From Pugwash to the World Cup stage: BComm student champions community, entrepreneurship and global impact
BComm student Olivian Sanderson presents at the Enactus World Cup stage in Bangkok, Thailand
Olivian Sanderson grew up in Pugwash, Nova Scotia—a rural, picturesque fishing village with approximately 800 full-time residents. In just a few short years since coming to Saint Mary’s, she’s had the chance to travel the world and make a meaningful impact in the community through her involvement with Enactus Saint Mary’s and the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre.
Growing up, Olivian learned from her parents the importance of hard work, community and seizing opportunities. She made an impression during her high school years as Chair of the Cumberland County Youth Council, Student Council President, Ambassador for the Nova Scotia International Student Program and recipient of the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Award (2022) and Governor General’s Academic Medal of Canada (2023).
When considering universities, Olivian knew she wanted to experience city life and find a program that would allow her to pursue her passion for business and community building. Knowing its reputation as one of Canada’s best business schools, she applied to the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s.
She was the successful recipient of a Sobey National Innovator Scholarship, including on her application: “Looking to the future, I have big dreams and aspirations. I am passionate about understanding how the economy works and plan to use my skills to be involved in projects that support the community, as it has provided so much for me. I want to make the best world for myself and the people around me.”
Now a third-year accounting and management student, she’s made great strides toward her goals as the Co-Founder of the Sociable start-up and presenter for the global award-winning Enactus team.
Launching Sociable
Despite being very involved in high school, Olivian found the first few weeks of university difficult and lonely. Determined to find her place at Saint Mary’s, she dove headfirst into everything – trying out multiple societies and volunteering. Ultimately, it was Enactus and the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre where she found her place among people who shared her passion for big dreams and doing business for good.
Olivian found community and leadership opportunities through the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre
During a session with Enactus Saint Mary’s, the idea for the Sociable start-up was formed. Sociable is an online community platform that helps students connect, get peer support and gain access to campus events. It builds student engagement, boosting student retention, wellness and success. Olivian and co-founder of Sociable, Jason Phonchareon BSc’25, developed the start-up to address student loneliness and mental health concerns, something they both experienced.
In 2024, Sociable won the Dream Chaser Change Maker (DCCM) Foundation Social Impact Award, which included a $10,000 prize to support business development – bringing Olivian one step closer to making a positive impact on students’ lives.
Seeing the world with Enactus
In 2024, Enactus Saint Mary’s won the National Enactus Championship for the first time. As a member of the presentation team, Olivian had the opportunity to travel to Astana, Kazakhstan, to represent Canada in the World Cup competition. While they didn’t win in Kazakhstan, it was an incredible learning experience for Olivian and her teammates.
In 2025, during Olivian’s second year as presentation team captain, the Saint Mary’s team earned their second National Championship win. This time, they travelled to Bangkok, Thailand, to compete against 28 of the best teams from around the world in the Enactus World Championship.
The team worked around the clock on their presentation about two student-run social enterprises—Alaagi and Square Roots—practicing, editing and preparing to answer questions. Olivian applied her work ethic and passion to the Enactus presentation, sharing the inspiring work being done by students at Saint Mary’s. Facing finalists from Zimbabwe, Tunisia and Germany, their presentation wowed the judges, and the team was crowned Enactus World Champion – the first world title for Saint Mary’s University.
Olivian on stage at the Enactus World Cup in Thailand
Enactus Saint Mary’s celebrates winning the World Cup
Reflecting on her first two years at Saint Mary’s, Olivian sometimes shakes her head at how much she has experienced. Her advice to new students: get as involved as you can.
“Classes are great, but you will have life-changing experiences in extra-curricular activities. The mentorship, the soft skills, and the network – so very valuable. It’s thanks to those experiences that I’ve been able to see the world.”
Opportunities at the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre are open to all Saint Mary’s students – check out their programs and events here.
Engineering students tackle real-world medical challenge in hybrid hackathon
When 18 undergraduate students from Saint Mary’s University and Dalhousie University joined a week-long engineering hackathon this September, they weren’t just tackling a school project, they were helping shape the future of cancer care.
