Aspire Winter/Spring 2013

VOL.
4 ISSUE 2 WINTER/SPRING 2013
THE PARTNERSHIP ISSUE
A partnership between MacEwan

University students and Babas Own
revives the social enterprise
BEYOND THE
NUMBERS
INNOVATION
EXCHANGE
BUILDING
BRIDGES
Research yields a new

performance framework
for business
International knowledge
gained through crossborder connections
Supply Chain Management program

strengthens bonds with energy and
construction sectors
PM #40063489
CONTENTS
THE PARTNERSHIP ISSUE
WINTER/SPRING 2013
26
RESEARCH MATTERS
No Boundaries
MacEwan University hosts international students
from Indias Welingkar Institute of Management
Development & Research
28
Swinging for Success

Edmontons new Quarry Golf Club is run by
graduates from MacEwan Universitys
Professional Golf Management program
11
PROBLEM
SOLVERS
37
Institute for Asia Pacific Studies

Explores Chinese investment in Albertas oil sands
22
When MacEwan University

students made the case for
saving Babas Own, the leaders
of the social enterprise listened
Two researchers are building a new performance

model for business, which considers social,
sustainable, economic and environmental factors
PEOPLE@MACEWAN
MacEwan Universitys Corporate Learning and

Continuing Education department partners
with Canadian Western Bank to develop a
comprehensive training program
By considering the construction industry, in addition

to the oil and gas sector, MacEwan University
diversifies the abilities of its supply chain students
38
Faculty Profiles
Through extra efforts to engage students, two
MacEwan University faculty are creating more
responsible leaders
DEPARTMENTS
Message From the Dean
22 5
Mutual Benefits
The successful relationship between Intact
Insurance and MacEwan Universitys Insurance
and Risk Management program proves the
importance of clear communication
Students in a market
research class put their
textbook learning into practice
when they conducted focus
group discussions and surveys
at local high schools
Beyond the Numbers
15
18
FINANCIAL
WIZARDS
35
Learning Together
Constructing Partnerships
31
Message from the Associate Dean
40
Student and Grad Profiles

A MacEwan University student is building
community through the campus club he founded,
while an entrepreneur credits MacEwan for
instilling work ethic
Around MacEwan
24 42
Work Term Winners
Cooperation between West Fraser Co. and MacEwan

University has been a bonus to all involved
MacEwan University School of Business
Springboard
Dynamic classes and course material set the stage
for a vibrant career
28
3 aspire
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p.3
MESSAGE
FROM THE DEAN
ELSIE ELFORD
Partnerships provide strength not only in numbers but through the exchange of knowledge
and experience. At MacEwan University School of Business we strive to provide as much contact
by our students to the real world of business, both locally and internationally, as possible.
We work to create partnerships at many levels. We invite industry experts to sit down with us on
program advisory councils to talk, without inhibition, to ensure our curriculum meets their needs.
We host and participate in events, like the Edmonton Chambers Small Business Week Kick
Off, or our own Student Business Conference, to provide our students with direct contact and
conversation with business experts. And we place our students, through short term practicums
and year long co-operative education initiatives right into the workplace.
Then, we also offer an international study tour opportunity, open to all business students. So
our students can expand their classroom experience into the real world.
This issue of Aspire highlights some of the partnerships, activities and events School of
Business faculty and students are involved in. Partnerships like Enactus students promoting
Babas Own; work term placements with companies like PCL, Intact Insurance, West Fraser, and
more; and networking events like Avenue Edmontons Top 40 under 40 event hosted by a group
of our Public Relations students.
We find great strength for our students in partnerships, strength that allows them to hit the
ground running in their careers. As you read through the following pages, Im sure you will find
that our business and academic partners find strength in these relationships as well. And, I
encourage you to ask yourself how partnering with the School of Business can be of benefit to
your organization.
We are fortunate to work and partner with some exceptional people, businesses, and academic
institutions around the world. Through these partnerships we create an environment where our
students can apply skills and maximize their education.
Elsie Elford, BA, LL.B

Dean, School of Business
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www.MacEwan.ca/business
MESSAGE
FROM THE
ASSOCIATE DEAN
Winter/Spring 2013
VOLUME 4 Issue 2
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Jana Clarke
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
Joyce Byrne
CONSULTING EDITOR
Cailynn Klingbeil
ART DIRECTOR
Charles Burke
ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR
Andrea deBoer
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR
Colin Spence
EDITORIAL ADVISORY
Jana Clarke, Robert Dean, Mike Henry
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Caroline Barlott, Caleb Caswell,
Elizabeth Chorney-Booth, Adrienne Hill,
Matt Hirji, Omar Mouallem, Michelle
Lindstrom, Robin Schroffel, Kelley Stark,
Doug Yearwood
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
AND ILLUSTRATORS
Bluefish, Jana Clarke, Buffy Goodman,
Eugene Uhuad, Constantine Tanasiuk
Aspire is published by MacEwan University
School of Business to celebrate student,
faculty and staff successes.
Aspire is published by MacEwan University
in conjunction with Venture Publishing Inc.
If you would like to receive additional copies
or be placed on the regular mailing list for
ASPIRE, please contact:
MacEwan University
10700 - 104 Avenue, Room 7-252
Edmonton, AB T5J 4S2
780.633.3785
Contents copyright 2012 by MacEwan
University. No part of this publication should
be reproduced without written permission.
Canada Publications Mail Product Sales
Agreement # 40063489. Return undeliverable mail to MacEwan University
10700 - 104 Avenue Edmonton, AB T5J 4S2
MIKE HENRY
Alberta has always been a land of pioneers and innovators. Our entrepreneurial
spirit is evidenced throughout our province, and in our classrooms here at MacEwan
University School of Business.
Our faculty and students strive to create partnerships with businesses that connect
classroom learning to the real world of work locally and internationally. As our
university continues to grow and internationalize, the demand to think outside our
borders in formation of partnerships grows as well.
This September, I visited the China University of Petroleum in Beijing (CUPB)
to discuss increased collaboration between CUPB and our School of Business.
These discussions led to a visit and lecture by Dr. Lianyong Feng, on his research
on Chinese investment in Albertas oilsands, found in this edition of Aspire on
page 37.
Students from the Prin. L.N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development in
Mumbai, India visited MacEwan University (page 26). Last year, our own students
visited their institution, and a more study tours are planned with education and
industry partners in China, Brazil, India and Europe.
Our local partnerships are the foundation that connects our students and
faculty to Alberta business. Co-op placements, internships, business consulting
experience, marketing research projects for local businesses, industry speakers,
career mixers and business-based applied research projects are all examples
of the support and collaboration between our School and Edmontons business
community.
This issue of Aspire highlights just a few of the partnerships formed and
fostered over many years. I encourage you to visit our campus or contact us to
learn more. Our contact information can be found to the left on this page, with
more information available at www.MacEwan.ca/Business.
Mike Henry
Associate Dean, MacEwan University School of Business
MacEwan School of Business
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Around
MacEwan
Women Win Bronze at CCAA

