Slideshow: Feb. 28 Town Hall with Treasury Board President, MP Scott Brison
The Honourable Scott Brison came to campus Feb. 28, for a town hall with students, faculty and staff about the federal budget.
Student entrepreneurs from across Canada at Saint Mary’s for business development conference
Pictured here are (l-r): event organizer Kaitlyn Touesnard; Dr. Patricia Bradshaw, Dean, Sobey School of Business; Andy Fillmore, Member of Parliament for Halifax; Michael Sanderson and Sarah Meany, both of the Sobey School Business Development Centre.
Andy Filllmore, Member of Parliament for Halifax, helped welcome more than 180 budding business owners to the Starting Point Entrepreneurship Conference running at Saint Mary’s from Feb 20-22. Student entrepreneurs have come from across Canada to develop their business ideas, learn from experts and vie for business funding.
The conference brings student entrepreneurs from post-secondary institutions and high schools from across the country together to work with entrepreneurs, CEOs and start-up experts. The students have the chance to work directly with the entrepreneurs to help bring their business ideas to fruition or grow an existing business. At the end of the conference, students have a chance to win cash investments for their businesses.
“Young entrepreneurs play a crucial role in growing the Canadian economy and, as such, help ensure our country’s long-term prosperity,” said Andy Fillmore, MP for Halifax, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). “Giving this latest generation of innovators the tools they need to succeed is critical to building a strong and vibrant future for all Canadians. The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting business start-ups and creating jobs for the middle class and those looking to join it.”
This conference wouldn’t be possible without the support of the local business community, key partnerships and financial support. This includes an investment of more than $150,000 over two years from the Government of Canada through ACOA’s Business Development Program.
The conference is organized by the Saint Mary’s University Sobey School Business Development Centre (SSBDC). Over the past five years, SSBDC programs have provided opportunities to more than 4,500 students, allowing them to be engaged in curricular and extra-curricular activities.
To learn more about the Starting Point Conference visit www.startingpointconference.com.
BComm Grad Sayem Taking Flight in Bangladesh
See the original story at http://www.smu.ca/academics/sobey/blogs/blogentries/flightexpert.html
Building the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem... on Facebook
See the original story at http://www.smu.ca/academics/sobey/blogs/blogentries/ns-startup-community.html
Saint Mary’s takes a close second in New England venture capital competition
Premier Stephen McNeil acknowledges Saint Mary's team during 2018 State of the Province Address: "You demonstrated to us what's possible."
A team of Sobey School of Business graduate and undergraduate students took second place in the Venture Capital Investment Competition (New England region), held in Boston.
On February 2, the Saint Mary’s students joined teams from MIT, Babson, Yale, Rochester and Dartmouth in evaluating three entrepreneur’s pitches, and completing a term sheet describing which they would invest in, and why.
Finalists Saint Mary’s and Rochester then negotiated with their entrepreneur. Industry professionals judged the competition based on the quality of analysis and insight and the calibre of the final deal. The final judging was 6/6, meaning Saint Mary’s had tied with Rochester. To determine a winner, the judges referred back to initial discussions with the entrepreneurs, which gave Rochester the edge.
The students who competed were chosen from Saint Mary’s venture capital program and the multi-university Venture Grade student venture capital fund. Competing were Findlay Hilchie and Anu Gupta, from the Master of Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation program; Stephanie Fitzner, BComm; and David Hatcher and Avi Chandrapati of the MBA program. Stu Clow (MBA) was the shadow.
In March, Sobey School will host the Canadian VCIC at Saint Mary’s University.
Recognition is accorded to team coach Ellen Farrell and local business leaders who helped the students prepare: Rob Barbara, Build Ventures; Andrew Ray, Innovacorp; and Chris Legg, Progress Partners of Boston and CENE member.
Sobey School of Business MBA program recognized for quality
QS, a global career and education network, has released its worldwide ranking of the top MBA programs. Saint Mary’s University’s Sobey School of Business MBA program ranked #10 in Canada and in the top 200 internationally.
QS rankings are based on three surveys: a global academic survey, a global employer survey and a survey completed by universities. Institutions are rated on performance in categories of Employability, ROI, Entrepreneurship and Alumni Outcomes, Thought Leadership and Diversity. Learn more about their methodology here.
Sobey scored 3rd in diversity, 6th in ROI and 9th in entrepreneurship and alumni success in the Canadian list. The school ranked 44th in the world for diversity. Other universities on the list include Toronto, Western, McGill, York, Queen’s, HEC Montreal, UBC, University of Alberta and Simon Fraser.
Dean Patricia Bradshaw
“We are proud that the Sobey School of Business offers world-class education, and we remain committed to making an impact with purpose,” said Dean Patricia Bradshaw. “We are particularly proud of this recognition of our diversity.”
