February 2019

FOR BUSINESS STUDENTS, BY BUSINESS STUDENTS ™

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Alberta School of Business

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Emma RIPKA

FEBRUARY 19’ Student governance & leadership

T H O U G H T V S T H O U G H T >>

E X T E R N A L R E L AT I O N S >>

M I S C E L L A N E O U S >>

The Leadership Certificate, yay or nay?

Meet Rasheed Abouhassan, a former BSA president.

How to build leadership skills.

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Table of Contents

CONTENTS SOCIAL STUDIES Upcoming Federal Elections

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EVENTS THIS MONTH Interdisciplinary Consulting Association (ICA)

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GUEST ARTICLE Sustainability Council at the U of A

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LF REVIEWS The Student Union - What do they actually do?

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LAZY CHAT Darby Walton

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FASHION Ryan Payne - Fashion Entrepreneurship FYI Student Elections - Why Get Involved?

THOUGHT VS. THOUGHT Leadership Certificate - Yay or Nay? STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Emma Ripka EXTERNAL RELATIONS Rasheed Abouhassan - Past BSA President CLUBS CORNER Business Leasership Club (BLA)

BSA Wellness Initiative: Peer Support Centre How to Build Leadership Skills

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Editor’s Note

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o the leaders of tomorrow, February’s issue goes out to you! Acquiring a university education holds great value, not only in the knowledge that you've acquired through your classes, but also in the skills that you picked up in pursuit of your degree. One of the most highly valued skills that employers consistently seek and recognize is leadership. This month’s theme is Student Governance and Leadership. The featured articles are dedicated towards the topic of leadership as it applies to students in general, but specifically to business students as well.

We are pleased to recognize past and current students who have taken on leadership positions within the faculty of business. As part of the theme, our writers have sought out some exciting opportunities to get involved in leadership on campus, to help give students ideas on ways that they can practice utilizing their leadership skills, while making a difference. This issue will inspire the leader in you to seek new challenges, and to be inspired by the remarkable stories of students just like you. Read on!

Rodvie Barnachea

RODVIE BARNACHEA Editor-in-Chief

Haya Masri

HAYA MASRI Editor-in-Chief

CONTRIBUTORS

VALERIE LEOW VP Editorial

DYLAN WEE Photographer

DENISE NGUYEN Writer

JOANNA FADDOUL VP Art & Design

KATIE FITZGERALD VP Editorial

AUSTIN YEE Photographer

TYLER KEFFER Writer

MELANIA ANTOSZKO Designer

ELIZABETH JUN VP Marketing

DIANE JEON Photographer & Writer

CLEO WILLIAMS Writer

LEIRE DOMENECH Designer

ERICA WEE Social Media Director

ERICA HU Photographer

RACHITA CHUGH Writer

ALYSSA RICIOPPO Designer

ALEX HO Suits LF Director & Photographer

WYATT LYNDS Writer

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ERICA WEE Social Media Director

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Meet the Team

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RODVIE BARNACHEA Co-Editor-in-Chief

Five words that describe me are Ambitious, Adventurous, Caring, Loyal and Driven.

Describe yourself in five words.

Creative, empathetic, reflective, dedicated, realistic

1. Describe yourself in five words.

Loving. Humorous. Religious.

Writer. Baboy.

In my spare time, I like to stay active by spending time outdoors with friends and family.

What’s your favourite hobby?

I enjoy making music, especially with friends! Picking up guitar has been a great way to challenge myself and share music with others.

2. What’s your favourite hobby?

Lifting heavy stuff and putting it down.

Best study spot on campus?

My personal favourite is the business library- it’s close to my classes, warm during the winter, and best of all, they have outlets at every desk.

4. What’s your favourite movie quote?

“Do you know what the best part of today was? I got the chance to fall in love with you all over again.” - Shrek to Fiona

What’s your favourite movie quote?

“Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

You’re my only hope.” -Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope

5. Why did you join Lazy Faire?

My parents have owned a Filipino restaurant since I was in kindergarten. I’ve been writing since I was in grade two. I thought that a club that married both business and writing was perfect for me.

The idea of creators collaborating and publishing their ideas was something I wanted to be a part of. The team members I’ve met and have become friends with, the people I’ve interviewed and read about, and the articles I’ve written have truly been a blessing for my undergraduate career. I’m now in my second year with Lazy Faire, and the experience has been far more than I hoped for.

The best spot to study on campus is Winspear Library.

“Life was like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.”

I joined Lazy Faire to meet new people and become involved within the business community!

Why did you join Lazy Faire?

I joined Lazy Faire because I wanted to become more connected with the community at the Alberta School of Business while using one of my passions! It’s been awesome working with such a neat team of individuals and developing my own skills along the way.

3. Best study spot on campus?

Rutherford North, main floor.

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Social Studies

Upcoming Federal Elections Calling all 18+ Canadian citizens residing in electoral districts!

2019 is a wild year for Canadian politics - with Alberta’s general election happening May 31, and the 43rd Canadian federal election scheduled for October 21, all 18+ eyes are (or should be) on the poll forecasts and campaigns to see how the battle lines will be drawn. The federal election is deserving of considerable attention, in light of international relations, pipeline court rulings, and rising attention of social issues by millennials, the greatest voting base. But to be an informed voter, where does one begin?

Firstly, identify key issues that you wish to see addressed in political leaders’ platforms. John Geddes (2018) from Maclean’s argues that the core issues of contestation between the parties will include the recent carbon tax proposal, handling immigration, the idea of pharmacare (or full drug coverage), and trade relations between Canada and the Angry Creamsicle. Katrina Onstad (2018) from Chatelaine offers more of a social lens, encouraging readers to look out for topics such as universal childcare and feminism. How political leaders choose to respond to these files in their campaigns could determine where citizens, particularly moderates will sway come October.