Through the Experience Ventures program at the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre, students took part in a hybrid Engineering Hackathon in partnership with Qalam Health Solutions, an Atlantic Canadian startup developing a product called the Osteoprobe: an AI-powered medical device that helps surgeons detect remaining bone cancer tissue in real time. The innovation could one day help reduce unnecessary amputations and lower relapse rates.
From September 19–26, students worked in small teams to design creative solutions for Qalam’s challenge — developing ways to improve their AI-powered medical device that helps surgeons detect bone cancer tissue in real time during surgery. Guided by Qalam’s founder and CEO, Haitham Shoman, the teams brainstormed, tested ideas and presented their final pitches at the end of the week.
One team stood out for more than just their idea. The winning team impressed Qalam so much that they were offered the chance for a future internship, a powerful reminder of how meaningful connections can be built.
“This program has been valuable to Qalam Health Solutions,” said Qalam’s founder and CEO, Haitham Shoman. “Students dove into real technical challenges mechanical, electrical and design to came up with solutions worth exploring.”
For many students, the experience was their first chance to apply classroom learning to real-world problems, working side by side with industry mentors.
“This hackathon helped me connect theory with practice,” said Aweer Yuang, a second-year Engineering student at Dalhousie. “It taught me to think like an entrepreneur and to keep finding solutions, even when things didn’t go as planned.”
The event was organized by Experience Ventures, which serves as the regional lead for Atlantic Canada. The program focuses on making hands-on opportunities accessible to all students. Over 80% of its experiences are offered virtually, allowing learners from across the region to participate and build valuable industry connections.
If you want to be a part of the Experience Ventures program or learn more, click here.
Changing the game: how one sports business student is championing inclusion in sport
Van Bernard began his Bachelor of Commerce at Saint Mary’s in Fall 2025
Van Bernard has known what he wants to do since he was eight years old.
Diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) type 2 as an infant, Van uses a power wheelchair to navigate daily life and support his vast athletic endeavours—participating in para-sports like power wheelchair soccer, sledge hockey and para sailing. He also coaches baseball.
Van’s love of sports began as a young child, when his father and his uncle—both lifelong hockey fans—competed over which of their respective teams would become Van’s favourite. Van’s uncle won, and he’s been a diehard Ottawa Senators fan since. As time went on, and as Van and his family began travelling for specialized medical treatment in Toronto, his love affair with sports evolved from a passion into a calling.
“I remember going to a Blue Jays game in Toronto, and I realized that sport instills a feeling of excitement like nothing else,” Van says. “I knew being a professional athlete wasn't how I envisioned my career as a person living with a disability and using a wheelchair. I knew I wasn’t going to be a professional NHL player, but it wasn't over for me. I knew I could still be in the sports world and combine my passion for relationship building with my love for athletics.”
“...sport instills a feeling of excitement like nothing else. I knew I could still be in the sports world and combine my passion for relationship building with my love for athletics.”
Van has already begun to carve a path that blends these passions. His dedication to disability advocacy in sport was recognized earlier this year when he received the Terry Fox Humanitarian Award. Looking ahead to his career, Van has identified an area of the sports industry that he is uniquely suited to address—para-athlete sponsorship—and he’s come to Saint Mary’s to gain the education he needs to start making waves in the industry.
Van plans to use his Sports Business degree to work with para-athletes
“I've always wanted to manage the sponsorships of para-athletes,” he says. “I love them. They're people like me, and giving them an opportunity to be a pro, to be recognized, and to get more recognition from able-bodied people is something I’m passionate about—because these athletes are extremely talented, and often, nobody hears about them.”
The Sports Business major is a new specialization within the Bachelor of Commerce program at Saint Mary’s. It’s designed to give students like Van hands-on experience that prepares them to work in the world of athletics. The program is also unique in Atlantic Canada, helping to nurture Maritime talent right here at home. The timing of the new major was perfect for Van.
“One of the main reasons I came to Saint Mary’s was the sports business program. I was looking at universities outside of Atlantic Canada because I knew this was what I wanted to do, and I was prepared to move to pursue the education I needed. The minute SMU announced that they were introducing a new major in sports business, I immediately applied. And when I got in, I was thrilled.”
