It is a beautiful coincidence I ended up in Canada's most prestigious business school, Ivey. My name is Antara Choudhury, and I pursued engineering in my undergrad from India. After working for two years in the industry, I needed to deepen my skill set and enhance my knowledge; therefore, when I came across Ivey's MSc program, I completely loved the Business Analytics course and thought of it as the perfect fit. Learning technical concepts and applying to diverse business problems was an enriching strategy to grow with. Ivey's case-based approach was exciting yet intimidating, but once you are engrossed in it, you get in the groove. The most intriguing part is being a part of the most diverse classroom with varied cultures and backgrounds, taking your learning to the next level.
One of the critical things that I was looking forward to during my time at Ivey was the summer practicum known as Ivey's Analytics Lab or IAL. IAL allows the business analytics students to apply the concepts they have learned at Ivey in the real world. The four-month-long IAL allows the students to bridge the gap between theoretical and practical aspects of the business. Furthermore, as an international student, I could firsthand experience Canadian work culture and be well prepared for full-time recruitment opportunities. Ivey ensures that all students are provided with an equal chance through the Rank and Match process. We, as students, are at liberty to choose an internship that is deemed fit.
Truth be told, the IAL experience started off as a rocky road. Due to the pandemic, uncertainties created havoc, but Ivey stayed strong during the commotion. Even during such challenging times, Ivey's Career Management stood by everyone and ensured the seamless transition of working remotely. They doubled downed on their efforts to bring on board more IAL partners, which broadened the students' scope of possibilities.
Working from home has been an exhilarating experience for me. It has allowed me to grow me personally because living alone in a different country teaches you to appreciate small things in life! Cooking, cleaning, and working all by yourself makes you a multi-tasker you never knew you were. Moreover, Ivey provided us with summer school opportunities to invest our time learning new concepts, therefore, taking up a few electives in the summer proved fruitful during my work experience in IAL as I was able to come up with new ideas to solve complex business problems. Learned to adapt to the uncertainties and come strong as a team with Ivey. Overall, it was a monumental experience.
Before the social distancing norms, exploring the mainstream places was on top of my list. The thought of traveling around a new country with a new set of people was thrilling. During our first reading week, we roamed and explored the main cities and popular spots. Felt the snowdrops against the skin, adapted to the chilly, teeth clenching weather, and dwelled in the moment. It made me more confident about my decision to do something on my own for a better unforeseen future.
MSc program is filled with world-class professors, and each person brings in their uniqueness, which makes it such a compelling learning platform. With its diverse set of students, it brings changes in your thinking and broadens your thought process. Getting ready for early morning classes, in middle coffee runs at Starbucks, and late-night sessions in breakout rooms made Ivey my second home and friends as my extended family.
Although situations are difficult at the moment, I cannot wait to be on campus again and see all those familiar faces indulging myself in the Ivey process.
