I don’t think I’ll ever forget that day. As I made my way with great difficulty on the snowy sidewalk, dressed in a pantsuit I had recently bought for this specific occasion, my heart is pounding away. Right before I entered the magnificent building standing in front of me, I took a second to reflect on the journey that led me here. All the efforts, the stress, the excitement, everything I dreamed of for the past two years - and there I was. Today was the day. I was suddenly filled with a wonderful feeling of accomplishment and pride. It was time. I couldn’t help but smile and walked into the Richard Ivey building as my journey at Ivey was finally beginning.
Rewinding a Few Years
My name is Eva Germain and before joining the MSc 2021 cohort at Ivey, I completed my BBA in Global Management & Leadership with a Major in Economics at Bishop’s, a small university in Quebec. I joined the Co-operative education program early on in my undergrad, allowing me not only to gain work experience, but also to get closer to one of my career goals – to work internationally. My passion for what I call, “everything international” combined with my business degree, strengthened and confirmed the career path I wanted to follow; working in international business.
When I heard about Ivey and the program it offered, it’s as if I finally got some clarity as to what I was going to do after finishing up my undergrad. It’s simple enough, really, I fell in love with Ivey's MSc program. The idea of learning through cases and applying my knowledge, having the opportunity to work internationally through an internship and the possibility to go on exchanges was everything I wanted to do was combined into a 16-month program. Of course, me being me, I was afraid I would never be accepted into such an amazing program, afraid it was going to be too hard for me and that I wouldn’t succeed. If you are anything like me – let me stop you right there. It can be scary, it can be overwhelming, but it’s absolutely achievable. Do your research, ask yourself the right questions (Why do I want to attend Ivey? Is this the right path for my career? Is my passion aligned with theirs? etc.) and you’ll soon be excited about the opportunity rather than stressed about it. And let me give you a little insider secret – it’s absolutely worth it!
Rewinding 90 Days
I could tell you all about how Ivey has an amazing Career Management center that will help you find your path and give you tips as to how to get there, how the classes and the professors will help you develop your skill set, how the variety of clubs will give you interesting opportunities.
As grateful I am to be part of a program that helps me build a path to my career, the relationships I’ve made so far are the best part of the program. It’s only been a few months, and so much as happened. The beauty of the program is how close we all get, how we all share the ups, the downs, the stress, the successes and the experience. Right from day one, I had the chance to interact with all my professors, the students from the cohort and the Faculty members. Everything is organized so that you never feel alone, whether it is through the teams created, the social events, or the support offered to the students. Most importantly, you feel as being part of a great big family.
It’s amazing how it has only been 90 days, but I feel like I’ve known those people for much longer. It’s amazing how you can see each other everyday in class, do group assignments together, go on wonderful organized trips together, yet never get tired of being around these people.
As I’m reflecting on my journey so far, I still see myself standing outside the Richard Ivey building, stressed as to how the next year and a half was going to evolve. Now, the nervousness of finding my dream job is still there and I still have obstacles to overcome, but the uncertainty of whether or not I had made the right decision is completely gone.