“The minute SMU announced that they were introducing a new major in sports business, I immediately applied. And when I got in, I was thrilled.”
Offering courses in sports marketing, sports and sustainability, and sports law, the major combines classroom learning with experience-based projects to equip students to thrive in a fast-paced and in-demand industry. For Van, that education is an invaluable foundation to build the career of his dreams.
“I’ve done lots of advocacy work for disability rights,” Van says. “That’s my path, that’s what I want to do, and I’m continuing to do that work right here at Saint Mary’s.”
As one of the 2025 recipients of the prestigious Sobey National Innovator Scholarship, Van is part of the Sobey Scholars Network with fellow students, alumni and faculty (shown here).
First-year student Frances MacLeod wins AUS Cross Country Championship
Academic Integrity Week: November 3-6, 2025
Academic integrity is the foundation of higher learning. It refers to a set of ethical values relating to how we treat our sources of knowledge, and how new knowledge is constructed and shared with others. The values of academic integrity go beyond student citation mistakes, plagiarism and cheating, as the technical manifestations of violations associated with it. Academic integrity is a shared responsibility among all members of the University community.
The aim of this week-long event is to engage students, faculty and staff in learning and sharing with others how they can uphold academic integrity to increase student success and promote the ethical values of scholarly dialogue and respectful knowledge creation.
Schedule of events
Faculty Panel Session:
Moving beyond the regulations: How do we make Academic Integrity a meaningful concept for our students?
Monday, November 3, 2025
10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Virtual Event
The panel will be moderated by Dr. Jason Grek-Martin, Chairperson of Academic Senate and the Senate Committee on Academic Integrity.
Are you curious what happens when you submit an Academic Integrity Incident Report? Do you want to learn more about how potential violations are assessed and what outcomes are possible? Are you interested in discussing ways to make the existing procedures even better? Then, as part of SMU’s upcoming Academic Integrity Week, I invite you to attend “Faculty Forum: Understanding the Academic Integrity Process.”
Zoom link
Meeting ID: 841 2841 8597 Passcode: 762731
Academic Integrity Pop-Up Information Table – Spin to Win!
Tuesday, November 4, 2025
Noon-2 p.m.
Loyola Colonnade
Drop by the academic integrity information table at Loyola L Colonnade by Tim Hortons, Nov 4th (noon – 2 pm) and test your knowledge of academic integrity. Spin the wheel for a chance to win prizes.
Avoiding Academic Mistakes Workshop
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
Library LI135
Join us for pizza and chat with the Writing Centre and Library staff about academic integrity and how to avoid common academic mistakes. This workshop is designed to provide you with resources to help with your writing, research, and proper citations/references. This is also an opportunity to meet with representatives from SMUSA and the Peer Success Coaching Program to find out how they can best support you.
Copyright and Credibility Workshop
Thursday, November 6, 2025
10-11 a.m.
Library LI135/Zoom
Academic Integrity, Copyright, and Your Thesis
Academic integrity and copyright are closely intertwined. For thesis writers and future authors, academic integrity goes beyond citation. This workshop explores the link between academic integrity, copyright and scholarly publishing. Learn the copyright rules for incorporating third-party works (charts, images) into your thesis, and the ethical use of materials in this Academic Integrity Week workshop where you can discover practical tips for balancing legal rights with academic responsibilities.
Presenters:
Dan Phillips, Data Services and Copyright Librarian
Sarah West, Library Assistant, Copyright
Meeting ID: 830 9509 0825 Passcode: 577234
Citation Station: activities, fun resources and prizes
Thursday, November 6, 2025
11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Outside of the Writing Centre, Burke 115
Drop by the Citation Station outside the Writing Centre to learn about citations and plagiarism, to receive writing and referencing help on your papers and for the chance to win prizes!