For the federal election, the front-lines are composed of Justin Trudeau of the Liberal Party, Jagmeet Singh of the NDP Party, and Andrew Scheer of the Conservative Party. Though the Green Party would not have been considered a prominent figure in the past, the political chargedness surrounding climate change and action has lifted the party, albeit minimally. A CBC Power and Politics Q&A video from October 2018 with three federal campaign veterans pointed fingers at the current Prime Minister’s carbon tax proposal, reflecting its effectiveness. The Conservative party has yet to release their own climate action policy, but they have been a historic opponent of the concept of taxing for the environment. Davide Herle, co-chair of former Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne, says “‘We’ve got to save the world’ - especially as contrasted against Scheer saying simply, ‘We don’t want to raise taxes’”.

(Maclean’s, 2018). Prospective popularity would tip back into the Liberals’ favour if they can find a way to continuously loop the tax collections back to the hands of the voters.

Beyond these points of debate, most political strategists say that elections are won or lost based on the stories party leaders tell about who they are and what those narratives convey about how they would govern (Geddes, 2018). Trudeau and Scheer have both publicly commented that the upcoming campaigns are going to be “nasty”, which Dimitri Pantazopoulos, partner at Maple Leaf Strategies, suggested to be odd, as Scheer is arguably the less harsh leader in comparison to Harper, and he doesn’t see this “nastiness” in Singh’s character either. Nonetheless, with the prospects of negative campaigning on the horizon, it’ll be imperative to separate what is considered irrelevant attacks on a political leader, and addressing the weaknesses in an opponent’s platform.

Overall, figuring out the issues that you feel strongly about, researching how political parties are planning on tackling these issues, and critically analyzing the feasibility of these platforms is imperative to informed voting. This research, however, will be moot if you’re not a registered voter. To register to be on the Voting List, visit ereg.elections.ca/CWelcome.aspx?lang=e.

Written by Diane Jeon

Designed by Leire Domenech

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Fashion

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Ryan Payne: Fashion Entrepreneur It’s a Friday afternoon and Ryan Payne walks into Remedy wearing a 100% cashmere camel colour Duchamp coat, a piece which I later found out he got for free (a perk of his relationship with the brand). As a fashion entrepreneur, member of start-up internet service provider weavenetworks.com, professor, and ASoB alumni (among many other things) Payne credits his success to his ability to build relationships in an increasingly distant world. “A lot of people, don’t actually understand etiquette these days and they don’t understand reciprocity,” he says, continuing to mention “in a digital world, everyone writes emails but they don’t actually take the time to stop and write a thank you note.”

In contrast to the worldwide pattern of replacing face-to-face contact with the internet, Payne has dedicated himself to going the extra mile to foster personal relationships. “Everyone has a moniker about themselves, and I always say that I want to be known as a kind person,” he says. It’s this kindness that has helped him build an enviably large network of friends. He also admits that being an Albertan creates determination. “I recognize that fashion was never going to be Edmonton’s main thing,” he laughs, but this lack of an industry makes people extremely driven. “That’s why you see people coming out of Alberta, taking over and doing amazing,” he says excitedly. Vogue featured fashion designer Sid Neigum is among the few who have made it out of Alberta to the global fashion stage.

Referencing Malcolm Gladwell’s book Tipping Point, Payne recognizes himself as a connector. “My job is to know the people who are the best at things so everybody just knows me,” he says, “that’s where that digital relationship doesn’t matter, it’s the physical relationship.”

Building his career on trust and a solid work ethic, Payne has reached numerous milestones. Included in his many accomplishments is having a dressing room named after him. “You can actually pay 10 pound to go into the Ryan Payne dressing room at Selfridges, it’s really crazy!” he remarks.

But it’s not simply Payne’s way with people that has given him opportunities, he’s also well educated in both the business and creative aspects of the fashion industry. “I’m really really lucky I did a business degree and I always recommend people do a business degree before a fashion degree,” he says. In addition to the University of Alberta, Payne has studied at Ryerson University, Antwerp Academy of Belgium, Harvard, and is moving to Australia the coming tuesday to complete his PhD in biometric consumer behaviour. “I took classes at Harvard and I went to a few other schools and I wanted to learn what makes these guys the leaders of tomorrow,” he says. The answer he found is that students were taught, not to become managers, but to become CEOs. “You never learnt how to do a SWOT analysis, you learnt how to assess somebody else’s SWOT analysis,” he says. In addition to being passionate about gaining education, he is also passionate about sharing it. Now Payne applies the same leadership-focused teaching techniques to his own business courses.

While from the outside, fashion seems like it’s all about the visual, but the truth is beautiful clothes won’t sell if the right business strategies aren’t applied. “Fashion is an ethereal product, but it’s still a product,” he says, explaining that “it’s still supply chain, still the same accounting, still some finance so then you unpack it and you go: okay so how do I sell this thing?”

After checking his watch, Payne remarks that he’s got to be off to his next appointment. As we part ways and I watch him leave in that same exquisite coat, I can’t help noticing he’s come across first-and-foremost as kind.

Written by Cleo Williams

Designed by Leire Domenech

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STUDENT ELECTIONS

FYI

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WHY GET INVOLVED?

It is that time of year again…elections for Business Students Association. Many BCOM students wonder, why should I get involved with student government? The advantages of this involvement heavily triumph the opposing disadvantages. These advantages include networking, contributing to meaningful work, building leadership qualities, and strengthening your resume.

