Graduates from the Sobey School of Business leave with not only a degree, but with untold memories, skills and dreams for the future. Our winter valedictorians, Bernadine Inah Baual and Kapil Sahni, both exemplify the spirit of the Sobey School. Before they both cross the stage and accept their degrees, we sat down with them to ask a few questions.
Bernadine Inah Baual
Bernadine Inah Baual
Bernadine, originally from the Philippines, moved to Canada in 2017 and calls New Glasgow home. She is graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Accounting.
During her time as a student, Bernadine was a Teaching Assistant for Spirituality and Work, supporting the professor in the overall teaching and learning experience of the students in the course. She was also the student representative and a member of the Service-Learning Advisory Committee (SLAC), which discusses Service Learning and its approaches in the university, student engagement and community partnerships to encourage students and support them in attaining additional learning outside of the classroom.
Preferred name: Bernadine
Graduation date: January 28, 2023
Program: Bachelor of Commerce, Major in Accounting
What has been your favourite class?
I’ve loved my Financial Accounting courses, specifically Introductory Financial Accounting and Intermediate Financial Accounting. Introductory Financial Accounting was the course that made me confirm that I really want to take Accounting as a major, and I loved the challenge of Intermediate Financial Accounting – it was hard, but fulfilling!
Are there any awards you’ve won or achievements you’d like to share?
I’ve been a consistent Dean’s Lister through my entire degree.
What are your future educational plans?
I plan to get my CPA designation. After that, I’m not sure yet!
What is your favourite spot at SMU?
The second floor of the library. I love how quiet it is there, it is the place where I really finished a lot of schoolwork and studies!
Do you have any advice for students starting at SMU?
Do not be afraid to explore new things. Unforeseen circumstances contain the lessons that we need in life. Going into university and getting your degree will be a hard and challenging journey, but I want you to know that it will all be worth it in the end just trust yourself and never give up on those dreams.
Kapil Sahni
Kapil Sahni
Kapil Sahni moved to Canada from New Delhi, India, and is confident, curious, self-driven and kind-hearted. During his two years at Saint Mary’s pursuing his Master of Technology Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Kapil was actively involved in campus life, volunteered for the International Student Career & Employability program, as well as co-founding the Working Women Network to enhance the employability of women professionals across Canada, aiming to bridge the gender diversity gaps in the corporate world. He has also held the roles of a teaching assistant and research technician at SMU.
Preferred Name: Kapil
Graduation Date: January 27, 2023
Program: Master of Technology Entrepreneurship & Innovation (MTEI)
Previous Degrees: MBA, BBS
Why did the MTEI program appeal to you?
MTEI helps individuals become independent and channel their creativity into creating something of their own in this competitive world. My long-term career goal of establishing myself as an entrepreneur in today’s digital world could only be fulfilled by a comprehensive program curriculum of MTEI.
What, in your mind, are the most valuable skills/experiences that the MTEI program provided you with?
The program’s curriculum of entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation enhanced my analytical and problem-solving skills, which has enabled me to solve daily life problems. Diving deep into technology and modern-age digital practices helped create a robust foundation for my entrepreneurial journey.
Do you have successes you’d like to share or difficulties you were able to overcome?
Prior to joining the MTEI program, I did not have the entrepreneurial tools and techniques I needed, which was a bottleneck to my long-term career growth. With the right amalgamation of technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation-oriented curriculum along with industry-led training, I feel I can now make headway into the start-up arena. In fact, the support provided by the MTEI professors and the SMUEC officials helped me to scale my start-up quicker than expected in a short time span.
What are your future plans?
My future plan is to establish my entrepreneurial venture in the North American market commercially. As I seeded Canada’s first women-focused, AI-powered talent management platform – Working Women Network – during the MTEI program, getting early recognition with the prestigious VOLTA and Mitacs scholarship now propels me to take it to the market in the coming years.
Do you have any advice for incoming students?
The MTEI program instructs students about the multifarious business models one can pick from and customize them to suit their business idea most appropriately. The program’s holistic learning approach ranges from learning the theoretical concepts about the fundamentals of business to growing as an individual from all perspectives. It teaches real-world skills and prepares its undertakers to use their imagination to ward off any challenge that the future might throw at them as aspiring entrepreneurs.