Nova Scotia students team up for first Provincial Innovation Sprint
Saint Mary’s and NSCC students participated together in an Innovation Sprint for The Dordéan Suites of Chester
Students from Saint Mary’s University and Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) came together for the first-ever Provincial Innovation Sprint on September 26 at NSCC’s Lunenburg Campus in Bridgewater, NS.
The day marked the start of a new two-year partnership between the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre and NSCC, designed to connect students and local businesses across Nova Scotia through hands-on innovation challenges.
Ten students, five from each institution, were paired up to help The Dordéan Suites of Chester, a social enterprise that provides meaningful employment opportunities for adults with disabilities. Their task was to develop new ideas to promote the cabin’s unique features and reach a younger audience looking for memorable, local getaways.
Over four hours, the teams brainstormed, sketched and refined their ideas with guidance from faculty mentors and NSCC representative Nicole Osmond. Students proposed themed getaway packages, wellness experiences and ways to highlight the cabins’ story through community partnerships and social media.
For business owners Renena and Shawn Joy, the experience was both exciting and inspiring.
“We had a great experience participating in the Innovation Sprint,” they shared. “It was inspiring to see students bring creativity, fresh ideas and energy to the challenges at The Dordéan Suites of Chester. Their innovative solutions and thoughtful presentations were an excellent example of the value of collaboration and new perspectives.”
By the end of the afternoon, three teams stood out. Taking first place were Caroline MacPhee and Abbigail Leslie-Bigelow, both NSCC students, whose concept drew on their Irish heritage. They envisioned transforming a common space into an area for meditation and healing activities, working with local wellness and cultural groups to bring the idea to life. Impressed by their thoughtful approach, Renena and Shawn offered them a complimentary stay at the cabin as a thank you.
Second place went to Dwiesha Swann and Mannat Gogia from Saint Mary’s and Amber Davis from NSCC, while third place went to Hazzaa Sujeer and Kathleen Steele, both from Saint Mary’s.
The event was a chance for students to apply what they’ve learned, collaborate with peers from another institution and see how their ideas can make a tangible difference for a local business.
More events like this are planned across the province, giving students the opportunity to turn creativity into impact one challenge at a time.
Learn more about Innovation Sprints and how you can get involved here.
Saint Mary's University wins the Enactus World Cup!
The Enactus Saint Mary’s team has captured the global championship at the 25th Enactus World Cup in Bangkok, Thailand. Their 12-minute presentation on two student-run social enterprises—Alaagi and Square Roots—outperformed finalists from Zimbabwe, Tunisia and Germany. This victory marks the first world title for Saint Mary’s University, which competed against 28 national champion teams from around the globe.
Twenty-one students and staff from the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre represented Team Canada. Co-Presidents Courtney Dingle and Sarah Wheeler, along with Gabe Martin BA’25, led the team through a year of groundbreaking work.
"The true win here isn't the trophy, it's the global proof that profit and purpose can coexist,” says Courtney Dingle. “We are constantly showing that our generation is ready to redefine what a successful business looks like. We're building enterprises that heal the planet."
Alaagi: Revolutionizing packaging with seaweed
Alaagi bio-plastic developed at Saint Mary’s
Alaagi is a revolutionary bio-plastic company aiming to disrupt the global packaging industry. The student-led venture has developed an eco-friendly and fully bio-degradable plastic wrap utilizing biopolymers sourced from seaweed.
Alaagi's innovation addresses the massive problem of single-use plastic pollution by offering a viable, compostable alternative. The team profiled Alaagi’s recent advancements to create an industry-standard film suitable for challenging applications like meat and seafood packaging. As part of the World Cup-winning presentation, the team highlighted the startup’s recent success at the Hult Prize Global Accelerator in London, UK. Alaagi was named one of the top 24 student start-ups in the world in the competition for $1 million in seed funding.
Square Roots: Turning food waste into access
Square Roots offers produce boxes to communities across Nova Scotia
Addressing dual problems of food waste and food insecurity, Square Roots purchases imperfect-looking surplus directly from local farmers and sells it at affordable prices to families in need, ensuring greater access to fresh, nutritious food for those facing economic hardship. Since its inception, the initiative has expanded across Nova Scotia and has diverted over a million pounds of food from landfills while empowering local community managers as entrepreneurs.
