MSc · Jacinda Vo

My Experience in the CEMS Program

Apr 22, 2020

¡HOLA!

My name is Jacinda Vo and I am currently wrapping up my dual degree with an MSc in International Business and CEMS Master’s in International Management. Prior to my admittance to Ivey, I completed my undergrad at Western University with a Bachelor’s in Management and Organizational Studies with a Minor in Biology. I always appreciated the open-ended conversations facilitated in all of my business courses and knew that as I took my next strides into my career, gaining global experiences would allow me to bring greater perspectives and realities to future conversations.

During my time at Ivey, my international experience ranged from working at VNP, a tech start-up in Vietnam, and most recently, a short but nonetheless remarkable term at the Nova School of Business & Economics (NOVA) in Lisbon, Portugal. In between all of this, I studied at the Ivey campus, collaborating and learning with my fellow peers as we navigated the waves of lectures, 24-hour reports and recruitment sessions. Whether overseas or here at home in Canada, my time at Ivey has been nothing short of memorable. As my sixteen months in the program comes to an end, I hope to shed some light on the CEMS program and its impact on me during this time.

WHY I CHOSE CEMS

In addition to the international experience offered through the MSc IB stream, entry into the dual CEMS program adds to those experiences and allows candidates to push themselves to the edge of their comfort zones as they live,study and work abroad. Though the CEMS program provides students with a remarkable platform upon which to begin an international career, it is equally designed for any students who hope to offer a breadth of experiences in any market they hope to work in. This program merely provides this foundation, where one hopes to take it from there is up to them.

When I came into the program, I didn’t know if an international career was for me, but I did know that the CEMS program would be the best way for me to find out. Looking back, I have worked in Vietnam where I constantly pulled upon my Vietnamese to navigate the city and office and I have studied in Portugal where I was blown away by my international cohort and their outlooks on the world. All this further supported by my time at Ivey with the case-based method which drastically shaped my approach to business problems, even as they shifted and morphed in every market I travelled to. Even if an international career is not for you, one cannot deny our place as global citizens. Now more than ever, we are experiencing a time in which our understanding and tolerance of others is not an extension of who we are but an absolute essential trait if we hope to see positive change in the world.

TERM 2 EXCHANGE AT NOVA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS & ECONOMICS – LISBON, PORTUGAL

The CEMS Alliance is a collective of 33 Member Schools with representation from every continent. What this means for students is that we have a vast array of schools to choose from and that when we get to our exchanges, we’ll be working alongside the most diverse cohort of students from all over the world. A medley of nationalities come together during every term and each student brings forth their own unique international experiences. To put it simply, it’s the most humbling experience to travel abroad, let alone working and studying in new environments while integrating into the local culture.

NOVA was my top choice given its direct proximity to the beach, brand new campus and high European Business School ranking. When it came to selecting one or two exchanges, I preferred to opt for one exchange because I personally wanted to be at Ivey for the major recruiting period on campus during term 1. The number of exchanges to pursue has been a major question for incoming applicants and to put it simply, being physically present during recruiting doesn’t guarantee a position with a company. Though many of my peers have secured positions through on-campus recruiting, many individuals who recruited remotely from their exchange schools were also equally successful. This program is the epitome of making the most of your situation and recognizing that your success will be a direct product of the effort put forth.

Exchange terms begin with block seminars where you focus on a prevalent business topic in the world for the duration of the week, learning from various industry leaders. At NOVA, we focused on particular challenges and intricacies of bringing sustainability to the forefront of businesses. Adding to our understanding of the local market, students are also required to complete a Business Project Course in which we are matched with a local business to consult on a current problem. This lasts throughout the duration of the semester where we collaborate with our assigned group of students as well as the client at their home offices. This semester, I got matched with UNICEF Portugal where our group consulted them on HR best practices. This experience has been so rewarding as we catch a glimpse of the processes involved with translating our academic learnings in the classroom to real-life implementation with a corporation.

WHAT LIES AHEAD

Though this semester was cut short, I can only be grateful for all of the friendships I’ve made during my time abroad and the places I’ve travelled and will travel to as a result of the connections fostered throughout this program. As I look forward to beginning my career, CEMS has been an integral piece in my confidence as a newcomer to the job market. Regardless of the industries I’ve shown an interest in, admissions and advisory boards have always shown a keen interest in helping me carve the paths required for me to reach my goals. The CEMS community stretches far beyond professors and exchange schools. With this group comes the countless connections in your various cohorts and corporate partners. The combination of experiences that you leave with are priceless and we were so lucky to have had the chance of seeing it all in such a compact amount of time.

With so many different changes in scenery throughout a short 16-month period, time passes even faster than you can ever imagine. With that, I hope that anyone entering the program savours every moment. From the admissions process to the first week of classes where it feels like your class work is synonymous with drinking out of a fire hose, take it all with grace in knowing that all these little moments will pass by before you know it.

Please feel free to reach out and connect with me if you have any questions at all!

CONTACT INFORMATION

Email: jvo.msc2020@ivey.ca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacindavo/