The mentorship program within the HBA Sustainability Certificate connects more than 100 sustainability leaders and Ivey students. Mentors come from diverse geographies and sectors and offer a range of experience and wisdom to HBA students. You can see a full list of current mentors here.
Professor Oana Branzei launched the Certificate program in 2012. Since then, Branzei has cultivated a community of passionate students who go on to do impactful work on an international scale. In fact, many of this year’s mentors are alumni of the certificate who welcomed the opportunity to give back to a program that gave them so much.
Caley Savage graduated with the HBA Sustainability Certificate in 2016 and is now a Senior Analyst at RFA Capital and mentor for the program. “The Certificate provided me with a foundation to act as a sustainability leader and intertwine my passions for the environment and finance. I continue to embody the core values of the program by looking for new and creative ways to integrate environmental and social benchmarks into the workplace. I am thrilled to be joining the program as a mentor and to provide current students with the support and encouragement to pursue a non-traditional career path. The Certificate encouraged me to act as a change leader and I look forward to encouraging future cohorts to pursue similar goals.”
The primary goal behind the mentorship program was to help current students to connect in-class learning with real-world opportunities. The program also provides opportunities for Ivey alumni and other members of the sustainability community who want to engage with bright, young students.
Most of the students in the program will be graduating this year and guidance from someone with first-hand experience in fields students are interested in is invaluable, especially during such uncertain times.
Rohan Noronha is an HBA2 student pursuing a combined degree with Political Science. He looks forward to engaging with his sustainability mentor. “Taking part in a mentorship program is invaluable because of the relationship I get to build. Not only is a mentor someone who can support me as I explore what it is I want to do after school, but they are also proof that despite all the challenges that we have faced and will continue to face in the coming months, it all works out at the end.”
The mentorship program comes as an addition to an already robust certificate program. Students enrolled in the certificate take sustainability courses, like Diane-Laure Arjaliés’ award-winning course, Assessing the Broader Impact of Business. Students also participate in numerous certificate-exclusive events throughout the year aimed at grounding their academic learning in practical knowledge and experiences.
Engagements between mentors and students will kick off this summer and continue into the new year through regularly scheduled virtual meetings.