A win for sustainability, innovation, and Canada
"We are thrilled to celebrate the Enactus Saint Mary's team bringing home the World Cup to Canada!” said Catherine Fowler, President & CEO of Enactus Canada. “Square Roots is a leading example of how a social enterprise can grow and evolve, supporting sustainability in the community and beyond. We are also incredibly inspired by the team's innovation in single-use plastic alternatives with Alaagi™, showcasing the long-term impact of investing in early-stage projects. This win truly represents the strength of our teams and program in Canada, which we couldn't achieve without the incredible support of the faculty advisors, volunteers and donors."
This recognition, winning the Enactus World Cup, is a momentous achievement for Saint Mary’s University, Nova Scotia and Canada, showcasing student entrepreneurship, impact and innovation on the world stage.
Enactus Saint Mary’s represented Canada in the global competition
“This world championship is a powerful reminder of what our students are capable of achieving when creative minds come together to make great things happen,” says Michael Khan, Saint Mary’s President and Vice-Chancellor. “Their innovation, resilience and drive are changing communities here in Nova Scotia, while inspiring solutions for global challenges. The entire Saint Mary’s community are immensely proud of them.”
Saint Mary's commitment to entrepreneurship, championed by the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre, drives this success. The university cultivates an entrepreneurial mindset, focused on problem-solving, resilience and creativity across all faculties, ensuring students like those behind Alaagi and Square Roots have the holistic support to achieve global impact.
"This global title is validation that our students aren't just learning about business, they are actively building world-class, scalable solutions for major global problems," says Michael Sanderson, Director of the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre. "To see Alaagi, fresh off being named a Top 24 startup at the Hult Prize in London, combined with the proven impact of Square Roots, recognized at the international level, is a source of immense pride. These students are true change makers."
Watch the winning presentation:
Saint Mary’s students help unlock black hole secrets
The most violent places in the universe are being studied right here at Saint Mary’s – by both graduate and undergraduate students
New funding from the Canadian Space Agency is helping push that research even further. $100,000 in support for Canada’s role in the XRISM mission is now backing the work of Dr. Luigi Gallo and his student team, Saint Mary’s AstrophysicS High-Energy ResearcherS or the SMASHERS.
Keegan Riggs
“Working with SMASHERS has been incredible,” says Keegan Riggs, a third-year undergraduate physics and astrophysics student at Saint Mary’s University. “The group is a mix of students and post-doc fellows. It’s been really cool getting their experience and applying it to my courses now.”
“Everyone has their own research they are working on,” says Keegan. “Every week we meet up, share our progress and bounce things off each other – we ‘smash’ our ideas together. It really helps expand our understanding.”
Dr. Gallo’s team includes graduate students, postdocs, and undergraduates who take part in every part of the research process, from crafting telescope proposals and analyzing data, writing papers and presenting at international conferences.
“Students are involved right from the beginning,” says Dr. Gallo, Professor of Astronomy and Physics at Saint Mary’s University. “They write proposals, analyze the data, and carry out full projects. And now, with this new funding, they can go even deeper – including travel, publishing and presenting internationally.”
XRISM is a next-generation X-ray observatory
XRISM is an international space mission that studies black holes, exploding stars, and the chaotic cosmic environments that shape galaxies.
Led by Japan’s space agency (JAXA) with support from NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), XRISM is a next-generation X-ray observatory that is now collecting data that scientists have been waiting decades to see.
Dr. Luigi Gallo
“These are the major instruments of our time,” says Dr. Gallo. “Everyone’s heard of Hubble – but XRISM, Euclid, and James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST, are the missions defining astrophysics right now. Students at Saint Mary’s are not just participating, they are leading the work.”
Black holes themselves do not emit light, but their surroundings do. XRISM captures and decodes high-energy X-rays coming from these regions, where matter is pulled in, torn apart and sometimes ejected at unimaginable speed.
“Most of my friends I see every day are also in the astronomy program and we talk about our courses and hang out. We’ve built a connection through school,” says Keegan. “I’ve always been interested in black holes, specifically supermassive black holes, AGNs, that are actively accreting materials powering the environment”.