National Golf Championship
BRONZE MEDAL WINNERS: The 2012 MacEwan Griffins Womens Golf Team
For the fourth time in as many years,

the MacEwan Griffins Mens and Womens
Golf Teams have competed in the Canadian
College Athletics Association (CCAA) National
Golf Championship. During the week of
October 15 19, the National Tournament was
hosted by the Durham College Lords at the
beautiful Oshawa Golf and Country Club in
Ontario.
Top teams (15 Mens teams and 10
Womens teams) from across Canada qualified
for the event including teams from B.C. (4),
Alberta (4), Ontario (6), Quebec (4) and Atlantic
Canada (1).
The event included three rounds of
competitive golf, a skills competition and
the CCAA Awards Banquet, where the
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2012 CCAA All-Canadians and 2012 CCAA Golf Coach of the Year
were announced. This is the first year that the CCAA appointed AllCanadians for the sport of golf.
The Griffins teams enjoyed three days of ups and downs, with the
womens team victorious with a bronze medal. The mens team placed
7th, but with such low scores on day one and three to solidify the team
as one of the top teams in the country. The guys played so great on
day one and put themselves where they wanted to be on the leader
board. Unfortunately, all it takes at the national level is one day and
you get pushed out of the medals, and thats what happened on the
second day for them, comments Coach Jodi Campbell. On the flip
side, the women really came out and showed what they can do. They
launched themselves back into this competition with their scores. It
was one of the best team performances of the year.
Congratulations to Rachel Whyte, Sydney J. Parker, and Megan
Vermillion (pictured in order above, flanked by coaches Jodi Campbell
on the left and Alan Riley to the right).
School of Business
+ Shanghai Institute
of Foreign Trade =
International Connections
A Memorandum of Understanding between MacEwan University
School of Business and the Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trades
International Business School was signed in September 2012.
This partnership allows MacEwan University School of Business
students to participate in a collaborative International Trade
Simulation course.
Students play the role of simulated companies in their respective
countries to trade goods mainly between China and Canada - business students in the US and Taiwan also participate. Students gain
experience in negotiation, export price calculation, export contract
drafting, letter of credit checking, customs clearance, shipping and
documentation.
Visiting Scholar Howard Lin

MacEwan University School of Business works to connect their
students, not only with the business world, but to academics from
across the country and around the world. Dr. Howard Lin, from the
Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University, visited
MacEwan University in mid-September. MacEwan University
filled every moment of his time, meeting with deans and faculty to
discuss his experience with Ryersons transition from a college to a
university, and delivering several presentations to faculty, students
and the business community. His talks focused on the changing
organizational landscape in China, which were very well received.
COMING TOGETHER: Delegates from MacEwan University and the

Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trades International School of Business
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p.7
Around
MacEwan
McLennan Ross Sun Junior Golf Tour

MacEwan University School of Business has been sponsoring the Alberta Junior Golf
Tour for approximately five years. The goal of the tour is to provide junior golfers in Alberta the
opportunity to develop their golf games in a series of coordinated tournaments throughout
Alberta in a fun, but competitive environment. As MacEwan University offers Professional
Golf Management as a major of the Business Management diploma, the tour is an incredible
fit promoting the program directly to young people with a love of the sport.
NEXT GENERATION: Junior golfers from across Alberta compete in the McLennan Ross Sun Junior Golf Tour every year
Small Business Week

As a sponsor of the Edmonton Chamber
of Commerce Small Business Week
initiatives, MacEwan University School of
Business was pleased to host the kick off
event for the week. Small Business Week is
an annual national event. This years theme
Aim High! Invest in Your Future, resonated
with students, many of whom will own their
own businesses and some who do already.
This event was a great example of the
networking opportunities MacEwan
University provides to connect students with
the real world of business.
p.8
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CMA Accreditation Recognizing

Quality Accounting Curriculum
MacEwan University School of Business recently received confirmation of accreditation with the
Society of Management Accountants of Canada (CMA Canada). This Certified Management Accountants
(CMA) accreditation will allow high achievers in the Bachelor of Commerce degree an exemption from the
CMA Canada Entrance Exam and registration into the Strategic Leadership program.
Receiving this accreditation is a recognition of the quality of our curriculum by CMA Canada, says
Elsie Elford, Dean of MacEwan University School of Business. They are recognizing the unique attributes placed into this degree the focus on connecting our students to the real world of work and the
importance we place on communication skills through things like group work and case competitions.
Launched in fall, 2010, the Accounting major was the fourth major launched in the Bachelor of
Commerce degree. This major rounds out MacEwan Universitys accounting offerings, which still
include a diploma and applied degree.
ADVANCED ACCOUNTING: Janet Paterson-
Weir, Provost & EVP Academic; Joy Thomas,

President & CEO of CMA Canada; Elsie
Elford, Dean, MacEwan University School
of Business
Put Accounting Employers and Students in one Room and

what do you get? Success
Over 120 employers and students from the accounting industry
came together at MacEwan University South Campus on October 25 to
meet, greet and seek employment or employees. MacEwan University
offers a wide variety of accounting options, including a diploma,
applied degree and four-year degree with an accounting major. Many
students in attendance sought work placement to complete their
applied degree or co-op diploma requirement. Others were in search of
part-time, summer, or permanent employment. Whatever the reason, all
employers left loaded down with student resumes and business cards.
And all agreed they had found some great prospects.
FACE TIME: Employers and students participated in a

speed networking exercise, then mixed and mingled
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p.9
Around
MacEwan
Top 40 Under 40
Ten students from MacEwan Universitys Public Relations program lent their talent and
energy to assist with Avenue Magazines Top 40 Under 40 event. This award celebration was held
at MKT Fresh Food & Beer Market on November 1, with our soon-to-be PR graduates hosting and
assisting with event logistics. This event celebrates forty award-winners, under 40 years of age,
who not only have successful careers, but also work to improve the quality of life in Edmonton.
The evening was both inspiring and an excellent learning laboratory for the MacEwan University
students, all of whom will be called on to plan events in their future careers.
MEET THE HOSTS: Susan Meingast and
Orville Chubb of Avenue Magazine
WELCOMING TEAM: MacEwan University
Public Relations students help host the event

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Emma Butler and Chelsey
Swankhuizen interview a Top 40 winner
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THE
PARTNERSHIP
ISSUE
By Omar Mouallem
PHOTOS BY BUFFY GOODMAN
PROBLEM SOLVERS
When MacEwan University students made

the case for saving Babas Own, the leaders
of the social enterprise listened
PEROGY MAKERS: Cameron McCoy with
project supervisor Yevheniya Vasylysyna.
The students focused on differentiating
Babas Own from the competition
t just a hairnet over five-feet-tall, Olya Vrana is dwarfed by

the walk-in freezer inside the kitchen at St. Michaels Long
Term Care Centre. She waves her hand to a scarce few boxes
stacked against the wall. The bright green label reads: Babas Own
Pyrohy. Two weeks ago, full freezer, Vrana says. She repeats it
for emphasis: Two weeks ago. Now? Just a little bit. This week,
everything sell.
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THE
PARTNERSHIP
ISSUE
HIGH YIELD: Each Baba makes 1,200 perogies by hand

every day, in 14 varieties, plus three kinds of cabbage rolls
Each year 1.26 million perogies and half a

million cabbage rolls will be stored here before being shipped off to grocery stores as far
north as Yellowknife, where customers will
enjoy up to 14 varieties of perogies and three
types of cabbage rolls. And every time one
does, theyre contributing to the St. Michaels
Health Group. The perogies are essentially
and came here as a stepping stone to citizenship, to learn the language and earn a modest salary (though Vrana has so far stayed
for 19 years).
They quietly mix, cut, stuff and pinch
perogies 1,200 per person per day. The
only heavy machinery is a dough roller that
is malfunctioning today. A woman tries
The perogies are essentially the 32-year-old organizations

