There are a variety of reasons why people are drawn to the HBA program, one of them being its unique 2+2 structure. With the freedom to pursue any program of interest during your first two years before Ivey, this structure promotes curiosity among students.
For this AEO series, I decided to interview my roommates who have AEO status while belonging to different faculties. Prospective students sometimes fall victim to the belief that there is a certain program they must enroll in as an AEO student. However, I want to quickly dispel this myth by showcasing that diverse backgrounds and areas of study allow you to gain unique skills and invaluable perspectives that differ from the crowd. From Spanish to Medical Sciences, read what these AEO2 students have to say about their experiences in various programs.
Madison Gordon – Faculty of Arts & Humanities, Spanish
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Madison, and I’m a second-year Arts and Humanities student. I enjoy learning languages, and I’m trilingual in Spanish, French, and English. This year, I founded the Spanish Club at Western, which is ratified under the Arts and Humanities Council. I’m also involved in fall and spring intramurals on soccer and volleyball teams. I love to travel, teach swimming, and lifeguard outside of school. Last summer, I ran my own swim instructing business which was a neat process to manage.
What made you interested in pursuing your respective program?
During my first year, I was actually in the Faculty of Social Sciences, and I was planning to specialize in political science or sociology for my second year. Considering social science takes a general approach to first year, I had a wide range of electives I could choose from, so I decided to enroll in one Spanish course. I quickly began to excel in it because it was the class I was most passionate about. When I was applying to universities in Grade 12, I didn’t realize you could actually study Spanish as your program. So, during Intent to Register, I decided to change my program to major in Spanish for second year. I’m really glad I transferred faculties because I excel in the courses that I’m the most passionate about, which are my Spanish classes that now count towards my program requirements.
What are some skills you have gained from your program? Do you see them applicable in Ivey?
In Arts and Humanities, we have a lot of oral communication assessments. Many assessments take the form of presentations and public speaking in front of the class because, with a language, you have to be able to not only write it, but also speak it. The overall confidence I’ve gained for public speaking and presentations are definitely skills that can be applied in Ivey and the business world in general, as strong oral communication is essential. We also spend a lot of time in class discussing historical parts of Latin American countries and nations, which has expanded my worldview. We watch documentaries about Hispanic cultures and learn about the history of Spanish-speaking countries. Learning about different events in other countries and expanding my worldview is another aspect of this program I enjoy and can see the benefits to. In business, it’s important to be aware of different cultures and ways of life outside of your own country, so understanding how to do this in a school setting will likely prove useful in my future. My classes are made up of many different backgrounds and students who share an overall love for Spanish. We learn from each other because when we have cultural discussions, everyone has a different perspective since there’s an amalgamation of different nationalities. This approach to learning is similar to Ivey’s case-based method because in an Ivey classroom, you can also learn from your peers as they bring different perspectives about a case to the class discussion. In the future, I hope to work abroad in a business-related role while using my Spanish skills.
Lauren Rozenberg – Faculty of Social Science, Accounting
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Lauren, and I’m in BMOS, specializing in accounting. I enjoy being outdoors, exercising, and doing puzzles. At Western, I’m a business content creator for the Western University Technology Review. I really enjoy this position because it focuses on the interrelation of business and current technology-related news and events. For example, last year I did a presentation on how the announcement of the COVID vaccine impacted the stock market and different businesses around the world. Many people were hyper-focused on the social aspect of the vaccine launch while forgetting about the impact the news had on businesses globally. I like learning about the interrelation of business to wider events, and this club helps me do exactly that. Outside of school, I play in a softball league, and I volunteer at Baycrest, a home for older adults, as a virtual buddy and bingo caller.
What made you interested in pursuing your respective program?
In first year BMOS, you’re given the opportunity to explore many different areas of business. I loved the program in my first year because I felt like the courses provided a broad overview of various functions of business, which can help you decide on your specialization for second year. For example, my classes explored organizational behaviour, human resources, and finance, to name a few different areas. I chose psychology for my elective, which I think is a valuable course because it gives insight and understanding towards people’s thinking and behaviour. In high school, I was unsure which stream of business I was most interested in. So, first year BMOS was helpful because I felt like I had a strong foundation entering second year, and a clear idea of my career paths.
What are some skills you have gained from your program? Do you see them applicable in Ivey?
In second year, the program also has a decent amount of space for electives. For example, some of my electives include religion, political science, and geography. I enjoy my course load right now because it has a good balance between MOS classes and a handful of desired electives. I chose my electives based on genuine interest, but I’ve found that they all relate to business in one way or another. For example, in geography, we learned how the physical and historical geography of Canada influenced where the financial hubs were located. Uncovering how each of my electives interrelates to the business world has provided me with the skill of considering multiple viewpoints when approaching business problems. So, I’m excited to bring previous knowledge from the social sciences to Ivey and see how my previous course knowledge can help me during cases and class discussions.
Kayla Sapir – Faculty of Science, Medical Sciences
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Kayla, and I’m in second-year Medical Sciences. I like to lifeguard, teach swimming lessons, be outdoors, and spend time with my dog. At Western, I volunteer at the Peer Support Centre, and I’m a member of the Biology Undergraduate Society (BUGS). Outside of school, I work as a lifeguard for the city of London, and I teach leadership and first aid for the town of Oakville.
What made you interested in pursuing your respective program?
I chose Western because it was the only school that offered a 2+2 model where I could study both science and business. Medical science has been very focused on the hard science and theory aspects, which I do enjoy. However, I also want the opportunity to complete more practical work that is applicable to real life and less theory-based. Business 2257 has provided this aspect for me so far, and I enjoy the different learning approach it takes compared to science. For my career, I’m interested in possibly working in a business role that has to do with healthcare or pharmaceuticals. So, having a science background will help me to better understand product development and how the business functions from a theoretical perspective. I didn’t have the intention of completing a dual degree when starting at Western. After completing two years of science courses and getting an introduction to business through 2257, I’m now interested in completing both degrees through Ivey’s dual degree program. One area I’m interested in exploring during undergrad is research because I think it’s a cool experience to be in the lab and work with a professor to solve a problem for a thesis. Doing a dual degree will allow me to complete an honours thesis in science while also completing the HBA program at Ivey.
What are some skills you have gained from your program? Do you see them applicable in Ivey?
Two years of medical sciences have helped me build a strong foundation in math. This year, strong math skills have already been helpful in Business 2257, and I know these skills will continue to prove useful in Ivey. Studying science has also helped me build solid critical thinking skills, which I think are useful when trying to problem-solve during a case. I’ve also completed various group work in my program so far, which has taught me how to work with like-minded people. I know there is a strong emphasis on group work in Ivey, so I’m glad to have been exposed to group projects during my first two years in science.
By no means is this article attempting to discourage any students from a particular program. Instead, I want to allude to the unspoken pressure some high school students face to choose a program that they think is quote-on-quote the ‘right’ path to the HBA program. In this article alone, you are introduced to three students interested in business, all from different faculties who possess a variety of unique skills. My advice to prospective students is to understand and capitalize on your strengths and interests while selecting a program, and you will be successful while enjoying your courses.