Research with impact: why it matters
Black holes shape the universe. Their gravitational pull and energetic outflows help form galaxies and forge the elements we rely on, like the iron in our blood and the calcium in our bones.
XRISM is like an MRI for the cosmos. It uses X-rays to reveal the invisible, giving scientists a high-resolution view of extreme events happening thousands or even millions of light-years away.
SMU students are at the table. This is not a simulation or classroom exercise. Students are analyzing real data from one of today's most advanced space missions.
“We think of black holes as things that suck everything in, but the reality is, they also throw material out,” says Dr. Gallo. “That material can crash into the galaxy around it, affecting how stars form and the galaxy evolves.”
Supporting student success through research excellence
Some of the most recent SMASHERS include postdoctoral fellows Yerong Xu and Adam Gonzalez, graduate students Jordan Adamski, Thomas Hodd, Margaret Buhariwalla and Cameron Semenchuck, and undergraduate students Jade Cameron, Lucienne Pothier-Bogoslowski and Keegan Riggs.
Lucy Pothier-Bogoslowski BSc’25, SMASHERS member and 2025 Governor General’s Silver Medal recipient
“These projects are hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars to build and launch,” says Dr. Gallo. “Now our students are working on the science that comes out of them.”
The XRISM funding is part of a larger $2.8 million announcement from the Canadian Space Agency, supporting space science at 14 Canadian universities.
For Saint Mary’s and the SMASHERS team, this is another example of how world-class research and hands-on student opportunity go hand in hand – blending community impact and academic excellence into a single, realized goal.
“Dr. Gallo is really kind, and he cares not only about your research but also about you as a person,” says Keegan. “He’s helped me with my research, of course, but also with everyday stuff.”
Visit smu.ca/astronomy-physics to explore research opportunities, student stories and more.
Alaagi joins Nestlé & UNESCO Top 100 Global Start-Ups
Tyler MacLean, Vaishali Sachdeva and Sheheryar Khan BSc’25 DipENG’25 competed for the Hult Prize in London
Summer 2025 has been a landmark season for Alaagi, a cleantech startup founded by recent Saint Mary’s University graduate Sheheryar Khan BSc’25 DipENG’25.
After spending August in London, UK at the Hult Prize Global Accelerator, Khan and teammates Tyler MacLean and Vaishali Sachdeva returned home to even bigger news: Alaagi has been named one of the Top 100 Global Start-ups by the Nestlé and UNESCO Youth Impact: Because You Matter program.
The recognition includes a grant and six months of mentorship designed to help young innovators strengthen sustainable food systems through regenerative agriculture, climate change solutions, and packaging innovations.
“The Hult Prize accelerator was completely transformative,” said Sheheryar Khan. “To spend a month with global leaders, investors, and other start-ups gave us insights and connections that would have taken years to build. Now, being recognized by Nestlé and UNESCO confirms our mission is resonating.”
Alaagi is developing compostable, seaweed-based bioplastic films for seafood and meat packaging. In the past year:
Alaagi has secured over $11 million in commercial LOIs, including pilots with Sobeys and High Liner Foods.
The company has received four purchase orders and won $165K in non-dilutive funding.
Alaagi is being presented at Enactus World Cup, through Enactus Saint Mary’s, in Bangkok, Thailand.
Alaagi will soon head to Paris for the Nestlé/UNESCO showcase event.
Learn more about entrepreneurship opportunities for students through SMU’s Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre.
Undergraduate students lead groundbreaking research on refugee youth resilience
Jacqueline Moore and Melissa Álvarez Del Angel travelled to Manitoba this summer as part of their summer research project
This summer, Honours Psychology students Melissa Álvarez Del Angel and Jacqueline Moore participated in hands-on research in the Finding Your Resilience (FYRe) Lab, led by Dr. Margherita Cameranesi, Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology.
Melissa, a Bachelor of Science student, was awarded the Dean of Science Access to Research Award. Jacqueline, a Bachelor of Arts student, was awarded the SSHRC Explore Undergraduate Summer Research Award. These competitive awards supported their involvement in the research project.