Every business student understands the importance of networking in order to expand job opportunities and connections. The student government offers amazing opportunities to meet many different people from many different wave lengths. Not only would you meet and work with the other members of the BSA but also large business moguls because the BSA itself contacts these individuals in order to host events for the faculty. In a nutshell, the BSA offers potential career opportunities in terms of connections.

Holding a position in the BSA allows the opportunity to participate and contribute to meaningful work.

Representing the entire business faculty is an important position and one that holds a fair amount of power. Being part of the decision-making process for an entire faculty correlates and serves as practice for a future job in management or politics. In turn, getting involved with the BSA allows BCOM students the ability to participate in meaningful work.

One of the most important advantages of getting involved with student elections is leadership experience. Campaigning, the nomination process, and forums offer valuable opportunities to build and expand leadership qualities in terms of public speaking, networking, and confidence. Even if an individual loses, they will have gained important experience for future student elections and work place management. On the other hand, if a student wins they will be able to practice and perfect their leadership skills by serving their elected position.

Lastly, participating in the student elections can mean the difference between receiving a job or being rejected. Being a member of any student government, especially the BSA, will offer a distinct advantage over other individuals when applying to jobs. This advantage derives from employers’ predisposition on student government, which includes a correlation to leadership, aspiration, charismatics, and confidence. Additionally, the public speaking experience from student elections and the BSA will offer an advantage in interviews. In total, participating in student elections will offer valuable experience which will serve beneficial in future job opportunities.

Taking all aspects of student elections into account, it is far more opportunistic to get involved as opposed to passing it up. Networking, participating in meaningful work, building leadership qualities, expanding future job prospects, and the overall experience of politics are all reasons why students should get involved with student government.

A link to the University of Alberta Business Students’ Association 2018-2019 Executive Elections can be found below, along with all important dates. http://bsaonline.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2018NominationPackage.pdf Written by Wyatt Lynds

Designed by Leire Domenech

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Thought vs. Thought

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Thought vs. thought In recent times, there has been a major push to invest time and money into education. Whether that’s obtaining a certificate, a degree, or any other type of post-secondary education, they can be very useful in landing you a job somewhere you, hopefully, want to be. A leadership certificate is no different. Such a certificate can be used to complement your existing (or future) degree, or simply be used as a standalone certificate. This would provide you with that extra push that shows you have developed further leadership abilities than those without it.

There are many advantages to obtaining a leadership certificate. Specifically, the time investment is significantly less than that of, for example, a degree, as they can be earned in under a year. Next, it’s super easy to apply. There is no shortage of finding them, whether online or in classroom format. Several universities and other institutions all offer them, usually being very similar in what information and tools they provide. The big one, if not already clarified in the name, is that a leadership certificate will also provide you with the opportunity to expand your leadership skills. This is in regard to understanding leadership concepts, learning the difference between effective and ineffective leadership techniques, and finding a style unique to you. The leadership certificate is ideal for many career choices, but especially in the business world would this certificate prove useful.

Written by Tyler Keffer

Designed by Joanna Faddoul

YAY

While the cost will vary depending on which school you plan on attending and the form (online or in class), it’s worth noting that a leadership certificate could greatly benefit your career by allowing you to get ahead compared to others that don’t have similar training already. Given that the program is relatively short, the cost wouldn’t be nearly as much as a degree and yet still qualifies you to have a greater understanding of the leadership world and, if that is somewhere you would like to be, it is likely a worthy investment.

Specifically, some traits that you could learn in such a course is confidence, fairness, respect, obtaining strong communication skills, and also how to be an inspiration to those around you.

It provides you with credibility when you have something to back up your knowledge, versus going in unarmed.

How does one know if a leadership certificate is right for them? It all depends on where you want to be in your future career. If you’re facing uncertainty, perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to have it in the event you do want or need to use it. While this is an added cost to the already expensive tuition of other post-secondary education, adding further credibility to you as a person and what you’re capable of could be the deciding factor between you or someone else for a given position. Understanding where you want to be in your future career is a good place to start on whether this investment truly may be worth it.

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Thought vs. Thought

leadership certificate Leadership certificates can be a valuable addition to your resume. They’re proof that you’ve been exposed to the concepts of ‘leadership’ and took time out of your life to practice being a leader, whatever that means.

But is that enough?

To get a leadership certification means you have ventured out to obtain the title of having gained the experience. It takes up a line or two on the resume you’re trying to build. A leadership course is different from another extracurricular activity, such as being part of a debate team or a football team, since the former is a far less straightforward. Most likely, a leadership certificate is earned by completing a short-term workshop.

The design of institution-taught courses can make or break how much you gain from it.

Same idea goes for a leadership certificate program. Some are poorly designed, and some will impact you so much that you’ll carry the knowledge you earned with you for the rest of your undergrad (ideally, your entire life, but for now, your undergrad).

Sadly, most of us forget our courses as soon as they’re done. Very little is retained when we learn something textbook-style, since we just memorize and regurgitate. You remember a little more when you apply it, like you would in an essay or a written final exam. But it’s highly unlikely that sitting in a classroom and learning about theory is what makes us a good leader. And that is the problem with leadership courses: leadership isn’t restricted to an academic setting, so why are we treating it is?

Written by Denise Nguyen

A big part of leadership is habit, meaning that the concepts must be allowed to be practiced over periods of time. With that, effective leadership is a language that you start becoming more fluent in when different situations come your way. A leadership certificate lets you gain knowledge of the main principle, and maybe lets you demonstrate it a few times, but only in situations that are set up and carefully chosen by the organizers.

Not saying that leadership courses are any less authentic, but there are leadership opportunities that come for much lower of a price, even if the word ‘leadership’ is implicit.

