When Rachel Millar, HBA ’26, crossed the convocation stage this week, her graduation represented the latest chapter in a family connection to Ivey that began more than 60 years ago.
Her grandfather, Peter Walter, graduated from Western Business School (now Ivey) in 1962. Her mother, Suzanne (Walter) Millar, HBA ’91, followed almost 30 years later. Today, Rachel and her brother, Markus Millar, an HBA ’27 candidate, are adding new chapters to a family story rooted in shared experience and long-standing friendships.
More than 60 years after graduating, Peter remains close friends with one of his Ivey classmates, Rick Thorpe, HBA ’62. The pair ran the bookstore during their final year at Western Business School and have remained part of each other’s lives ever since.
“We both have a love of travel, and our wives have been the greatest of friends throughout the 60 years,” Peter said.
Rachel says such examples shaped her decision to pursue business education at Ivey.
“I only applied to Ivey. I didn’t have a backup,” she said. “I always knew I wanted to do business, but what really drew me in was seeing how close my mom and her friends still are. They live all over the place now, but they’re still incredibly connected.”
That same pull first brought Suzanne to Ivey more than 35 years ago. At the time, she was studying philosophy at Huron University and planning to pursue law. Applying to Ivey was almost an afterthought.
“I wasn’t even sure I’d get in,” she said. “But when I visited the school with my dad, I saw his graduating class photo on the wall. Some of the friends in that photo had children I grew up with. I remember thinking, That’s pretty neat.”
When Suzanne was accepted, her father was, as she puts it, “tickled.”
Suzanne ultimately chose Ivey and quickly found an environment that challenged expectations.
“I loved the diversity of the people,” she said. “It wasn’t a boring business group, and it wasn’t snobby. Everybody brought something different.”
(Photo above) L-r: Rachel Millar, Peter Walter, and Suzanne (Walter) Millar at Peter's home in Aurora
Different paths, shared foundation
When Markus was in Grade 12, Rachel gave him a tour of the school before he applied to university, and he immediately decided to follow in her footsteps.
“My jaw was on the floor the entire time. That was the moment where I was like, ‘This is the school for me,’” he said.
Like Rachel, Markus also applied only to Ivey, without a backup plan, and he also credits the enduring Ivey relationships he saw through his grandfather and mother as a draw.
“Those relationships were real relationships, not just university friendships, but people you could build a life or business with,” he said.
Rachel is now preparing for a career in private wealth management after accepting a role with the Bank of Montreal. She credits Ivey’s Career Management team and faculty support for helping her prepare for what comes next.
“I feel like I’ve learned so much here,” she said. “The professors are incredibly impressive. Some of their experiences and qualifications are amazing.”
Markus said learning from professors with real-world experience has been one of the highlights of the program.
“It’s cool because you’re learning from people who’ve actually built things in the real world," he said.
Suzanne herself built an entrepreneurial career that took her from the Yukon to sourcing trips in Guatemala, Indonesia, and Nepal before launching a high-end teak furniture importing business in Ontario. Along the way, she leaned on her Ivey network.
“I had lots of offers from my business school friends to help look over documents and income statements,” she said. “Those connections were always there.”
Learning through cases
Markus, who runs his own pressure washing and window cleaning business, said the case-method classroom has changed the way he learns.
“In a lecture setting, I can struggle to stay engaged,” he said. “But in a case class, where you’re discussing real-world problems, it’s so much easier to care about what you’re learning.”
He still vividly remembers his first day at Ivey.
“It was almost emotional,” he said. “I looked around and thought, ‘Wow, I actually did it.’”
He also recalls the excitement of receiving his quarter-zip sweater, a milestone that Rachel also notes as a highlight.
“It signifies something. It feels good to wear it,” he said.
A shared experience at home
The siblings say being at Ivey together has made it even more meaningful. Whether comparing cases, discussing professors, or swapping stories over family dinners, Ivey has become a constant topic of conversation.
“We can all relate to each other’s experiences,” said Rachel. “Every family dinner, somehow, Ivey comes up.”
That shared experience was on display during Family Weekend at Ivey, when family members joined HBA1 students in a case discussion. On the drive to London, Suzanne worked through the case with her family, and that prep helped her to stand out during the discussion.
“She was definitely contributing in the top percentile,” said Rachel.
Markus joked that the experience felt like a “Markus simulator,” referring to how Suzanne’s approach mirrored his own as a current Ivey student.
Choosing Ivey
For Suzanne, seeing both of her children at Ivey has been meaningful, although she said she never pushed them toward it.
“You never want to assume your children will follow your path. I definitely tried to downplay it so that they could make their own decisions,” she said. “But it feels really special that they chose it for themselves.”
She said she believes the program will serve them well regardless of their careers.
“Of all the degrees you could possibly get, business is in everything,” she said. “If you run a dental practice, that’s business. No matter what they do in life, I know they’ll benefit from it.”
Peter said he, too, is proud to see his grandchildren continuing the family’s connection to Ivey.
“I hope they can have as much success and fulfilment in their careers as I’ve had,” he said.
A graduation to remember
This year’s convocation was particularly meaningful for the family. Neither Peter nor Suzanne attended their own graduations. Suzanne recalled writing her father a poem on the day she would have crossed the stage.
“Being there for Rachel, and eventually for Markus too, feels really important,” she said. “It’s a chance to celebrate something that has connected our family across generations.”