“One of our key strengths is our faculty members’ diversity and the way they set the tone for international and domestic students working together, collaboratively and inclusively.”
The Sobey MBA program, redesigned in 2015, incorporates immersive experiences such as local service and an international trip that offers students cross-cultural opportunities to experience and learn global business up close. The well-respected program has been graduating students for more than 40 years.
QS is a global organization that links students with higher education institutions. They host well-attended and known MBA recruitment events, and have staff offices throughout the world.
Research symposium discusses impacts of changing demographics in Atlantic Canada
A discussion on the future of work and housing in Atlantic Canada is underway today at Saint Mary’s University. The Impact of Demographic Shift on the Future of Work and Housing in Atlantic Canada (Nova Scotia perspective) is a one-day research symposium to discuss the future of work and housing in Atlantic Canada in light of the region's aging population.
Keynote speakers include:
- Simon D’Entremont, Deputy Minister, Nova Scotia Department of Seniors
- Dr. Suzanne Cook, York University
The event also features two panels of experts, who bring years of experience to the discussion.
Panel on the Future of Work
- Dr. Karen Foster, Dalhousie University
- Thomas Storring, Nova Scotia Department of Finance and Treasury
- Jo-anne Stone, The Stone Group
- Ian MacDonald, Volunteer Chair CARP N.S.
- Moderator: Terry Murphy, Saint Mary’s University
Panel on the Future of Housing
- Dr. Martha MacDonald, Saint Mary’s University
- Jillian MacLellan, Halifax Regional Municipality
- Benjamin Nycum, Nycum William & Associates
- Kevin Hooper, United Way Halifax
- Moderator: Ian Munro, Halifax Partnership
Similar events are planned in NB, PEI, and NL. Based on the proceedings of these events, the Atlantic Research Group on Economics of Immigration, Aging, and Diversity will prepare a report to be released in the coming months.
Sino-Canadian Trade Summit at Saint Mary's
Trade experts, government officials, business executives and researchers came together on Thursday, November 16th, to discuss trade between China and Nova Scotia at Saint Mary’s University. The summit provided a platform for the exploration of trade and business relationships between Nova Scotia and China, as well as enhancing educational and cultural understanding.
Speakers and presenters included:
- Dr. Prof. Ye Jianmin, Dean of the School of Management, Xiamen University will attend as the designated representative of the President of Xiamen University
- Karen Oldfield, President & CEO, Halifax Port Authority
- Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, President and Vice-Chancellor of Saint Mary’s University
- Joyce Carter, President & CEO, Halifax International Airport Authority
- William Allaway, CEO and Owner, Acadian Maple Products
- Ian Smith, CEO, Clearwater Seafoods Limited Partnership
- Dr. Stephen Jones, CEO, 4Deep
The goals of the summit were to:
- Celebrate existing trade relations between Nova Scotia and China
- Explore ways to grow bilateral trade
- Build mutual understanding and cultural appreciation across cultures
Speakers included experts in international trade, Canadian and Chinese government representatives, and local business leaders with trade experience.
The Nova Scotia Sino-Canadian Trade Summit was a partnership between Saint Mary’s University, the Confucius Institute at Saint Mary’s University, and the Sobey School of Business.
ACOA Invests $300k into business growth and startup programming
See the original story at http://www.smu.ca/academics/sobey/bdc-funding-announcement-2017.html
SMU makes the podium at international portfolio competition
Saint Mary’s University is proud to recognize the great work of Stephanie Fitzner, Amaan Popatiya, Jarrett Leach, and Jordan Logan who made the podium in the prestigious 2017 McGill International Portfolio Challenge. This IMPACT team of undergraduate students ranked 3rd among more than 60 competing teams from universities including: Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of California Berkeley and the University of Toronto.
In the presentation, the Saint Mary’s team had ten minutes to provide sound investment advice for a real-world challenge: how to rebalance the defined benefits pension plan of a lumber company in British Columbia. After a great presentation, the team finished in third place and received a $7500 prize.
The McGill International Portfolio Challenge is the first international competition targeting innovative portfolio design and asset management. It is truly unique in its mandate to shift the focus of academic competitions to the buy-side and to provide students with more visibility on opportunities therein. The challenge bridges the gap between students with a demonstrated interest in asset management and industry leaders.
To be considered for the competition, all teams had to evaluate a case study and submit their solution online. The top teams were selected to participate in a final round in person taking place at McGill University.
Every year the Saint Mary’s team greatly benefits from the volunteer coaching of Ross Hallett, from the Bank of Montreal. The team is directed by Dr. Najah Attig and supported by the Sobey School of Business.
Sobey School Business Development Centre offers coaching to help Atlantic companies grow and succeed
See the orginal story at http://www.smu.ca/academics/sobey/growth-coaching-program-announced.html