student success

#ACgradchat on Twitter Gives Marketing Students Plenty of Good Advice!

When Business – Marketing Professor Patti Church put the word out that she was looking for a few alumni to participate in a Twitter chat on Wednesday Januray 16 to provide some career advice to her students, she never expected this type of response.

Within about 45 minutes – slightly over the original time budget of 30 minutes – over 160 tweets were generated between everyone from recent graduates, alumni who attended the College over a dozen years ago, and even President Kent MacDonald! The advice was varied but also gave some great insight into how some of our most successful alumni got to where they are today.

“Embrace and be willing to invest in change,” said Jay Scotland, Morning Meteorologist for CBC National News and Radio Broadcasting graduate. “I invested in more school.” Jay’s advice also mentioned the importance of volunteering, the ability to meet deadlines, and he suggested the soon-to-be graduates job shadow someone in their field…advice which another participant promptly acted upon by asking Jay if they could job shadow him!

William Murray, another participant in the chat who is currently teaching in Business & Tourism on the east coast and graduated from Algonquin College in Hospitality & Tourism in 1996, suggested the students should, “take on a sponge-like attitude around new knowledge & techniques but create your own individual style.” He echoed advice given by Jay and Algonquin College Transfer Student Coordinator Jeremy McQuigge in reinforcing the importance of volunteering, networking, and connecting with new people.

Among the other graduates who participated were Brandon Waselnuk, User Experience Program Manager at IBM, Samantha Hartley, PR & Marketing expert, Jeff Mauler, Hot 89.9 Morning Show Host, Stu “Stuntman Stu” Schwartz, Majic 100 Morning Show Host, Liz Babiak, Social Media Community Officer at Algonquin College, Jason Connell, Digital Recruiter at Algonquin College, and Phil Gaudreau, Communications Officer at Algonquin College (yours truly!). The chat was so popular that it attracted some outside attention from organizations such as United Way Ottawa, the Canadian Public Relations Society Ottawa-Gatineau Chapter, and the International Association of Business Communicators Ottawa, and from Scott Stratten, President of “UnMarketing”.

The feedback from the students was excellent, and it looks like many took the advice to heart as they immediately started reaching out to those participating in the chat! It was a great experience and we hope to have many more sessions in the future.

Phil Gaudreau
Communications Officer, Algonquin College

Need help financing your Business education? Check out these options.

Financing your college education

I’m sure by now that most of you have heard of the 30% tuition rebate being offered by the Ontario Government. This is a great initiative designed to help students manage the costs of post-secondary education. There is a quick online quiz to help you determine if you are eligible. Check it out and apply now!

At Algonquin College, we also provides students with financial support. We offer a variety of bursaries for students in need and awards for students who excel academically. Both the School of Business and the Financial Aid Office have lists of bursaries students can apply for. Buraries are a one-time monetary award to help students fund their education.

Some bursaries are awarded by program.
Program Busaries

Others are awarded on a College-wide level.
College Bursaries

Check out the links above to get more info. There is a contact person listed if you have questions about eligibility, where to pick up the forms, or how to complete the application.

Every year the bursary and award recipients are honoured at the School of Business Awards Gala where they are given the chance to meet their donor and network with professionals from many different industries.

Exams… the Final Frontier

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Dave Donaldson, Dean of the School of Business and Kent MacDonald, President of Algonquin College

For the past week, students in the School of Business have lined up anxiously outside of classrooms, lecture halls and the gymnasium to begin 2 – 3 hours of exams on a wide variety of subjects. Writing exams can be a daunting and rewarding experience. Rewarding with that phenomenal rush after the exam as you huddle with classmates and begin to realize how your answers match theirs and that you did better than you expected.

Daunting if the reverse happens during the exam reviews. For some students, it can be even more more so than others. During my MBA studies, one of my classmates was brilliant … in his assignments, group work, case studies but froze during exams. He would sit looking at a blank exam booklet for the entire time and then leave the room, suddenly remembering all the answers. Back then, there were few options. He eventually withdrew from the program and ended his studies.

Things have certainly changed. The Counselling Department at Algonquin College provides workshops and guidance on preparing for exams and dealing with anxiety. The College has a sophisticated process where the Centre for Students with Disabilities, in close co-operation with faculty, provides options for students who need more time or a quieter environment. If my colleague from back then had been an Algonquin student, he would be one of our alumni now.

As the students complete their exams for this semester, and some complete their programs, the faculty begin the arduous task of marking the exams and tabulating final grades. For the next week, professors and staff will be working diligently to make sure grades are recorded in a timely fashion so that students can receive their final results.

Only once this is completed can faculty and staff begin to earn a well deserved break before the beginning of the new term on January 7.

Hopefully, all students did well during the exam period and thanks to their professors and the staff in the School of Business for all their hard work this semester. All deserve a happy and healthy (and relaxing) break. To all who celebrate this holiday season – Season’s Greetings, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noël.

Dean Dave Donaldson
School of Business, Algonquin College