version of the Girl Guide Cookie, helping with its $19million-a-year objective of providing long-term care to
people in Edmonton with physical and mental challenges.
the 32-year-old organizations version of the
Girl Guide Cookie, helping with its $19-million-a-year objective of providing long-term
care to people in Edmonton with physical
and mental challenges.
It sounds like a big operation, but its not.
The second you step out of the freezer youre
facing six mostly senior women from Eastern
Europe who, like Vrana, speak little English
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hopelessly to shove a log of dough through

a slit while tampering with some buttons.
Meanwhile, her colleagues sit on stools and
work over flour-strewn counters, intently
ensuring each perogy is as good as the one
her grandmother made.
Oh yeah, chimes sales consultant Cheryl
Ostermayer, it really is Babas own.
But with this high quality comes high
costs. Even at double the price of a bag of perogies from one of its competitors, last years
net profit was only about $10,000. They may
have increased annual sales from $127,000 to
$485,000 since 2005, when CEO Stan Fisher
came in and expanded the social enterprise,
but it also meant ballooning costs. As a result,
the 2011 AGM saw board members suggesting
they shut it down.
But they were convinced otherwise thanks
to some very young attendees. MacEwan
University School of Business students made
the case for saving the social enterprise, based
on brand recognition. Even though we dont
have a facility in the Northwest Territories,
they know Babas Own and St. Michaels,
explains director of general services Paul
Teterenko, who was at the meeting. And that
kind of recognition would cost thousands.
Adds Ostermayer, Its a part of our
identity.
On a late September day inside MacEwan
Universitys Robbins Health Learning
Centre, 50 students have taken over an
ROLLING IN DOUGH: Enactuss challenge is to help

Babas Own increase profits while maintaining a high quality and high cost, product
amphitheatre room for an orientation on

Enactus (which just recently changed its
name from Students in Free Enterprise, or
SIFE). Its 5:15 p.m. and the meeting was
adjourned 15 minutes ago. They could go
home if they want, says Faculty Advisor
Gordon Lucyk. But they dont. Instead, they
rattle on about the partnership opportunities in the local business community and
create a buzz you can hear from outside.
There are classes buzzing like this across
39 countries and 1,600 colleges and universities. For 37 years, Enactus has charged postsecondary students with an entrepreneurial
spirit and plugged them into socially responsible businesses. Just a year ago, in September 2011, the MacEwan University chapter
of the international non-profit organization
launched with 15 members.
Assistant Professor of Marketing Leo
Wong, one of seven Enactus faculty advisors
including Lucyk, isnt surprised that membership has tripled in just a year. Enactus
offers students the kind of real-world experiences theyve been working for since they
filled out their application to the School of

Business. Theyre consulting, working with
external organizations, and that gives them
something to supplement their education
here, says Wong, who has also participated
with Enactus on the other side, as a marketer
for a Calgary nonprofit working with Mount
Royals chapter.
The other aspect, he says, is it deals
with those social and environmental issues
that this generation of students care about
quite a lot.
And thats the way business schools are
heading, says Co-chair of Student Services
Lucyk, who likes to point out the not-so
humble origins of Enactus: Its goal initially
was to beat the communists by showing what
free enterprise could do. After communism
died, they adopted a triple bottom line focus
people, profits and planet.
For third-year MacEwan University student
Cameron McCoy, the attraction to Enactus
felt natural. I quite enjoy leadership, working with people one on one, he says. I
really enjoy that aspect of business.
McCoy, 19, learned about Enactus last year

in his Non-profit Management class with
Wong and has since become the local chapters president and CEO. Wong challenged
his students to gain experience by either
creating a pretend non-profit and dealing
with the logistics that would hypothetically
entail, or getting involved with Babas Own,
an opportunity made possible through his
long-standing friendship with St. Michaels
CEO. I thought it would be much more
interesting to help real people, McCoy says.
It was not hard to get involved.
The problems challenging Babas then and
now are many. It makes a great product, but
compared to its machine-made competitors, the cost per unit is high. Wong posed
a question to McCoy and fellow project
members Is there any way they can differentiate themselves? and one of their
answers was to conduct a taste test.
St. Michaels sent its best Babas to
MacEwan University and City Centre mall,
where between 500 and 750 people sampled
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p.13
THE
PARTNERSHIP
ISSUE
four perogies, each from a different brand. It
turns out people highly prefer Babas, which
was second only to a niche brand more
likely to be found in health food markets
than any of Babas dozens of suppliers. But it
was a test of the students, too. It showed that
they could successfully organize an event,
people were willing to pay for perogies

The students were able to communicate these
issues to St. Michaels so that the company
could understand them better.
Communication and presentation skills
are hallmarks of Enactus, and the students
were able to execute both at the board meet-
St. Michaels sent its best Babas to MacEwan University

and City Centre mall, where between 500 and 750 people
sampled perogies. It was a test of the students, too, and
showed that they could successfully organize an event,
demonstrate leadership and delegate among themselves.
demonstrate leadership, delegate among
themselves and coordinate a focus group.
What I really learned was how to market
a product and get it out into the public,
McCoy says. I enjoyed learning how to
design market research.
That set the stage for other things to
consider, like repackaging and re-branding,
says Wong. We wanted to know how much
ing where Babas was put on the chopping

block. The future is bright with [Enactus]
and the number of things theyre planning,
says St. Michaels Teterenko. Its exciting for
us because it will allow us to grow a little bit
more and to increase our sales and maybe
diversify our revenue streams.
But were St. Michaels staff ever concerned that inviting a bunch of amateurs
to the table might actually cause damage?

No, says Ostermayer, theyve got a lot of
fresh, bright ideas. In fact, theyre already
collaborating on improving Babas visibility in the aisles. Enactus members went out
to local suppliers, took photos and documented where their product was shelved and
reported back to Ostermayer and his team.
If there are ever concerns with the student
activities, faculty advisors are there to help.
But although they help maintain good relationships, their jobs arent to convince the
business owners quite the contrary. Its to
teach students how to make a case for their
ideas so not only can they sustain partnerships, but grow them. The whole idea of
[Enactus] is students can come in first year
and it adds value throughout, until fourth
year, Lucyk says.
McCoy has one more year in the School of
Business and he plans on making the best of
it with Enactus. Some days it costs him two
to three hours, other times it means early
Monday morning meetings, but for him its
worth it. In the long run, I really hope to
make my degree worth more.
DEEP FREEZE: This walk-in will store 1.26 million perogies

and half a million cabbage rolls bound for stores as far
north as Yellowknife, each year
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PHOTOS BY GENESIS STUDIO
THE
PARTNERSHIP
ISSUE
LEARNING
TOGETHER

Corporate Learning and Continuing Education
partners with Canadian Western Bank Group
to develop a comprehensive training program
By Caleb Caswell
ommunication is one of the most foundational

skills an individual can possess, and is a key
characteristic in building a successful business.
Canadian Western Bank Group (CWB) is one company that
puts communication at the forefront of its business practice,
whether it is with clients, staff, or partnering organizations.
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p.15
THE
PARTNERSHIP
ISSUE
Ratka Janjic, Senior Manager of Corporate

Learning and Continuing Education
When CWB decided to implement a

training course to help their staff acquire the
skill-set to lead and communicate effectively,
they came to MacEwan Universitys School of
Business Corporate Learning and Continuing
Education team to assist in developing the
program. Their work together has resulted in
a lasting partnership greatly benefiting both
organizations.
Clear and effective communication is a
skill thats beneficial in all areas of life; however, in business it is vital for success. Often
employees are promoted to supervisory or
management positions because of their job
related skills. However, they may not yet have
developed key skills and competencies such as
communication, performance management
and how to effectively lead a team, says Ratka
Janjic, Senior Manager of Corporate Learning
and Continuing Education at MacEwan University School of Business. And considering the
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internally, says Heather Sanregret, Assistant

