Business Education That Extends Beyond the Classroom
Posted on Tuesday, March 12th, 2019
Hailey O’Connor is a current Business student and even though she is in a compressed diploma program that is demanding, she recognized that join the Upper Ottawa Valley Chamber of Commerce (UOVCC) offered an exceptional learning opportunity. “In the fall, Lorraine MacKenzie, Executive Director of the UOVCC, gave a presentation to my Introduction to Business class. During this presentation, an overview of the Chamber was given and it was announced that they would be bringing on one student from Algonquin to participate on the Board of Directors. After learning how the Chamber supports and interacts with local businesses in the Ottawa Valley, I was very interested in applying to the student position. I was extremely excited by the opportunity to network with professionals in the business community and participate in the community events that the Chamber hosts” shares O’Connor.
When asked about the importance of this community partnership, MacKenzie shares, “having a Business student representative on the UOVCC is a win-win for us. The student gets to experience what it is to sit on a Board of Directors and gives them access to local business owners/managers/entrepreneurs who can give them advice what it is like to run a business. The Chamber wins by having access to the next generation of business owners/managers/entrepreneurs. We get a perspective from someone just starting their business career. They bring new ideas and ways of thinking. Even though there is only one representative, the other students are encouraged to participate in our events as well and that exposes them to businesses as well.”
In photo are the new Board of Directors left to right: Tara Neville, Rebecca Bittner, Hailey O’Connor (Algonquin Business Student rep), Dez Bair Patel (Vice President), Bev McCormack, Cyndi Mills, Meghan Sutherland (President) and Lorraine MacKenzie (Executive Director) Missing from photo Maria Morena Church (Past President), Kaitlin Antler (Treasurer), Heather Salovaara and Beth Matasich.
O’Connor who is new to the Pembroke Area saw that this position would be a wonderful chance to get involved and jumped at the chance to further integrate into her new community. “In January 2019, I was informed that I was the successful applicant and I would hold a seat on the Board for the upcoming 12 months. I am still new to the Chamber, however, my experience so far has been very positive. In addition to attending the Chamber meetings, I have volunteered to be a part of the Events Committee and I am excited to be involved in planning some of the Chamber’s main events, including their Annual Gala. In the upcoming weeks, we will be planning the grand opening of the of the Chamber’s new office space located at 177 Alexander St. in Pembroke. The Chamber truly advocates the interests of local businesses and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be involved and hope to contribute ideas that will help promote and encourage local businesses.”
When reflecting on what skills she is learning in her day-to-day school work that will benefit her in her new role O’Connor thoughtfully shares, “In the business program, I have taken classes in project management, business communication and marketing that I think will be valuable in this position. Project management has given me a skill set that I think will benefit me in my role on the Events Committee as it has taught me vital processes involved in planning. Being a part of the Board provides a great opportunity to learn from professionals and gain practical experience to compliment my course content. I think it is wonderful that the Chamber is open to engaging with the student population in Pembroke.”
Having community partners like the UOVCC allows our students to extend their learning in a supportive environment.
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