Leadership is full of constant reflections and habit-building.

A certificate is just that - a certificate.

Following our course analogy, these workshops are pass/fail. There is a lack of meaningful feedback if you sit in class and learn from theory. Some students may have a long way to go with developing their skills and becoming closer to the leader they want to be, more so than others. Because leadership is such a broad topic, a “one size fits all” course will not be suitable to masstrain students.

A certificate landing in someone’s hands is not the be-all and end-all of a path to leadership. That being said, leadership is not something you learn overnight. Your entire skill set and abilities will probably not be spectacular by the end of the week.

Having a leadership certificate doesn’t make you a great leader, but continually practicing effective management does.

nay

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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT EMMA RIPKA

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Student Spotlight

Globe trotter, finance major, and sustainability enthusiast, Emma Ripka is bringing her passions into her role as VP Operations & Finance on the Students’ Union. We chatted with Emma about what inspired her to be involved within the SU, as well as what she believes makes a good leader.

What made you want to become involved in student politics?

I became involved within the Students’ Union because I needed a part-time job. There was a marketing position open that I applied for, and eventually got. My role was to manage all of the marketing for the bars, as well as other businesses at the University. Once I became involved within the SU, I then learned about what the executives did, which was very appealing to me.

In general, I try to make a difference in whatever community I am part of, and this position was an awesome opportunity to make that difference.

What has been your favourite part about being involved in the SU so far?

My favourite part about being involved in the SU so far is the people that I have met. I have met so many people from all different nooks and crannies on campus that I never thought I would.

In addition, another favourite aspect of the position would be taking the things that I am learning in class and applying them to the real world. It’s wild! It is not like class. It is often stressful but I can feel myself growing as an individual.

What exactly do you do within your role?

The main responsibilities of VP OF are to ultimately oversee and create the budget. We oversee all of the different fee units that students pay. For example, we oversee the U-Pass with

Written by Katie Fitzgerald

relations to the City of Edmonton, the health and dental plan, and the seven business units within the university.

I also have my own specific platform that I try to implement, which includes: having more vegetarian options at the bars and developing a skill-sharing network. I also sit on a few different university committees, such as: the Active Transportation Committee and the Tuition and Budget Advisory Committee.

What passions are you bringing into your role as VP Operations and Finance?

I think the two things I am most passionate about in life are sustainability, both social and environmental, as well as human interaction, so I had the opportunity to creatively weave these passions into my role.

Being in charge of operations, there are many ways we can make what we do more sustainable. I also took it upon myself to revive a committee called the Social and Environmental Responsibility Committee. Its mandate is to go through the SU operations to optimize them and make them more sustainable. Through Sustain SU, I’ve met people who have the same values related to sustainability, which has been awesome.

In regards to my passion related to humans, I just really enjoy making new connections, as well as helping

Designed by Joanna Faddoul

Photograph by Alex Ho

people and making them feel comfortable. I also have opportunities to try and empower staff, and be sure that their work is recognized and appreciated.

How do you think your travels have shaped you into the person you are today?

Spending a year abroad at such a young age forced me to develop a sense of confidence and wonder that I wouldn’t learn in a classroom. I was exposed to so many new people and situations in such a condensed period of time that, every single day, I'd learn something new. Sometimes I'd end up in unpredictable or “sketchy” situations that I would have to trust myself to get out of, and it was challenging, but so worthwhile.

It opened my eyes to opportunity and strengthened my sense of cultural empathy, and overall was just a blast.

What do you think makes a good leader?

If I had to narrow it down to one thing, I would say self-awareness. Without self-awareness — everything from knowing your own traits, what kind of environment you thrive in, your type of personality, and your weaknesses — you can’t empower others. It sets the foundation for growth, and helps you create a process to accomplish your goals. Overall, self-awareness and mindfulness are definitely critical to what makes a good leader.

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Former BSA President

EXTERNAL RELATIONS RASHEED ABOUHASSAN Writeen by Denise Nguyen Photo Provided Designed by Joanna Faddoul

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External Relations

Lazy Faire catches up with former BSA President Rasheed Abouhassan as a recent ASOB graduate. Now a law student at UBC, Rasheed talks about his time as a student leader and gives some well-deserved shout-outs.

talking and listening with these people, presenting their case and giving them their options. All of those listening and interpersonal skills were learned well in my leadership positions.

What have you been up to since graduating from ASOB? I started moving to Vancouver, and have been living here since September. I’ve been taking law at the Allard School of Law at UBC.

Also, compassion and kindness. Whenever I have someone who comes to me with an issue or something they wanted addressed, it really comes down to listening and hearing them out. It’s something that is really helpful to a lawyer and giving them the best advice that you can.

What do you miss most about being BSA President?

Oof. If you miss anything at all, that is.

I do miss it. I miss coming to school every day with a purpose of other than going to class, and not just seeing my friends, but seeing my colleagues who I know are making a big impact on the school. Being president was one of the most enriching parts of my life.

Are you in any leadership positions right now?

I decided not to take on too many extra positions this year. I play rugby for the intramural team and I do probono work for clients.

Were you in any other leadership positions during your ASOB years?

I was Team Leader for orientation. I was also heavily involved with my fraternity as VP Finance, and then VP Academic. During my time as BSA president, I was President of my fraternity.

What made those leadership experiences different from each other?

Managing a fraternity and a student society are very different experiences and they each come with very specific set of challenges. Taking a similar leadership role and adapting them to circumstances, I was able to meet expectations and goals in an effective way. On the BSA, there are more external acts that rely on you to do things, while on the fraternity setting, it’s more about the gentlemen that you sharing this time with, but also that external view to the Greek system and the campus at large.