Vice-President of Training and Development
at CWB, so we searched for something a little
more structured.
The search prompted CWB Group to get in
contact with MacEwan Universitys then-Director of Corporate Learning and Continuing Education, Sheila LeBlanc. After a thorough needs
assessment, a classroom and online Essentials
in Management program was created to equip
new supervisors and managers with a series of
management and communication skills.
In the beginning, however, the program
was smaller in scope. We were looking for a
one-day session, says Sanregret. I already had
in my head what the program would look like,
so I started by asking how much it would cost.
But during the needs assessment important
questions were asked such as, What do you
need? What do you want to accomplish? What
competencies do you want your people to
have? The needs assessment process was very
personal and passionate. The resulting Essentials in Management Program is a comprehensive program that surpasses the typical training
program consisting of a classroom, some
projector slides and a manual that inevitably
ends up on a shelf.
The modules are designed to give participants the skills to motivate employees, manage
time and delegate responsibility. Communication skills, such as conflict management, effective writing, supervision skills and problem
solving are also included. Four additional
factors, customized for the program, make it
particularly effective: the practical application
of the material to real situations; the smaller
classroom size of 25 people;
the close networking of participants who share similar
Its important to be aware of our
experiences, histories, and
strengths, and our strength is our people. goals; and a coaching guide
provided to upper-manThey care about our clients and students
agement post-graduation
and want to provide a positive learning
explaining how to help
participants transfer newly
environment and the best service
acquired skills back to the
possible, says Ratka Janjic, Senior
workplace.
Manager of Business Corporate Learning
Upon successful completion
of the program,
and Continuing Education.
participants are awarded a
Professional Development
expansion of CWB a growth thats ballooned certificate from MacEwan University, followed
by a graduation ceremony. So far approxifrom 120 employees in 1991 to over 1,800 in
mately140 members of CWB and their subrecent years through hires and acquisitions
sidiaries have completed the program since its
management training was necessary. In fact
inception in 2009, and the program continues
the company created an entire department
to be held annually, rotating between Edmondevoted to providing training and developton, Calgary, and Vancouver.
ment opportunities for their employees.
The Essentials in Management program is
We knew we were missing the mark
TRAINING RELATIONSHIP: Ratka Janjic,

Senior Manager of Corporate Learning and
Continuing Education with Kerry Seto, CWB,
Help Desk manager
consistently praised by its participants The

content of the program and its comprehensiveness is much more robust than what I
thought it would be, says Sanregret. And
it didnt come at a cost I was uncomfortable
with. The price was absolutely fair.
The effectiveness of the courses comes from
the unique pairing of MacEwan Universitys
expertise in program development and CWBs
corporate philosophy of equipping their
employees with knowledge and skills to make
informed decisions. MacEwan University and
the CWB Group are currently in discussions to
develop a follow-up program that will use the
Essentials of Management program as a jumping off point. This new program would focus
on key leadership skills and competencies.
The two organizations continue to partner
on other initiatives as well.
MacEwan Business Continuing Education
develops a co-branded Professional Development guide for CWB employees that offers
opportunities for employees to enroll in
courses as part of their ongoing professional
development. CWB also engages their professional staff to speak to MacEwan University
School of Business students or participate in
various business events held by the University.
Its a small community, says Janjic. Were
in the heart of downtown and we search for
ways to collaborate that are beneficial to both
organizations.
Janjic continues to develop methods to
answer the question of how her Corporate
Learning and Continuing Education department can strive to meet the needs of the
business community, while aligning with
the departments strengths. Its an ongoing
question of what does the business community need. says Janjic. Were not going to
be all things to all businesses, and when you
promise something you cant deliver, you lose
credibility. Its important to be aware of our
strengths, and our strengths are our people.
They care about our clients and students and
want to provide a positive learning environment and the best service possible.
Janjics answer on how to provide the best
service: Its about open

dialogue and asking the right questions.
Every organization is unique; therefore, it is
our job as training professionals to assess,
design and create training that meets their
needs.
Both the Business Corporate Learning and
Continuing Education department and CWB
attribute the success of the program and their
continued relationship to the importance both
sides place on communication. Whether selling a coffee to a customer, learning to motivate
an employee, or courting a conglomerate to
provide their staff training, communication
is the most important tool an individual or
business can develop. Good communication leads to continuing relationships,
and Sanregrets endorsement of MacEwan
School of Business, Corporate Learning and
Continuing Education says it all: We value the
relationship with MacEwan University and we
see them as a partner of ours. Weve had other
needs for management training, and MacEwan
University is our first contact.
aspire
p.17
PHOTO: CURTIS TRENT
THE
PARTNERSHIP
ISSUE
p.18
By Michelle Lindstrom
Creating diversity in MacEwan

University Supply Chain
Co-op placements means
considering the construction
industry in addition
to oil and gas
WORK TERMS: Craig Gordon-Fulk (left),

a fourth year student in the Supply Chain
Management major, with Scott Sharun,
Assistant Manager, Procurement of PCL
Industrial Management
aspire
CONSTRUCTING
PARTNERSHIPS
upply chains are everywhere in Alberta, from the local corner store
to the biggest oil and gas companies in Fort McMurray. Companies are
finding now, more than ever, that strong partnerships within their supply
chains can be what makes or breaks them, even more so than their products
price. Quality and delivery times are directly dependant on suppliers, so finding the right links in the chain can start with a well-informed and connected
MacEwan University Supply Chain Co-op student.
aspire
p.19
THE
PARTNERSHIP
ISSUE
Enrico de Borja, MacEwan Universitys

Co-op Education Advisor for the Supply
Chain Management major, hears firsthand
what companies are looking for in terms of
labour and its his job to connect them with
qualified Supply Chain Co-op students and
graduates. The students dont get the short
end of the stick either, considering they get
paid for three blocks of four month work
placements during their third and fourth
year of studies.
Were one of the fastest growing majors in
BCom, de Borja says. As of September 2012,
approximately 120 students were enrolled
in the Supply Chain Management Co-op
program, a nearly 40 per cent increase from
the previous September.
Employees from PCL, Canadas largest
construction company, spoke to MacEwan
University students late in September. Dave
Hall, Manager, Materials Management and
Jamie Nelson, Supervisor Materials Management, presented to over 20 students. They
described a general scenario to the audience: when required material or shipments
to a job site are not there on time, thousands of dollars are lost each hour because
employees are on standby, waiting to
begin their work. Thats how critical the
supply chain is, de Borja says.
It is a two-way street of interest between
de Borja and Albertas construction companies to form a few partnerships. Oil and
gas is always going to be here (Alberta),
de Borja says. But the construction industry is one I wanted to ramp up to be equal
so there are opportunities for students in
both industries.
De Borja is quite certain that if at least
two industries are consistently vying for his
students, MacEwan University Supply Chain
Co-op grads will have job security even if oil
prices drop. Buildings, roads and industrial
sites will still require construction.
Many large companies within the province
are on the hunt for supply chain staff as longterm solutions and have contacted de Borja
directly to find out how to include MacEwan
University as part of their recruitment plan.
In the past year, weve seen a really big
boom in construction companies taking our
p.20
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PCL PARTNERS: (Left to right) Dave Hall, Manager, Materials

