Telfer Executive MBA: A high touch experience from start to finish

Today’s business world tends to focus on speed. Convenience takes priority over depth, AI provides instant answers, customer service is driven by automation, and services and programs are shifting to compressed formats. But as businesses try to keep up, something important is being lost – meaningful human connection. The Telfer Executive MBA program takes a different approach. While the program runs an efficient and practical program, the priority is always on providing a high-touch, human-centered experience. Lisa Dalla Rosa and M. Constantine Samaan, graduates of the EMBA program, reflect on the support they received throughout the admissions process, while in the program, and as alumni.

First impressions: a welcoming and responsive start

Lisa Dalla Rosa has been a volunteer for the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival for many years, and it was during the festival in 2022 when she met an alumna of the Telfer Executive MBA program. The two struck up a conversation and when Lisa mentioned she had been considering professional development, the alumna encouraged her to look at the EMBA program at Telfer. “The admissions process was straightforward, accommodating and not intimidating at all. After connecting with the recruitment specialist, attending an information session, and meeting the program Director, I felt confident about applying. The interactions I had with EMBA staff felt natural, not stuffy, or overly formal. I felt a sense of equality and mutual respect from the staff, and this made me feel like I was talking to the right people rather than people who were trying to sell me a program,” shares Lisa.

M. Constantine Samaan reflects on his first impression of the Telfer Executive MBA program and says the admissions process felt tailored to him. “The admissions process was rigorous yet supportive. The approach felt personalized throughout. In one-on-one meetings, I could ask questions and received helpful guidance on balancing the EMBA with work and other aspects of my life. The team was responsive and took the time to understand my career goals to ensure the program was the right fit for me.” M. Constantine says the personalized approach was one of the main reasons he chose Telfer’s EMBA over other programs. Having taken the time to understand his concerns and his goals, the EMBA team showed that the focus was on fit and alignment the program to his goals as opposed to simply enrollment numbers. This built early trust in the program’s structure and team for him.

Real-life flexibility: adapting to student needs

Once in the EMBA program, Lisa says the program demonstrated a good balance of structure and flexibility, and that the responsiveness she saw during admissions continued with the academic team “I found everything to be really organized throughout my program experience. If there was any process that didn’t work smoothly, the academic team was on it – changing or adapting the process based on student feedback.” She remembers how

accommodating and supportive the academic team was when she discovered she would be traveling during one of her exams. The team helped adjust the day that she would write the exam – there were no issues at all. There was also an issue within Lisa’s student team. She recalls the EMBA staff were very understanding and had a process in place. “I didn’t encounter many concerning issues during the program, but it was quickly established that if I did, the EMBA team was in the background ready to help. As a student, it’s encouraging to know that kind of support is there and that good mechanisms are in place if you need them.” Lisa says one of the greatest things about the EMBA staff is that on class days, they would make the time to come out and chat with all the students during breaks and eat lunch with them. “Often, we didn’t even have to send a formal email with our questions, we could speak with them in person on a class day. They were all very proactive in chatting with us and getting to know each of us in the cohort. I’m not sure that’s the same experience you would get in other programs. The EMBA team is not only accessible by email; they are also very accessible in person too.”

M. Constantine echoes Lisa’s remarks on the personalized treatment he received from the EMBA staff and says he also found the program to be personalized in content and rich in relationship building. “I often felt the professors’ guidance spoke directly to my experience. A standout moment for me was a professor who is also a supply chain expert explaining how COVID-19 supplies were manufactured, transported, and delivered to hospitals. Having worked on the frontlines, it was eye-opening to learn the behind-the-scenes efforts that supported patient care.” He also really appreciated the connections he built in the small team-based learning group set up by the program. This team proved to be an invaluable built-in support system that helped him get through the program. “A year into the EMBA, I had taken on a new senior leadership role and moved to a new city. With heavy work demands and school on top of that, I nearly left the program. My EMBA student team’s support made all the difference. They understood how much pressure I was under and how much I had on my plate but reminded me we were in it together and had each other’s backs. Because of them, I stayed, and I’m glad I did.”

Life after graduation: ongoing engagement

Now graduates of the EMBA program, Lisa and M. Constantine say there continues to be intentional engagement from the program with their alumni.

“As an alumna, I receive lots of reach-outs from the program that provide me with opportunities to stay involved and engaged. It’s nice to know I haven’t been forgotten – they don’t just graduate you, and then you’re gone. You feel like you are part of a group forever, essentially, as long as you want to be involved. I also think there's a spectrum of events and initiatives that are offered to alumni, whether it's sports, networking opportunities, or educational events – the program does a good job at catering to different interests to keep as many of us engaged. I appreciate that.” Lisa says the responsiveness of the staff is somethin

g she can still rely on even though she isn’t a student anymore. “I reached out to the program about next steps in my career. I wanted to get some help with my résumé. I received a response very quickly providing me with the information I was asking for. Receiving a prompt reply and support makes me feel like I’m still important to them.”

M. Constantine says he has found the staff to still be accessible and responsive. “Events are organized and shared with our group, and there is ongoing e-mail communication that highlight events and new learning opportunities. I feel very well supported and still have access to the program even now that I am no longer a student.” 

An exceptional high-touch experience

When asked to give one word that describes the service she received from the EMBA team, Lisa says the first word that comes to mind is ‘dependable.’ “When you're going through the program, you're going 1,000,000 miles a minute. The EMBA staff know this, and they don’t waste our time. When they contact us, there’s a good reason for it. When I contact them, I know that my email will be dealt with and I’ll receive a response soon after I send it. I can count on everyone on the team – when I was in the program and now as a graduate. The team is there to support the students and graduates and that’s what they do to a tee.”

M. Constantine reflects on the service he received as a student and as an alumnus and says he was given a world-class experience in the Telfer Executive MBA program. “The staff is responsive, supportive, and attentive to individual student and alumni needs. They go the extra mile to help everyone feel supported and that allows us to be successful.”