What do you think those experiences have brought to you in law school?

One of the biggest things I’ve learned was to manage interactions. I have some pro-bono clients, who don’t have time or money for legal resources. I need to be

Do you have any tips for anyone looking to run for leadership positions?

Something I hear from people who I thought would be excellent in leadership positions was whether or not they had a chance of even being elected. An electoral process is competitive, and people feel that they don’t have the time or energy or resources to do that.

People probably hear it a lot, but to just go for it. You don’t know what kind of impact you can have until you’re in that position. Even the process of running is amazing. You’re going to learn so much about speaking, developing different ideas, and basing your campaign on what you’re going to do. That’s not really an experience you’re going to get in any other way. Even if you don’t get elected, it’s always worth it to run. You honestly just don’t know who’s going to back you up and how much traction your ideas have until then.

What motivations did you have to run for BSA? Running for those positions was two-fold in wanting to be like those leaders I saw before me, but also really wanting to give back to those organizations that molded and shaped me into who I am. BSA culture and ASOB were so formative, and the same story is 100 per cent applicable to the fraternity as well. Without the guys at my fraternity, I certainly would not have been able to accomplish the things I would’ve been able to in my time in undergrad. It was basically about wanting to be a better person for the community and give back to the community.

Any last words?

I would also like to thank my wonderful executive and team members: Rachel Day, Tony, Darby, Rachel Bokenfohr, Dylan, Hassan, and all of the directors that made the BSA such a great club!

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Clubs Corner

CLUBS CORNER

Written by Valerie Leow | Designed by Joanna Faddoul

Event photos: Dylan Wee Team photo: Romy Young Photography instagram: @romyyoung.photography

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Formerly known as the Next Generation Leadership Club (NGLC), the – as of last year – recently re-branded Business Leadership Association (BLA) prides itself on hosting uniquely designed events centred around creating networking opportunities and connecting people to a wide array of resources through which they can learn the necessary skills to succeed in an increasingly competitive business environment.

This month, Lazy Faire sat down with Co-Presidents Tanya Paramapathy and Marcello Troncoso to discuss the ins and outs of the BLA. 1. What is the BLA? The club’s main focus is on offering opportunities to learn networking and other skills that a “typical” business student would have, skills that other faculties might not emphasize. A lot of their events are about meeting people in the corporate world and building connections with them, where students are able to learn skills that will aid them as they carry forth in their professional lives.

2. Tell me about the BLA’s transformation as a club.

The BLA boasts an interdisciplinary environment, where students from all faculties are welcome. Since their transformation last year, the club has received a major uptick in interdisciplinary students from the sciences, arts, pharmacy, and engineering who are interested in the business aspect of the club, and are able to offer new perspectives in addition to those of the existing business students. It is interesting to note that Marcello, himself, is a Political Science major, rather than a business school student.

3. What is leadership?

When people think ‘leadership’, usually a team setting is the first thing that comes to mind; that’s not how the BLA necessarily chooses to offer leadership opportunities. Instead, they encourage individual students to meet corporates in fields they are interested in pursuing, and thinking of themselves as leaders in their own lives in ensuring that the path they are choosing is the right one for them.

Marcello uses the term, “unconventional”, in defining the meaning of ‘leadership’ to the club. “The way that we’re taught in business is it being very good with your team, and making sure your team operates.

But I think the way we view leadership is more individualistic and innate within a person.” He further elaborates that it’s more driven by an individual leading themselves in their lives and contemplating how they’re going to obtain the goals you want to achieve, the job you want, and how to get the skills you need. It’s about pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. “We’re trying to reframe leadership away from a team, and making you take charge of your own life.”

Tanya explains that it’s more about the learning process, and being open to listening to the perspectives and viewpoints of those who already have the knowledge, “instead of [focusing solely on] presenting yourself as the best possible person.” Thus, the BLA ensures that each of their events always have a takeaway.

4. How does the BLA plan its events?

While it already had a good root in business last year, they have expanded their focus this year to create bigger and more creative events that differentiate them from the “typical” events hosted by the rest of the clubs the Business School has to offer. “It just needs some change; we thought we would bring that,” Tanya states.

While other clubs host excellent events on an annual basis, they remain the same events from year to year. Marcello describes this as there being “no sense of innovation,” so to speak, “nothing new, nothing fresh that’s being demonstrated to students”. The BLA, on the other hand, maintains a philosophy that focuses on putting out an event that is authentic or new, and “letting it speak for itself ”, rather than merely on whether an event

Clubs Corner

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would “sink or swim”.

“The first thing that we think of, when it comes to an event, is: has it been done before? And why would we do it; what’s the takeaway?” Marcello says. “The biggest central focus of the BLA is just to innovate.”

5. What are the main BLA events?

Last year, the club hosted three main events, all of which are designed to cohesively provide students with an experience over the year, should they attend all of them. Would You Hire me?, the first event for the 2018/2019 year, illustrated how perception – both in-person and on social media – can influence one’s employability, and suggested how best to structure a resume or establish an online presence.

F*ck Up Night, uniquely weaves both comedy and TED Talks into an event that teaches students that it’s okay to make mistakes, with guest speakers sharing times that they have “F*cked up”, and what to take away from these mistakes.

The BLA’s annual flagship event, The Progressive Dinner, held just last month, provided students with access to a plethora of professionals to meet and network with over dinner, where attendees rotated between tables throughout the three-course meal in order to gain exposure to as many different perspectives as possible.

6. What upcoming BLA events should we watch out for?

The BLA & PLLC Case Competition is an upcoming case competition in March, hosted in collaboration with the Peter Lougheed Leadership College. While last year’s event was more of a hypothetical nature that students found more difficulty in grasping (e.g. how a country should navigate a pandemic), this year’s aims to be more business-related and grounded in a situation that is more realistic and applicable to the real world.