Management, Jamie Nelson, Supervisor Materials Management
and Enrico de Borja, MacEwan Universitys Co-op Education
Advisor for the Supply Chain Management major
students, de Borja says. These construction

companies are hungry for this talent that we
are developing at MacEwan.
Scott Sharun, Assistant Manager, Procurement of PCL Industrial Management is a
strong supporter of the Supply Chain Co-op
program. His department has experience
with two MacEwan University Supply Chain
a co-op offer with one company because he

wanted to hold out for a four-month buyer
position with PCL, which he got.
Right within the first week they had me
buying materials, like consumables, hammers and odd-end tools that people needed
on our sites and facilities, Gordon-Fulk
says. He was surprised by the freedom he
In the past year, weve seen a really big boom in construction

companies taking our students. These construction companies
are hungry for this talent that we are developing at MacEwan,
says Enrico de Borja, MacEwan Universitys Co-op Education
Advisor for the Supply Chain Management major.
Co-op students so far and another PCL
department had two co-op students, and
two graduates. Hes encouraged by the skills,
eagerness and desire to get things done that
these students bring forth during their placements. Going out and acquiring ready-made
talent is very expensive and very hard, Sharun says. I see great potential coming out of
that group long-term and short-term.
Craig Gordon-Fulk, 21, is a MacEwan
University Supply Chain Management major
in his fourth year of the co-op program. He
took a gamble by not immediately accepting
was given to make decisions; it wasnt as he

envisioned a co-op to be. At PCL, he was
supervised but was given the opportunity
to work things out on his own and ask questions to senior buyers when needed.
We try to train them to become a junior
buyer and actually give them a real taste of
what theyre going to be doing here if they
decided to stay, Sharun says.
Gordon-Fulks employer asked him to
return, and hell start an eight-month co-op
this May.
GANOTEC PARTNERS: Sasha Kostic (left) with

MacEwan University Co-op student, Stefan Luca
Ganotec West ULCs headquarters are

located between Edmonton and Spruce
Grove, in Acheson, Alberta. Ganotec builds
industrial facilities such as power plants,
refineries and oil sands projects, and is in
its third year of partnership with MacEwan
University. The companys District Business Manager Sergey Rozhdestvensky says
Ganotec provides students with an opportunity to learn about a very large, sophisticated and multi-disciplined industry. His
organizations talent search involves being
visible in the community and hiring local
Alberta talent.
We treat (co-op students) as full-time
employees, like a new hire, Rozhdestvensky
says, adding that the co-op program gives
Ganotec the opportunity to screen future
full-time employees.
He says Ganotec has had a positive experience with all three of its MacEwan University
Co-op students. Stefan Luca, 25, was one
of them.
The co-op has helped me figure out and
defi ne my career path and fi nd out more
of what I want from my professional life,
Luca says.
Luca was required to return to MacEwan
for his final semester of school, so Ganotec,
not wanting to lose the talent it had invested
in for eight months, offered Luca a parttime position. He was able to co-ordinate
his remaining university classes around the

three days a week he works at Ganotec. After
his graduation in December 2012, he hopes
to specialize in procurement and material
co-ordinating.
In addition to fi nding willing employers
to take co-op students who offer challenging supply chain work, it is also de Borjas
responsibility to ensure both sides give
and get what is expected. Before students
go into any co-op placements, they have
to complete a pre-employment seminar
that de Borja instructs. Within the 15hour seminar, the emphasis is on fi nding
a career. Topics covered include: resume
and cover letter writing, interview skills,
professionalism and networking.
Says de Borja, Students are getting
multiple offers from multiple organizations. That has to go through a 23-year-olds
head Hey, Im getting all these job offers.
Im good, right? His response to that is,
if you can substantiate why you deserve
a certain starting salary, then go for it.
Youre a Supply Chain grad, youd better be
good at negotiating, Negotiations should be
expected by employers, as a robust exchange
between them and potential employees.
De Borja does warn students, though, to
have balance, as humility goes a long way.
The companies that are doing well are
more receptive to taking on students and
taking a chance, de Borja says. Recruitment is strategy. You have millions of

dollars of project work but you dont have
the staff to do it. The companies that are
already looking have planned well ahead
of the pack.
He says employers should know that students talk and the companies that are secure
and unafraid of what is said about them will
benefit the most from this free advertising.
Students dont hold back on the information they share with peers regarding salary,
positions, tasks, million-dollar projects they
worked on, and so on.
Edmonton, Calgary and Fort McMurray are the three main cities drawing co-op
students from MacEwan Universitys Supply
Chain program. De Borjas main focus,
when he took the university co-op advisor
position two years ago, was to have more
jobs than students. His continual networking is part of how hes made that plan come
to life. The positive experiences employers
say theyve already had with students is the
other half that has companies coming back
for more and new organizations getting in
line to be a part of this successful recruitment strategy for well-trained, junior-staff
members.
Supply chains are becoming better understood and Alberta is the place to be to take
part in such a multi-disciplined sector.
aspire
p.21
THE
PARTNERSHIP
ISSUE
By Elizabeth Chorney-Booth
MUTUAL
BENEFITS
PHOTO: EUGENE UHUAD
The successful relationship between Intact

Insurance and MacEwan Universitys Insurance
and Risk Management program proves the
importance of clear communication
WIN-WIN SCENARIO: Personal

Lines Manager Connie Stonehouse
(right) helped Jordan Froese test-drive
her new career at Intact Insurance
p.22
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nyone looking for a model of a healthy post secondary

industry partnership need to look no further than the
MacEwan University School of Businesss Insurance and
Risk Management programs relationship with Intact
Insurance. The partnership is relatively straightforward in that it
serves the needs of both parties without fuss or compromise. Simply
put, Intact needs qualified insurance professionals to staff its operation. In turn, the MacEwan program needs industry support to attract and retain students. Through clear communication, each party
fulfills the needs of the other in a mutually beneficial and highly
successful partnership.
MacEwan University offers a 13-month diploma program in Insurance and Risk Management that prepares students to move on directly
to insurance industry careers. The program has an incredibly high success rate, with nearly 100 per cent of graduates going on to jobs in their
chosen field. Since the program is so industry specific, the faculty has
forged very close relationships with a number of insurance companies,
both to help place students upon graduation and also to develop a
program that best meets the needs of the industry.
Teresa Costouros is the Faculty and Industry Liaison for the Insurance and Risk Management Program, and she has taken considerable
care to foster relationships with key players in the insurance industry.
Through her own network of industry connections, she has developed
a particularly close relationship with Intact Insurance, which routinely
hires on MacEwan students, including six from the most recent graduating class. Costouros initially felt the need to reach out to Intact when
she realized that some of her students were struggling financially.
Intact Insurance have been very supportive in terms of sponsoring scholarships, specifically for our students, Costouros says. They
currently have three $1,000 scholarships that only students from the
insurance diploma program are eligible for.
What began as a means of financing students has grown into a partnership that has numerous benefits for the University, the company,
and students alike. In addition to those three $1,000 scholarships,
high-level managers from Intact attend the programs annual mixer
event, which gives students a chance to mingle with potential employers and learn more about opportunities within the industry. Intact also
hosts a recruitment event in which students are invited to the Intact
offices to get a feel for the workplace environment and ask questions
about the company. Intact also assists with proctoring CIP exams, is
represented on the programs advisory council, and frequently participates with guest speakers in-class.
Its a win for us, in terms of the success of our students getting jobs
and the many resources we have out there to help us in the delivery of
our curriculum, Costouros says. It helps us keep our program strong
and viable.
Jordan Froese has benefited directly from the partnership between
Intact and MacEwan. Froese graduated from the certificate program
in Insurance and Risk Management in 2011, which included a work
program with Intact. While taking her classes, Froese worked half days
at Intact, and the company took care of her tuition. Froese got a chance
to practically apply the theoretical knowledge she picked up in class
and also had the security of a full-time job waiting for her once she
completed her certification.
Froese says that the work program allowed her to gain first-hand
knowledge about the insurance industry while she was still in school
and also gave her a chance to test-drive her new career in the workplace
environment. She says that Intact was, and remains, supportive every
step of the way. A little over a year after graduating, shes already begun
to work up the ranks of the company.
This is actually somewhere where I can find myself a fit, Froese says.
I have been lucky enough to

