After a busy year, our time as co-editors of the AEO Onward Blog comes to an end. This year has proven incredibly meaningful in fostering and supporting our AEO community. The abundance of articles we’ve published this year in tandem with our first-ever networking event, and the countless AEO and HBA students we’ve had the pleasure of meeting, have built a support system from the ground up, which we look forward to seeing continue to expand as next year’s blog leaders take the reins.
Alice
One of the most impactful and meaningful pieces of advice – relayed from the multitude of upper-HBA students I connected with this year – is to know my self-worth and advocate for myself. Imposter syndrome is the culprit behind so many lost opportunities and the root of self-doubt. The night before my first Business 2257 class, I didn’t get a wink of sleep; I questioned whether I was deserving of pursuing business coming from a heavily STEM-oriented background. To my surprise, 2257 pushed me out of my comfort zone and to exponential heights.
Unfortunately, the realities of transitioning from one male-dominated industry of STEM right into another have been a cold wake-up call. There will always be those quick to interject and silence your ideas, making you doubt your abilities. It takes holding each member of our communities accountable to enact real and visible transformation. Change is not passive. Immersing myself in tight-knit communities of female students in both science and business made my contributions and efforts feel recognized and respected. I urge you to encourage the women around you who are hesitant and need an exigence to rewrite the narrative.
Finally, as someone whose identity has been deeply rooted in the sciences for so long, I learned to cherish every moment of my second year as a Medical Sciences student. Every early-morning lecture and late-night chemistry lab felt bittersweet, and before I knew it, it was all over. This year has taught me immersing myself in the world of business does not mean severing my ties with the sciences. The handful of like-minded HBA students I’ve met who are paving the way in intersectional industries has inspired me to use business as a catalyst for creating a positive impact in healthcare and patient care. And I say this with hope: the search for more individuals who view the world how I do continues into my future endeavours of driving change at the forefront of healthcare and business.
Iulia
There are two essential lessons which have become apparent during my time in business at Western. The first, is to find your team. There are certainly many myths in popular media which insinuate innovation derives from focused, independent work; but this is not the whole truth. Stories of innovation are always backed by a wider team of individuals, whose work forms an interconnected web upholding their products. Teams are essential to growing, empathy, and evermore learning; not only in business but in every industry. Ivey does an incredible job of encouraging students to learn from one another and find their collaborators; make sure to explore these systems. The second lesson, is to have courage. Stepping into Ivey and its particular learning style can be daunting, no doubt. It takes bravery to enter a new atmosphere and make your voice heard, but it is the first step to growth. Find your motivations and funnel them into courage, because innovation begins with a curiosity for the untrekked, unknown, and the yet-to-be-discovered.
Ben
I first heard about the AEO Onward Blog on a warm, summer evening, way back in August of 2022. Ivey had held an information session about the upcoming year and spotlighted the blog as a great way to get involved within the campus community. Since writing is a passion of mine, it was a no-brainer to apply to be a part of the team. The blog team further strengthened my work ethic and taught me invaluable lessons about my own capabilities. Through Alice and Iulia’s wonderful mentorship, I pushed myself to perform to the best of my ability. Their leadership style inspired me to consistently put my best foot forward, as I saw first-hand the countless hours of work they had poured into building up the blog to the best of their capabilities. Leading by example is a powerful tool to wield, which I will carry forward into next year’s team. If you aren’t willing to put in the work yourself, how could you expect others to do the same?
While university has forced me to maintain a schedule, the blog team was particularly helpful in honing the essential skill of time management. Gone were the days of keeping dates circulating in my head, forgetting to meet a deadline here and there, since my lack of work only created more for others. As a result, I learned to effectively manage my time for deadlines, important dates and so forth, resulting in a much more organized individual than before joining the team. This quality will be of the utmost importance as a co-editor, which is why I’m grateful to Alice and Iulia for providing the space to sharpen this skill further.
Nick
I find myself forever thankful for the team this year. The time I spent writing articles for the blog has been nothing short of incredible, meeting my expectations of what it would be like when I heard about the team, and our current co-editors, Alice and Iulia, have been exceptional mentors for our growth. Since writing was not always accessible to me previously, the appeal of the blog has personally always stayed the same: having a creative outlet that allowed me to write and express myself while gaining valuable experience and skills. With each new article released, I improved my writing and gained new insights into what worked and what didn’t.
As we progress into next year, Ben and I have plans to keep the blog thriving, building off what our co-editors have left us already; we will focus on maintaining a variety of voices and perspectives on the blog while introducing new and fresh article ideas for readers like you to read! We’re very excited about what’s to come and can’t wait to show off a new set of writers to the campus community.
While a strong foundation has been laid for next year’s team, a lot of work still lies ahead to maintain the success of the blog. Nick and Ben are incredibly excited about what’s in store next year and cannot wait to carry on the legacy Alice and Iulia have left on the blog.