Katie McNamara

Having studied humanities during undergrad, rounding out my education with an MBA had been a professional goal of mine for several years. As I was evaluating school choices, a few priorities became clear. The first of these was that I wanted to build a network within Canada, and another was that I wanted the focus and pace of a one-year program. This immediately narrowed my search to a few domestic business schools, and Ivey soon emerged as the front-runner due to its differentiated approach to learning via the case method. With the support of the Forté Foundation’s MBA Launch program, I moved through the application process in a very structured and methodical way, and soon chose to enrol at Ivey.

In interacting with Ivey’s admissions and programs team, I was consistently struck by the thoughtfulness and intention built into the school’s recruiting efforts. The class is composed of a diverse and balanced mix of all kinds of students — across nationalities, professional backgrounds, and education levels. Considering that my work experience had been in the non-profit sector, this ensured I was much less intimidated at the start of the school year. More importantly, I felt that my perspectives would add to class discussion, as opposed to hindering it. It is this welcoming atmosphere that makes Ivey so special, and the school’s commitment to diversity of thought adds a unique vibrancy to class material. The culture within the class is very collaborative, since to a certain extent the materials and teaching methods are new to everyone.

Studying at Ivey is challenging, yet it is also incredibly rewarding. I would encourage anyone considering an MBA to think about Ivey. Its innovative approach to learning lends itself to a world-class curriculum, and its focus on career management gives the class a valuable edge in recruiting.