Media Release - For Immediate Release
October 14 2010
MBA Alum Takes Education 'Over The Edge'
Iain Archibald gets a high five from a supporter. |
Iain Archibald still can’t believe his luck.
A few short weeks after graduating from the Master of Business Administration program at Saint Mary’s University last spring, the former wilderness guide and radio DJ took up the reins as general manager of Over The Edge, a special events company that raises money for charities across North America.
“I totally landed my dream job,” says Archibald, who spent several years as a professional bear, whale and kayak guide in Tofino, B.C. and has owned and operated several small businesses in other parts of the country. He says his new role with Over The Edge has the perfect blend of adventure, travel, social consciousness and skills development. He manages operations for a small Halifax, Nova Scotia-based staff, as well as a team of technicians across North America, to provide unique fundraising events in which participants – sometimes hundreds a day - repel off the edge of tall buildings.
“I go to work each morning with a very clear goal – help raise $50 million for charity over the next ten years. It’s incredibly motivating.”
Archibald, 32, credits his MBA degree from Halifax, Nova Scotia-based Saint Mary’s University (SMU) in helping him score the job. Throughout the two-year program, he worked closely with the school’s career advisors who assisted him in career planning, resume building and interviewing. By the end of his second year, the career advisor knew Archibald so well that when he discovered the opportunity at the fundraising firm, he contacted Archibald immediately.
“The relationships I formed with the career centre staff were invaluable,” he says.
Comprehensive career resources, small class sizes, a tightly-knit student body, and the opportunity to learn from world-class professors all rank high among the reasons students from across Canada and the world choose to study at SMU’s Sobey School of Business. The school began awarding MBA degrees in the 1970s and currently offers a range of part-time, full-time and accelerated Master’s programs to its students. Alumni work for innovative small businesses such as Over The Edge, as well as government, NGOs and large corporations in key sectors such as energy, financial services, transport, consulting and technology.
For Philadelphia native Evan Cohen, who completed his MBA in 2007, Saint Mary’s University stood out among the other grad schools he considered not only for the quality of the education offered, but also for the caliber of the students it admits.
“Saint Mary’s looks for students with diverse backgrounds and work experiences,” says Cohen. His classmates entered the program from many different fields including engineering, small business, marketing and music. More than one-third of the students were international.
“Studying with classmates of such diverse backgrounds provided me with rich learning opportunities that I couldn’t have gained from professors alone,” Cohen says.
For instance, during his second year, Cohen and a team of classmates were tasked with “creating” a software company, and then taking the company through a series of simulations over the course of a year such as changing price points, markets and supply chains. Cohen was able to contribute marketing and accounting expertise he gained during his previous insurance industry job. Meanwhile, he says others on his team - including a former IT product manager, offered invaluable insight related to matching product features to new markets, pricing manipulation, offshoring and supply chain management.
“It’s great to have the chance to learn from your peers and share your own experiences with them,” he says. “You get a well-rounded learning experience.” What’s more, Cohen points out that thanks to SMU’s strong alumni network, he now has business contacts across the globe.
Another plus for Cohen: small class sizes that promote discussion, collaboration and customized learning. “My classes had 20 to 30 students, compared to far larger classes at the other schools I initially considered.” Cohen says the intimate atmosphere led to a more hands-on learning experience and greater interaction and engagement with his professors.
Three years after graduating the program, Cohen says one of the competitive advantages that sticks out the most for him is the value of a SMU MBA. “A great education isn’t cheap – but at SMU, I had the benefit of studying with world-class professors for significantly less than at other schools.” That value was underscored shortly after graduation when he landed an interview with TD Bank’s prestigious two-year leadership development program, open to 20 candidates nationwide. After a grueling application process, Cohen landed the job in the spring of 2008, and rotated through a series of placements in TD’s wealth management, securities, retail bank and corporate divisions. Today, Cohen is a product manager at TD Waterhouse where he oversees a wealth management platform with more than $2 billion in assets under management.
Cohen says his SMU contacts helped him land his first interview. Meanwhile, his degree prepared him for a demanding and dynamic role. “I came out of the MBA program with very solid technical skills as well as a firm grounding in general management.”
Michael Drake, who graduated from the MBA program in 2010 says his education at SMU provided him with an excellent preparation for his role as a business analyst at Halifax, Nova Scotia-based Third Wave Consulting, a firm that optimizes business processes through innovative customer relationship management software.
“My business is all about introducing clients to something new that will ultimately help them improve their operations,” says Drake. He credits the in-depth training in management consulting and change management at SMU in preparing him for the task. “I’m amazed at the frequency with which I can apply in-class examples to my current role.”
Iain Archibald estimates that more than eighty percent of his cohort was employed within one month of graduation last June. While some of his classmates landed opportunities with major banks and IT firms such as Research in Motion, others are working as management consultants, entrepreneurs, or as managers at small entrepreneurial firms.
“You come out of the program with a broad skill set that prepares you for any number of jobs,” he says. The result? Graduates are empowered to follow their dreams wherever they may lead them. Which for Iain Archibald, means over the edge of skyscrapers continent-wide in pursuit of the greater good.
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For More Information:
Steve Proctor
External Affairs
Saint Mary's University
(902) 420.5513
E-mail: steve.proctor@smu.ca
www.smu.ca
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