move up and our managers are
always wanting to know what I
want to do, because I put that effort into school they know I want
to be here. Thats the culture here
if you want something they
will help you get there.
All of these initiatives are
clearly beneficial to the University and the students, but
the rewards for Intact are also
significant. First off, the company gets an upper hand over
their competition by hiring the
promising graduates they meet
through the programs mixer as
FOSTERING RELATIONSHIPS:
Teresa Costouros, Faculty and
well as the companys in-office
Industry Liaison for the Insurance
recruiting event.
and Risk Management Program
Keith Jerke, Intacts Regional
Vice President in Northern Alberta, says that the partnership goes
beyond the opportunity to woo MacEwans top insurance students. By
working closely with Costouros and the programs advisory council,
he and his colleagues are able to help MacEwan build a program that
meets the changing needs of the insurance industry.
Through the advisory council and the scholarships were helping
them get people hired, Jerke says. But were also providing them with
feedback on what it is were looking for in new hires.
Both Jerke and Costouros acknowledge that without these partnerships, the Insurance and Risk Management program would be less successful. From Costouros point of view, if the program was not able to
offer scholarships and other support to students, many students would
apply for jobs in insurance without going through a specified program
for insurance professionals. The partnership also gives Costouros the
ability to attract high quality students who know that they are likely
to graduate from the program with gainful employment. On the other
side, while Intact routinely hires new employees who do not necessarily have insurance-specific diplomas, the MacEwan program gives the
company a chance to take on new hires who already know the ins and
outs of the insurance industry.
It really helps the industry if they have well-educated insurance
students, Costouros says. Insurance specifically, because they can hit
the ground running even if they dont have hands-on experience, since
theyve got a good theoretical knowledge of insurance.
Coming out of the insurance program, these students have made
the decision that they want to get into the insurance industry, Jerke
says. When you hire university graduates who might have a Bachelor
of Arts degree, theyre looking for work, but sometimes they arent as
committed to a career in insurance. With the MacEwan grads, we have
a higher retention rate.
Costouros encourages companies who want to get involved in similar partnerships with any of the MacEwan University School of Business
career programs to get in touch with the appropriate faculty liaisons.
She says that the first step is to create an open line of communication.
If both parties are able to clearly articulate what they want out of the
partnership, the relationship can be mutually beneficial and hassle-free.
I feel very blessed to have an industry that is so behind the program, Costouros says. Anytime Ive asked for anything the insurance
industry has been very supportive and willing, and Intact being at the
front of that line. Its definitely a two-way street and Im very grateful
for everything that they do.
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p.23
THE
PARTNERSHIP
ISSUE
By Cailynn Klingbeil
WORK TERM
PHOTO: BLUEFISH STUDIOS
Cooperation between West Fraser Co.

and MacEwan University has been a
bonus to all involved
p.24
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WINNERS
W
hile MacEwan University students have completed on to doing financial statements, she says.
work terms as far away as Houston, 20-year-old
Shes looking forward to taking on even more responsibilities when
Natashia Harland choose a practicum closer to home.
she returns to Hinton Pulp in May. Ill be doing a little of everything,
Harland, who was enrolled in MacEwan Universitys Accounting and more of the controller duties but a lot of accounts payable as well. Just
Strategic Measurement diploma, completed her first work term at Hin- anything that anybody needs help with, and special projects as well,
ton Pulp, a mill in her hometown operated by West Fraser Timber Co.
Harland says.
I wanted to go back to Hinton and I liked that I could work for
Every time she comes back I try and give her more depth, says
an industry rather than an accounting practice, Harland says of her
Purcell, Harlands supervisor. The next time she comes back in
co-op choice.
May, well be giving her more of a senior level role. Shes evolved and
I know a lot of the other employees there because I lived in Hinton its great.
for so long, so its great being back in the community and everyones
Once her final work term is done and she has graduated with her
very welcoming.
degree, Harland plans to work toward her Certified Management
Harland liked it so much, in fact, that she returned for a second
Accountant designation. After that I would like to still work in
work term. And now that shes
industry, hopefully in a smaller
graduated from the diploma protown, she says.
gram and transferred into MacEwan
Harlands career path of accountant
Individuals like Natashia bring huge
Universitys Bachelor of Applied
started rather simply. I like math and
value to our organization and their
Business AdministrationAccounting
I liked it in high school, she says. I
contributions are significant. They
degree, Harland will complete her
thought this would be a good thing
year-long practicum at Hinton Pulp,
to go for. Her mom, a payroll clerk,
come with this knowledge of current
starting in May 2013.
encouraged her to pursue studies in
technologies that they learn in school
Harland is excited to return,
the field after high school, and she
today, and that efficiency helps us with
and her employer is happy to have
hasnt looked back since.
her back.
I like the math part of the job and I
our everyday business, says Eva
Its been great having her, says
also like working with different people
Purcell, an accounting supervisor at
Eva Purcell, an accounting supervisor
and talking to vendors, she says.
at West Fraser.
In between her work terms she has
West Fraser Timber Co.s Hinton Pulp.
Individuals like Natashia bring
enjoyed her time in the classroom, at
huge value to our organization and
MacEwan Universitys South Campus.
their contributions are significant. They come with this knowledge of
I had smaller classes and got to interact with the professors. The
current technologies that they learn in school today, and that efficiency whole class was pretty close so that was nice, Harland says.
helps us with our everyday business.
Ena Chaisson, University Advisor in the School of Business, helps
Purcell says the pulp mills partnership with students started when
MacEwan University students market themselves to potential employparents working at the mill asked if there was room for their offspring. ers prior to work term placements, including support with resumes
Its since evolved and the application process is open to everybody, not and practicing for interviews.
just families.
In Harlands case, Chaisson sees her multiple work terms with West
Its great because the students are enthusiastic and they learn
Fraser as a win-win for all involved.
quickly. From my experience in the accounting department, evThe smaller centres benefit by being connected to large post-secerybody is happy to train these students because theyre so eager,
ondary institutions, which do industry-quality training. Students arrive
Purcell says.
skilled and ready to go, and they bring that training to smaller centres
The company is an especially good fit for students who are origithat may not have on-site training like that, Chaisson says.
nally from Hinton. Its really good for us to get young people that are
Students completing work terms benefit in many ways, too. It verifrom Hinton, Purcell says. Its a lucky thing the students are back
fies that this is indeed the career for them, Chaisson says.
with their families and then we also have them working for us. Were
Plus, accounting students accelerate their income potential with
always hoping that theres going to be a future for them here.
each work-term they complete. Theres the immediate effect of
For Harland, staying with the same employer for multiple work
having real-time, real-world experience, and theres also the practical
terms has allowed her to advance her career, all while she is still in
benefit of being able to accelerate their income potential because they
school. I was doing accounts payable the first year and then I moved
have real-world experience, Chaisson says.
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p.25
By Caroline Barlott
BEYOND
Boundaries
Hosting international students is just one

