This month, 35 high school students got a glimpse into the Ivey experience and learned that it’s never too early to plan your future.
The students, all entering Grades 11 or 12, came to Ivey for the Ivey Summer Leadership Program, a nine-day residential summer enrichment program offering an ambitious curriculum of academics, collaborative projects, and recreational activities to give students a feel for what Ivey is like.
The students learn from Ivey faculty, guest speakers, and team projects and participate in a number of hands-on activities, like a ropes obstacle course at the Ivey Spencer Leadership Centre. And of course, the students got their first taste of Ivey’s Case-Method Learning.
On their last day of the program, the high school participants and their university student mentors looked back on the last nine days and reflected on what the program taught them.
Related to this story
What the students learned
Auston Xing, 17, Crescent School, Toronto
I applied to this program to get more insight into what university I wanted to pursue. Going into it, I thought it’d be rigorous and very structured – what I got was that and so much more. I met all these like-minded individuals who will become my life-long friends.
Shreya Singh, 16, White Oaks Secondary School, Oakville
I had heard good things about Ivey but now I understand why – why the case method works so well, why these professors are so well considered, and why you get so close to your HBA section.
Richard Jiang, 16, Sir Winston Churchill High School, Calgary
Going into this, I expected it to be very academic. Turns out I was in for a pleasant surprise, as there was a very human side to it and a very emotional side. I met so many cool people with so many talents – it was inspiring and humbling. With so many people with all these unique strengths, I learned it’s so important to work as a team where you can achieve so much more.
Deshna Kanesalingam, 16, Colonel By Secondary School, Ottawa
I came into this program with limited business knowledge, but I learned about all the different kinds – marketing, finance, operations, strategy – and how all four came together. Ivey is a great school, especially since it’s not a regular business class. You’re attracting students from all kinds of areas and subjects and they bring in different perspectives. It makes the classroom a really special place.
Alessia Dzwigala, Program Advisor, Western psychology student with AEO status
I was a student in the program back in summer 2014 and loved it, so I applied to be a Program Advisor for this summer. It’s an educational program, but it’s also about coming out of your shell and really realizing your leadership potential. It encourages you to go beyond your comfort zone, continue pursuing your passions, and keep improving yourself.
