australia, the competition began with a fair that featured all the countries’ cultures, including clothing, food, and activities. It was an exciting experience to venture through this large room filled with people from, quite literally, all around the world!
The World Cup competition presentations showcased the teams’ outreach projects’ and their ability to positively impact people’s lives. Team Canada advanced as far as the semi-finals, with Ireland, China, Morocco, and Puerto Rico progressing to the finals which were held the following day.
In the end, China was named the 2014 World Cup Enactus Champions in front of a roaring crowd of over 5,000 student, academic and business leaders! Their project created a wind and solar generator system that supplied electricity to local herdsman and in turn, doubling their annual income. Throughout the competition, there were also some fascinating speaker panels, featuring the CEO of Walmart, the Executive Vice President of Coca Cola, President of the U.S. Foundation of KPMG LLP, as well as many others.
It was an experience to remember, and we were extremely excited to have had the chance to not only explore Beijing, but meet hundreds of incredible like-minded friends who are change-makers —just like us— from around the world.
by: Liora Raitblat
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Student Voices
The following article was written by a member of our student community. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Telfer School of Management. For more information or to flag inappropriate content, please