piece of an extensive partnership between the
Welingkar Institute of Management Development
& Research and MacEwan University
p.26
aspire
s the airplane began its descent into

the Edmonton International Airport,
seven graduate students from India
looked down and were surprised by the lack of
buildings surrounding the city. India has more
post secondary students than Canada has in
its entire population, says Kimberley Howard,
project manager for the study tour that brought
Indian graduate students from the worldrenowned Welingkar Institute of Management
Development & Research to Edmonton to learn
about another business culture, and culture in
general. Its no wonder they were surprised by
the difference in population.
If the students first impression of the city
was one of emptiness and isolation, it quickly
changed upon spending nine days learning
more about business in Edmonton through
a program this September that combined
academic lectures, visits to businesses and a
tour going through Calgary, Drumheller and
Banff. They had a chance to see the dynamic
work being done with waste management and
learned about the oil industry in the province.
Going to the waste management plant, they
thought it was a world-class centre. Obviously,
with a population of over a billion, dealing
with waste is a huge issue, and they were impressed with [the plant], Howard says. They
also toured the Rocky Mountains and West
Edmonton Mall. The students received credit
toward a post-graduate diploma in management, which is the Indian equivalent of an
MBA, Howard says.
The partnership between MacEwan and
Welingkar is unlike any partnership Ive
seen in another university, says Makarand
Gulawani, Assistant Professor at MacEwan
University. Its because of the amount of
resources involved and the number of people
willing to help these students learn about
international business.
Gulawani has taught international business
at MacEwan University for six years, but prior
to his post in Edmonton he was teaching and
doing administration work for the Welingkar
Institute. The school has two campuses, one
in Mumbai and one in Bengaluru. When
MacEwan University wanted to start forming
international partnerships with trading countries and top schools, Gulawani knew Welingkar would be an excellent choice. Welingkar
is known for its innovative ideas, including
recently winning a Mumbai University New
Initiative Joint Action Now award for the
concept of holding campus blood donation
camps, where students donate blood during
school hours. We are both very innovative and
we complement one another, Gulawani says.
The partnership started in 2008, when

undergraduate business students went on the
first study tour to India. They had the opportunity to meet with business leaders and learn
about another culture. Then, in 2011, they
returned to Welingkar, and signed an updated
memorandum of understanding (MOU)
with the institute, showing the commitment
on both sides to ensure that students gain
increased international knowledge through
future collaborations.
The MOU and the partnership is very important to us, we feel there is a lot of potential
for collaborating with MacEwan University
and the partnership brings out the best of
students at both institutes, says Chandana
Pai, General Manager, Strategic Alliances and
Business Development at Welingkar.
Pai travelled with students to Edmonton
and says those students, including Mekin
Shah, were very excited to bring back the
MacEwan University students are planning

to go to India again in May, with a new model
for the program involving business mentors
being paired with students. Gulawani is very
excited about the trip, and is impressed by the
number of people involved who are willing to help the students understand another
culture. They will have the chance to visit their
mentors business partners and receive one-onone advice.
The partnership is multi-layered, with future
opportunities in the works. When the Indian
students were in Edmonton, they met with
members of Enactus to discuss the possibility of working together in the future. Enactus
is a student group that brings together future
business leaders to create a better, more sustainable world. A chapter of the international
non-profit organization (formerly known as
Students in Free Enterprise, or SIFE) has been
active since 2011.
The partnership between MacEwan and Welingkar Institute

of Management Development & Research is unlike any
partnership Ive seen in another university, says Makarand
Gulawani, Assistant Professor at MacEwan University.
knowledge they gained at MacEwan to

Welingkar.
When we arrived in Canada, we were
initially surprised at not finding very many
people. But after we interacted with so many
people the professors, the business people
everyone was friendly and took good care of
us, Shah says.
He said it was clear in his travels and studies that Canada is a county that places high
importance on the environment.
At the waste management plant it was interesting to see how they recycle paper, plastic,
and especially electronic waste because thats
something thats generated all over the world.
Coming from India where the pollution rate is
so high, it could be great if we could incorporate a system like this here and create a cleaner
environment for the citizens, and create energy
out of it. Maybe we could have the Edmonton
Waste Management System share the technology and expertise and help us set up such a
plant over here, he says.
Were considering the study tour the first in
a chain of lots of great things we can do. Welingkar believes in developing global managers,
and MacEwan University is a great partner
when it comes to that, Pai says.
The benefits of this partnership are far reaching, both for the students, and the universities.
For students, its an opportunity not available
in the classroom, says Howard. Theres nothing that can prepare you for going to India.
You have to go to see it, smell it, experience it.
International business students will one
day be doing business with other cultures,
especially in our economy, where everything
is interconnected, Howard says. Even those
who never leave Alberta, theyre going to be
working with people from different cultures,
backgrounds and different first languages.
They may be importing, exporting to India.
They need to know how to operate in a global
world, she says.
The study tour program offers a chance to
see how business is conducted in a different
country, while experiencing another culture.
Feedback from students has been so positive
that all of the Indian students Howard spoke
with said they want to return. Gulawani heard
similar comments, Students said: We are sure
that with this kind of experience and opportunity we got, our friends will feel jealous.
But its little wonder. You cant simulate the
experience of going abroad in a classroom,
says Howard.
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p.27
CONSTANTINE TANASIUK
TEAM MACEWAN: (From left to right) Dan Philpott,

Dexter Hamilton, Ian Abuan and Taylor Scinski
p.28
aspire
By Kelley Stark
Edmontons new Quarry Golf Club is run by

graduates from MacEwan Universitys
Professional Golf Management program
any of the people involved in running Edmontons

new golf course, The Quarry Golf Club, are MacEwan
University graduates, most from the Universitys
Professional Golf Management Program.
Built on an old sand and gravel pit, the course is located in
north Edmonton along the North Saskatchewan river, at 945167 Avenue. Using materials already on-site 45 acres
of lakes, plenty of topsoil, and piles of covered gravel to
separate the holes the course was built without having
to import any materials.
The Quarry Golf Club employs many MacEwan University
graduates, including Taylor Scinski, Head Professional and a
2009 graduate of MacEwans Professional Golf Management
program. Golf pros and MacEwan graduates also include Tyler
Komick, who graduated in 2010, Dan Philpott, who graduated
in 2008, and Ian Abuan who graduated from Golf Operations
Management in 2009 and then completed the Bachelor of
Commerce transfer program in 2011.
These graduates are greatly responsible for a very successful
first year. Starting up a new golf course has been a fantastic
experience, Scinski says. There are obviously many hurdles to
overcome when starting up a new golf course, as with any business. But there have been no hurdles too large to overcome,
which has been great. Overall, it has been excellent.
He says the first season went very well and the public seemed
to really like the course.
All four of these professional golfers believe their success
and their education goes hand in hand. I believe my time at
MacEwan has benefited The Quarry by giving me the appropriate business skills required to understand how to effectively
address a start-up company, Scinski says.
Komick agrees, saying: MacEwan gave me the things I need
to know to make myself successful in the golf industry.
The 27-hole course was designed by architect Les Furber,
known for his designs across Canada, as well as the United
States, Germany, the Czech Republic, Cuba, and Switzerland.
He and his team have designed over 150 golf courses around
the world. And Les Furber, with all his experience, believes that
aspire
p.29
SWINGING FOR SUCCESS