Melissa and Jacqueline flying to Manitoba
Dr. Margherita Cameranesi, Department of Psychology
Through these opportunities, Melissa and Jacqueline played key roles in an SSHRC-funded, youth-led and community-directed research project involving racialized refugee youth aged 16-21 who resettled in the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The research project explores mental health priorities and stories of resilience of 30 youth participants who have been recruited in partnership with the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba (IRCOM) to share their experiences post-resettlement.
Melissa and Jacqueline co-facilitated 20 walking interviews – an innovative and participatory method that allows young people to guide researchers through their neighbourhoods while sharing stories of resilience. These walking routes, chosen by the youth themselves, generated rich data through conversation, observation and photos. By allowing participants to set the pace and direction of the interviews, the method helps rebalance power dynamics and honours the voices of young refugees.
During their summer research internships, Melissa and Jacqueline collaborated with IRCOM staff, helped organize research activities and received hands-on mentorship from Dr. Cameranesi on conducting culturally responsive and trauma-informed research. They have gained invaluable skills in community-based participatory action research and in working respectfully with newcomer youth.
The next phase of the project will involve training Melissa and Jacqueline in qualitative thematic analysis, where they will interpret narrative and visual data to help identify the community supports, spaces and relationships that help refugee youth thrive.
This research exemplifies the power of student-facilitated inquiry, community partnership, and inclusive methodologies to advance mental health equity and amplify the voices of underserved youth.
At Saint Mary’s, small class sizes and access to professors provide many opportunities for undergraduate research. Undergraduate students can experience working as a paid research assistant, taking part in field work, presenting at conferences or even pursuing their original research. Learn more about undergraduate summer research opportunities and follow @smuhalifax to hear from more of our summer research students.
Sobey MBA students gain global perspective through immersive learning in Mexico
Business looks different when you step outside your own borders. That’s precisely what Sobey MBA students discovered in Mexico this summer, where they partnered with local companies to tackle real business challenges while gaining firsthand insight into global consulting practices. In July, Sobey School of Business MBA students travelled to Mexico for their International Immersion Experience (SMBA 6500)—a mandatory, three-credit course that is a signature element of the program. Each year, a new location is chosen for this course, with Mexico selected as the 2025 destination.
Over a week, students stepped beyond the Canadian classroom to work directly with Mexican businesses to complete consulting projects. They applied the skills and frameworks developed during their first year of the program, adapting to shifting client needs and delivering professional recommendations—all while navigating cultural differences that challenged them to think in new ways. Their experience extended beyond the boardrooms, with visits to local companies, cooking sessions, guided tours and historic sites that deepened their understanding of how culture and business intersect.
The program's businesses are carefully chosen to reflect the Sobey School of Business values of entrepreneurship, cultural awareness, innovation, sustainability and social responsibility. This ensures that when students step into international settings, they encounter work that is both relevant and meaningful, broadening their perspectives while reinforcing their skills.
The International Immersion Experience is designed to replicate the realities of international consulting. Students are challenged to apply classroom learning to real-world problems while navigating cross-cultural communication, diverse business practices, and the need to pivot quickly when expectations change.
“Every time we return, students tell us this was the moment they realized how much they had grown,” said Chantal Hervieux, Associate Professor and MBA Director. “They see their skills in action, pivot with confidence and come back with a new lens on both business and the world. It’s transformational.”
Beyond consulting practice, students return with broadened perspectives, deeper cultural awareness and a more comprehensive understanding of global business. The program also works to challenge common assumptions, encouraging students to recognize the sophistication and scale of businesses outside of North America and Europe.
Unlike many business schools, where international travel is offered as an elective, the International Immersion Experience course is a required component for the Sobey MBA. This commitment ensures that every graduate leaves with hands-on international consulting experience, cultural literacy and the ability to work across borders—skills that set Sobey MBA graduates apart.
By combining rigorous academics with experiential learning, the 16-month Sobey MBA prepares students to lead with purpose and impact in today’s interconnected world.