7. What is the club’s biggest recent accomplishment?

According to Tanya, the BLA’s biggest accomplishment is having a large team to work with, compared to their smaller team of six from last year.

“While it was difficult in managing a larger team, it was really important, as it strengthened the capacity we went to in the ideas we generated for events to run.” She adds that the multiple connections they had within the club allowed them to see the added growth to their club’s reach.

F*ck Up Night was also listed as one of the club’s biggest successes, in terms of there – ironically – being no actual “F*ck ups” with the preparation and execution of the event itself.

Furthermore, Marcello and Tanya state that their biggest personal accomplishments were navigating how to effectively run a team.

Throughout the semester, they encouraged their team to be vocal and critical about their opinions on the club and its associated events, about what went well and what didn’t. “If an event is shit, let us know; tell us how it’s bad,” Marcello adamantly claims, not wanting any “yes men around [them]”.

Tanya views this as something that they have definitely seen change in, and it has allowed them to clearly define the issues that the team struggled with and work towards their actual resolution.

8. What are the club’s goals for the remainder of this upcoming semester?

Tanya explains that attendance to events tends to drop off over the second semester, as people usually restructure their priorities onto their academics. Thus, the BLA’s goal is to come up with more creative ways to attract people to their events, which they hope to accomplish with their upcoming Case Competition.

FOR BUSINESS STUDENTS, BY BUSINESS STUDENTSâ&#x201E;˘

Events this Month

Interdisciplinary Consulting Association (ICA) Every year, the Interdisciplinary Consulting Association (ICA) has had the pleasure of hosting its annual case competition! This event will take place from March 29-30th, 2019, where students from all faculties will have an excellent opportunity to solve and present innovative solutions about a real-world business issue, while connecting with a wide array of professionals from different firms in the consulting industry.

ICA aims to provide U of A students with the opportunity to build their competitive spirit, test their innovative, analytical, and communication skills, and expand their experience dealing with real-world business problems while still in school. Prizes are just a bonus along the entire experience!

For more information, or any inquiries, message the Interdisciplinary Consulting Association - ICA Facebook page OR email ica@ualberta.ca for more details.

Sincerely, ICA Team

Designed by Alyssa Ricioppo

Designed by Alyssa Ricioppo

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FOR BUSINESS STUDENTS, BY BUSINESS STUDENTS™

Sustainability Council 1

Can you tell us what the Sustainability Council (SC) is all about?

The Sustainability Council was developed as part of a shift in how the University approaches issues of sustainability. Prior to this shift, the University had the Office of Sustainability, which focused on issues of sustainable campus operations and general outreach on campus to raise awareness of sustainability issues.

There was also a small office working out of the Provost’s office on academic sustainability initiatives, such as the Sustainability Scholars program and the Certificate in Sustainability.

With the shift, Facilities and Operations has taken on sustainable campus operations, and the newly formed office of the Sustainability Council has taken on our academic initiatives. The intent is to expand upon our existing sustainability initiatives, and to develop more of them moving forward.

2

What are the overall goals of the SC? Overall, our mission is to develop and support a vibrant community of interdisciplinary sustainability scholarship, learning, research, and citizenship at the University of Alberta.

3

Are there opportunities for students to get involved?

The first way is through your academic program, by adding a Certificate in Sustainability to your degree program.The Certificate is an embedded one, so that the courses can be double-counted with other courses in their degree. This allows students to complete the certificate, along with their core program.

We run a very popular volunteer program, which students apply to be a part of, and we have a few internship opportunities coming up. Students can also come out to our events.

4

What kind of challenges does the SC face?

I think the early challenge is ramping things up quickly. In any large organization, it takes time to establish and implement new initiatives. I’ll admit to being impatient in such things, but that impatience is driven by my sense that we need to push the transition to sustainability forward more quickly. I want to empower our students, and our faculty, to be an even greater and more influential part of that transition than they are now.

Written by Tyler Keffer

Designed by Alyssa Ricioppo

Guest Article

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When you see data on wildlife decline, global climate change, ocean acidification, global economic inequity, and so on, the issues seem urgent. I know that there are limits to what I can achieve on these issues, but I want to do what I can out of this office to support and accelerate the transition to sustainability.

5

Are there any future events planned?

The Student Sustainability Summit is taking place starting on Feb 2nd, and we have Amy Luers giving a public lecture on Feb 6th. Keep watching, as we have a film screening event with James Balog coming up in March as well.

6

Where can people go to find out more information?

The best spot is our website at: www.ualberta.ca/ sustainability

7

Anything else you’d like to share?

I’ll conclude by noting that I took this position for two reasons. The first is that I worry a lot about the future of our global society. The second is that I am optimistic and hopeful about the future of global society.

The future will be what humanity makes it, within the confines of the tremendous opportunity we have before us. We can take the bounds and bounty of nature, and the efforts of past generations, and we can establish a wonderful and sustainable world. We can address issues of global poverty and dramatic inequality. We can retain, preserve, and celebrate important aspects of our cultural diversity in the face of change. Or, we can choose to do none of this. We can plow ahead, ignoring the most harmful aspects of modernity, and leave future generations to suffer the consequences.

My hope is that, through dedicating myself to the role I have in the Sustainability Council, I can help nudge those choices, and I can help, in some small way, to empower the University of Alberta Students, Faculty, and Alumni to take a more active role in advancing a societal transition to sustainability. When you see data on wildlife decline, global climate change, ocean acidification, global economic inequity, and so on, the issues seem urgent. I know that there are limits to what I can achieve on these issues, but I want to do what I can out of this office to support and accelerate the transition to sustainability.

