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MBA

What makes an Ivey MBA candidate?

Feb 26, 2021

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There are three qualities that we look at first when considering prospective students for an Ivey MBA.

Leadership Potential

From career success, to volunteer work and community initiatives, or other interests like athletics or the arts— we are looking for candidates who have demonstrated leadership traits and characteristics so we can further develop those skills during the program.

Strong Academic Record

Our assessment of this is based on your academic history in combination with your GMAT or GRE score.

Progressive Work Experience

At least two years of quality, full-time work experience ensures that you and your classmates will have experiences to contribute to team and class discussions, along with the context and maturity to apply this learning in a professional setting.
“We are committed to help you in any way we can so that you can make a decision that is best for you and your career. Our team is here to advise you throughout your research and application process, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with us anytime."
John-Derek Clarke (J.D.), MBA Executive Director, Masters Programs Recruitment and Admissions, Ivey Business School at Western University

Meet five of the incoming MBA students and hear why the Admissions Committee decided they were a good fit for the program.


Wini

Tejaswini (Wini) Joshi
Mumbia, India

Pre-MBA Education: Master of Hospital Administration; Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and a Bachelor of Nursing, SNDT Women's University

Wini’s progressive and varied career in healthcare was the first of many factors that stood out about her candidacy.  Her passion and genuine care was apparent through her career, having made significant differences and impact in all areas she touched including her volunteer efforts the past 10+ years in the Naval Wives Welfare Association. Her colleagues could not express enough of their gratitude for her continuous drive and exemplary leadership that directly influenced and improved the patient experience including her pro bono work at the local cancer institute.  Beyond the professional environment, Wini is interested in a healthy and active lifestyle having completed 20+ half marathons and is even a certified Yoga trainer.  Her enthusiasm, kindness and ambition will be an asset to her classmates – both inside and outside the classroom.

Courtney

Courtney Young
Toronto, Canada

Pre-MBA Education: Honors Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies; Brescia University College at Western University

One of the things that stood out about Courtney was her genuine passion for mental health.  After spending almost two years in healthcare consulting at Accenture where she led the effort to establish their first Mental Health Ally program in Canada, Courtney started working as a Patient Engagement Facilitator for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. She currently serves as an advisory board member and co-researcher for a study led by Yale University’s Program for Recovery and Community Health that assesses the impact of citizenship among youth with mental illness.  In addition, Courtney’s personal story of coming out as queer demonstrated her bravery and willingness to take risks, and has driven her interest for LGBTQ+ advocacy and allyship which she plans to expand within the Ivey community. And for fun, she’s an internationally ranked rock climber! We are confident that the diversity of her professional and lived experiences will contribute to meaningful and impactful conversations in the MBA classroom.

Temi

Temitope (Temi) Busari, CFA
Lagos, Nigeria

Pre-MBA Education: Honors Bachelor of Science, Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology; University of Lagos

Termi’s career speaks to her abilities in the financial industry, progressing to the role of Treasurer while at the same time, working to obtain her CFA Charter Holder designation. When you speak to Temi there is a genuineness about her. She has been described as “having an innate passion for excellence, an unrelenting spirit and a positive energy”. We also loved her "side hustle" as co-anchor of a prime time show that airs across Nigeria; she lends her voice to issues of gender inequality and socioeconomics, and is passionate about positive social impact. Her particular areas of interest include Financial Education, Youth Development and Women Empowerment. Her giving nature and sense of purpose to make a difference in the world will be an asset to the Ivey classroom experience.

Santiago

Santiago Rodriguez Villasuso, CFA
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Pre-MBA Education: Bachelor of Business Administration and Management; Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina

Santiago's credentials and years of experience in the financial services industry was impressive but beyond the professional world, Santiago is generous with his time, volunteering to help newcomers to Buenos Aires adjust to life in the city. His kindness also extended to his other volunteer efforts, specifically "Fundación Progresar," Tutoring 5th & 6th graders in a neighbourood in Buenos Aires. Santiago’s collaboration, innovative problem solving abilities and strong financial acumen are amongst a few areas that will greatly influence the highly interactive classroom discussions. Beyond his professional achievements and accolades, we were very excited to have him join our community as we’re confident his fun loving personality, consideration of others and genuinely good heart will be a positive influence and impact in our culture and with his peers.

Jeffrey

Jeffrey Ehmann
Calgary, Canada

Pre-MBA Education: Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering; University of Saskatchewan

The two qualities which immediately stood out in Jeffrey's profile were his entrepreneurial spirit and natural leadership ability. A problem solver at heart and an engineer by trade, Jeffrey made the transition to entrepreneur as Co-Founder and President of MicroMech, and has since co-founded Propel Labs Inc. True to his entrepreneurial passions, Jeffrey co-founded this company to help start-ups and SMEs scale smart. Jeff’s colleagues have described him as having a strong social and emotional IQ with the ability to build and foster relationships with ease. His innate skills to connect with others and enthusiasm for learning will serve him well in the Ivey community and beyond.

These are just five examples of the breadth of qualities and experiences we look for in a successful Ivey MBA candidate. We look at all of our applicants individually and holistically – there is no ‘typical’ Ivey MBA. If you want to know if you have the potential to be a fit, submit a profile assessment and we’ll get in touch!