FOR BUSINESS STUDENTS, BY BUSINESS STUDENTS™

LF Reviews

The Students’ Union: What do they actually do?

Contrary to popular belief, the Students’ Union isn’t less than what was originally estimated last year. just comprised of a President and four VP’s — this Investigations into financial support are suppos official body has over 200 staff, operates several busiedly in the works. nesses and student services, owns and operates SUB, • Akanksha (VP Academic): On top of leading and manages a budget of more than $10 million, all GovWeek 2019, a week-long series of sessions inthe while advocating for a greater student experience tended to engage the student body in governance, on campus, and to governments. But what does all of Akanksha has been updating the USRI database that actually mean? to make it more user-friendly (and useful in general), as well as planning an eClass Survey.

Let’s take a look at who’s who in the SU as a whole.

• Adam (VP External): Beyond relaying communiAn organizational chart from 2016 details that the cation of provincial elections to the student body, well-known Executive Committee sits on the Student Adam has been actively involved in discussion Council, the ultimate authority in the SU. The Stuwith government leaders regarding education dent Council is a body of 40 people aiming to fulfill budgets and campus security. the mandate in the provincial government’s Post • Emma (VP Operations & Finance): Among Secondary Learning Act. several projects, Emma is working on a deferred maintenance awareness campaign, and an SU Below the Executive Committee is an expansive orgaCatalogue aiming to help student groups plan nization. Of the eight core management groups, the for events. Some wins include obtaining vegan most recognizable includes Business Development, options at RATT (an affordable curry???), and a which covers management for the beloved campus Flair Air partnership for free flights given to winbars, SUBprint, and various retail. The other notable ners of RATT trivia nights. management group is Student Life, which is respon- • Andre (VP Student Life): After a successful sible for managing the Myer Horowitz Theatre and AntiFreeze, Andre has been actively working Dinwoodie Lounge, their programs, and a myriad to collect feedback from students on safety and of services, such as InfoLink, Peer Support Centre, security in HUB Mall, and transformation of resiSustain SU, and the Campus Food Bank. dence along 89th Avenue.

This year, the SU Executives are comprised of President Reed Larsen, VP Academic Akanksha Bhatnagar, VP External Adam Brown, VP Operations and Finance Emma Ripka, and VP Student Life Andrew Bourgeois. A glance at their most recent reports shows some information on their endeavours: • Reed (Pres): Outside of general leadership for the four VP’s, Reed attends Tuition and Budget Advisory Committee meetings. Recently, he found that international student tuition at the U of A is calculated to rise by 2.77% with the recent introduction of Bill 19 — approximately 0.73%

The SU seems like a beast of an organization, but the leaders are only human. If you’re keen on seeing change in certain areas within the SU’s domain, research the organization at www.su.ualberta.ca, or reach out to the Executives below: president@su.ualberta.ca vp.academic@su.ualberta.ca vp.external@su.ualberta.ca vp.finance@su.ualberta.ca vp.studentlife@su.ualberta.ca Written by Diane Jeon

Designed by Alyssa Ricioppo

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FOR BUSINESS STUDENTS, BY BUSINESS STUDENTS™ Written by Kimberly Chan Designed by Melania Antoszko

PEER TO PEER Let’s talk about mental health. As the school year has gone into its last couple of months burnout is all too predictable for those who do not take the time to listen to their inner selves andpractice healthy lifestyles. While four months may seem like a long time it goes by so fast and can sometimes catch us all by surprise. We fall behind in our extracurriculars and academics, we try to get back on track only to experience how hard we have to work to catch up. We feel sad and defeated. It’s a cycle — and we think it happens just to us. Everyone else seems to bedoing okay, but you.

The Students’ Union has services to help individuals vent and provide resources to those whoare struggling. One such service is the Peer Support Centre.

What is the Peer Support Centre?

The PSC is a service run by the Students’ Union to provide a free, non judgemental and confidential environment where students can talk about their everyday lives. From the stressors of homework to home-life, the PSC is there to provide a listening ear, support and resources. The PSC does recognize that the students who come for help are their own experts in their respective situations and attempts to empower those who are struggling.

Instead of offering advice, they instead offer resources to help deal with specific issues.

What kind of issues can an individual talk about?

The PSC is student run and take any volunteers that pass the interview and training phase.

That being said, although they are not professionals, no issue is too big or too small. Many of the concerns that are talked about in these sessions include relationship issues, exam and course stressors, suicidal thoughts, abusive relationships, loss and identity issues.

Who runs the Peer Support Centre?

The PSC is made up of many student volunteers! These volunteers go through a long process in order to help other students. From a big group interview to individual interviews, these volunteer students are dedicated to help support those in need. Volunteers must also go through 37 hours of mandatory training which shows their level of commitment.

How can students get involved?

Recruitment for students opens up in March and interviews and training take place over the summer. During the school year volunteers are expected to dedicate approximately 17 hours of their time per month. This includes three hours per week of shift time, four hours per week of team time (planning events and attending monthly meetings), three hours per month of practice to hone skills, and two hours per semester of professional development.

The stressors of being a student is wide and various and affects almost all students during their time at the university. The Peer Support Centre exists to help provide a listening ear and empower those in need. Mental health is not nearly talked about enough and we encourage all to reach out to someone and talk if needed.

LOCATION: SUB 2-707 HOURS: MONDAY-FRIDAY 9:00AM - 8PM HELP LINE: 780-492-4357

BSA Wellness Initiative

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FOR BUSINESS STUDENTS, BY BUSINESS STUDENTS™

A

t ASoB, the words ‘leadership’ and ‘skills’ reverberate in almost every classroom at least once. As business students, we’ve become so accustomed to hearing about leadership certificates, seminars, classes — the works. These various things are meant to equip students with the knowledge and know-how on becoming a great leader.

Becoming a great leader requires an understanding of what (or who) classifies as a leader. Simply put, a leader is anyone who leads — shocker! — or heads a group or organization.

The definition, in and of itself, isn’t incredibly complex. However, transforming into a great leader can prove quite the task.

Although some individuals present as natural-born leaders, they, too, have worked hard to develop and hone their leadership skills.

ultimately lead you to become an excellent leader.

On your journey to becoming a proficient leader, you also have to discover where your truest passions and motivations lie. If you’re responsible for heading a cause or project that does not personally pique your interest, then you are setting yourself — and your team — up for inevitable failure. You have to believe in what you’re doing; only then, will you be able to encourage and motivate others to buy-in and contribute to their fullest potential. If you eat, breathe, and sleep what you do… others will follow.

Another way a leader stands apart from the population is by further strengthening their ‘interpersonal mastery.’

Interpersonal mastery entails understanding the course of your relationships, both professionally and personally. As a leader, it is critical to Upon conducting some research of my own, understand the people in your life by it became highly apparent that there is no inquiring about their purpose, goals, and clear-cut recipe to mastering leadership. Yet, visions. Once you’re able to do so, you’ll there are a few commonalities between all become better at building a strong team; great leaders of our time. your team should be reflective of your personal value system, and should have For instance, all great leaders have taken people with varying interests, perspectives, strides to truly understand themselves. This and skill sets. can also be referred to as ‘self mastery.’

Leaders should understand where they are, Above all, leaders are visionaries. They set and where they want to be. If you can fully the tone for the entire team, using the skills recognize where your strengths and highlighted above, as well as through sheer weaknesses lie, you are more likely to lead grit and drive. your team seamlessly. Understanding yourself is easier said than done, but it is This article is by no means a comprehensive often the fine distinction between ‘good’ and guide on leadership, but our hope is that it ‘great’. Personality tests are an easy way to will give you a roadmap — albeit a simple learn more about yourself, your leadership one — on how to discover your inner leader. style, what makes you tick, etc. Recognizing the fine nuances of your personality will

Written by Rachita Chugh

Designed by Melania Antoszko

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FOR BUSINESS STUDENTS, BY BUSINESS STUDENTS™

Lazy Chat

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D A R BY WA LT O N

You’re a very familiar face at the School of Business. But for our readers that don’t know you… can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

My name is Darby, and I’m a fourth year Bachelor of Commerce student. I’m majoring in Business Economics and Law, and I’m also doing a Certificate in Leadership, as well as a Certificate in Community Engagement and Service Learning. I have been a former Cohort Representative for the Business Students’ Association, and I later went on to become the Vice President Internal.

This year, I’m helping out by administering the BSA election, and I did JDC West for two years.

well. With time, I got better at managing my responsibilities, and Google Calendar became a lifestyle very quickly.

What are some avenues that students could use if they want to get more involved at the ASoB? I think the avenues are endless. For starters, there are 27 different clubs. Even if you’re not super willing to organize events, there’s tons of events to attend! I think attending conferences like RMBS or NEW are very developmental if you don’t want to dive into leadership roles immediately.

For me, JDC West has played a big role in developing my skills as both a public

Can you tell us what drove you to pursue all of these varied things?

While I was in high school, upon hitting Grade 12, I decided that I wanted to do a bit of everything, since I felt I wouldn’t get the opportunity to do so in university. However, once I actually came into the Faculty of Business, I heard about all the involvement opportunities that were available to us. I remember coming to orientation in my first year, and being really inspired to get involved. I think a lot of the inspiration also comes from the people I befriended. All of my friends do very different things, but we do things that we’re passionate about, and I’d say that has really aided my experience at university.

What have been your biggest takeaways from your engagements and involvements?

One particular thing I think is very important is being wary of the natural growth and progression of roles. I’ve learned that when you take on these roles, you learn to give back through them as well.

There’s a lot to be learned from mentorship opportunities that may arise through these roles – for example, when you’re able to guide newer students, or be mentored yourself. I also think that students tend to take time management for granted. I find that, the busier I am, the better I perform in my roles. During my first year, I didn’t have a job, I wasn’t involved in anything, and I remember feeling very isolated. But when I came into Business, I decided I wanted to learn and grow from student opportunities, and manage my time as

Written by Rachita Chugh

Designed by Melania Antoszko

speaker and team member. Personally, I also found tons of opportunities with the BSA, especially because they have seven different portfolios – you can easily find things that interest you. One thing I’d mention about planning events year-round is that students should recognize that a lot of their experience will come from, not just planning, but attending as well.

How do you think being a student leader in a variety of different areas has impacted you personally?

Being a student leader has helped me with self-awareness and realizing what my strengths and weakness, as a leader, are. I think a lot of that can also be attributed to self-reflection that the leadership program makes me do. As a leader, we’re often required to take a step back and put more trust in people. Last year with the BSA was my first time managing a team independently. You learn to not take your team’s ideas for granted, and also make sure that you can meaningfully contribute to their experience. Being a student leader also helped me leverage a lot of my experiences when interviewing for things like BUS 201; they offered me the Assistant Coordinator role, and having that responsibility was contingent on a lot of my community involvement and extracurricular involvement. You don’t always realize how student involvement can necessarily help you within this ecosystem, but if you give yourself to these experiences, and can think of new ways to improve them, then other teams will want you as well.

Photograph by Dylan Wee

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