The Quarry is good enough to host a large
tournament in the future.
The design of the course is very impressive. There are holes that go downhill then
climb back up, a hole where you can see
three-quarters of the entire course, a hole
that has a waterfall running on both sides
of the green, and one hole even has two
greens, giving the player a choice of targets.
The 2012 season saw the opening of the
fi rst 18 holes the Granite and Slate nines.
The Ironstone nine will be opening for the
The program runs from late-September until March structured around the
golf season. It is a two year program and
prepares students for careers as assistant
professionals and teaching professionals
(until they complete requirements for Class
A membership with the CPGA). Students
can also work in club management, clubhouse operations, course maintenance, golf
equipment sales, golf retail management,
and tournament and event management.
Part of the two-year program consists of a
The overall education I received from MacEwan has helped

me greatly during my time with The Quarry, said Taylor Scinski,
Head Professional at The Quarry Golf Club and graduate of
MacEwan Universitys Professional Golf Management program.
2013 season. The nines range in yardage
from 5,100 yards to 7,600 yards and have at
least five tee decks on every hole, catering to
every handicap of golfer.
The golf course also features a practice
area with two putting greens, a chipping
green, a fairway bunker, and three levels of
grass tees on the driving range.
The Professional Golf Management program is the fi rst of its kind to be endorsed
by the Canadian Professional Golf Association (CPGA). The course focuses on general
management, organizational behaviour,
marketing, sales techniques, accounting,
fi nance, human resources management, and
business computer applications.
Professional Golf Management also offers industry-specific courses focusing on
pro-shop operations, sales, golf equipment,
backshop and practice facility operations,
golf car fleet operations, programs and
leagues, rules of golf, food and beverage
operations, and golf course maintenance.
practicum during the golf season. The Quarry will be posting jobs at MacEwan University for any Golf Management students who
wish to do their summer practicum there.
After finishing the two-year Professional
Golf Management diploma, students can enroll in the one-year post-diploma certificate
as they aspire to become a head golf professional, teaching professional, or director of
golf. The post-diploma certificate in professional golf management completes the three
year business education required by the
CPGA, and teaches students about setting up
a golf operation, golf course design, golf club
repair, golf club fitting, and courses that help
students develop their personal games.
Scinski appreciates that the program
is there. I do not feel as though there is
one specifi c skill that I have learned at
MacEwan that helps me most with being
a Head Professional. I do, however, feel
that the overall education I received from
MacEwan has helped me greatly during
my time with The Quarry, he says.

Additionally, Abuan values the management skills taught in the program. How
to manage and motivate employees of different generation, being able to do so helps
the operation run smoothly, he says.
The Quarry Golf Club is now closed
for the season, but will be opening again
in mid-April of 2013. Scinski is looking
forward to the new year and some changes
that will be taking place. The 2013 season
will be an exciting one for us at The Quarry.
Our clubhouse is currently under construction and is scheduled to open in the spring
of 2013, which will allow us to have a full
food and beverage operation as well as give
us the ability to host large corporate tournaments and functions, he said. This is in
addition to the new Ironside nine scheduled to open in the new year, making The
Quarry a 27-hole golf course.
Things you should know before

golfing at The Quarry Golf Club
Season and corporate passes are
available now for the 2013 season.
The Quarry is a ride-only facility.
All prices include power cart rental.
Tee times can be booked five days
in advance.
Tournaments and events can be
booked up to a year in advance.
There is a dress code.
The Quarry is a soft spike only facility.
Group and private lessons are available.
Rental clubs (both left and right) are
available in the pro shop. Rental clubs
consist of brand new Titleist 910 D2
driver, 910F Fairway woods, AP1 irons,
Vokey wedges, and a Scotty Cameron
putter.
ABOVE PAR: The Les Furber-designed course

features challenging play and impressive views
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RESEARCH
MATTERS
FINANCIAL
WIZARDS
MacEwan University students
show youth the magic behind
money management
By Caroline Barlott
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p.31
RESEARCH
MATTERS
THE STUDENT
TEAM:
Vivek Agnihotri
Mohammed Atiq
Ann Cho
Kristen Bond
Kristen Chmura
Ge Qingrui
Peter Lee
Harkaran Minhas
Prasann Patel
Wilson Wong
andling your finances seems fairly straightforward: You need to spend less than you
make, always ensuring a little extra stays
in your bank account. You should make a
budget, save money, and invest. Easier said than done.
Youre not born knowing how to manage money,
says Fernando Angulo, Assistant Professor with the
MacEwan University School of Business. Its a skill you
develop, and without the proper help, its easy to feel
overwhelmed and ill-informed. It can be intimidating, too; a whole other language exists in the world of
finance, with terms like negative equity.
According to Angulo, who headed a financial literacy
project for MacEwan Universitys winter 2012 marketing
research class, having enough money without living pay
cheque to pay cheque or without accruing debt is a big
mystery for many people.
Nowadays, you can get $3,000 in five minutes.
People can get easy money through credit cards and
some people, especially young people, start to think
lifes easy, Angulo says. Its not until the bills start piling up that the fine print of those credit cards reveals
itself in the form of huge amounts of interest that accumulates very quickly.
But the Chartered Accountants Education Foundation
of Alberta (CAEF), the Alberta chartered accountant
professions non-profit organization, wants to change
the way people think about money. And its doing that
through scholarships, awards and special projects that
aim to teach young people the things they need to know
about money management before bad habits start to
form. In 2010, the CAEF began its Paying It Forward
fundraising campaign, with funds going towards
fi nancial literacy tools for junior and senior highschool students.
One of these financial literacy tools is the Money
Project, a website collaboration between CAEF and
Angulos marketing research class that went live in
November. The website aims to be a one-stop-shop
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for financial resources for young people, says Katie

Starratt, who manages the Money Project for the CAEF.
But the partnership wont just help the youth who
read the website its been beneficial to the MacEwan
University students and the CAEF as well.
Angulos market research class had a chance to put
their textbook learning into practice by conducting
focus group discussions and surveys at Centre High
and Spruce Grove Composite High. They learned about
the problems youth had with finances, the holes in
their knowledge and the best way for them to gain
that knowledge. That information was then given to
the CAEF, used to determine what to put in the Money
Project website and the best way to present it.
Two of the MacEwan students, Ann Cho and Kristen
Bond, say they spent about 80 per cent of their time
during that semester on the project, but thats because
they were so passionate about it. In fact the project
made such an impact that they both changed their
majors from management to marketing because they
realized how much they enjoyed the various interactions and the process of gathering information. We
were actually contributing something that would be put
to practical use and it motivated us to work hard, Cho
says.
Cho says sometimes the project felt like a real
job, which is exactly the experience Angulo wanted to
create for his students. They dont just remember the
terms they were taught, like quantitative research, says
Angulo, They remember how to do it. I wanted them to
have a real-life experience.
This class challenged me to step out of my comfort
zone by leading a discussion with a group of highschool students, and it gave me so much insight into
the world of marketing research, says student Kristen
Bond. It was an assignment that didnt feel like an
assignment, because we had actually started to connect
with the project on a different level. [We] wanted these
high school students to succeed in their finances and
Fernando Angulo
reach their financial goals.

Starratt says the information gathered by students
was incredibly useful. Being a non-profit organization,
it was amazing to work with the students to have extra
research that we could use for the website, she says. And
it wasnt just a regurgitation of what had been expected
from the CAEF. The organization had a general idea of
the types of information the students would need. But
when it came to the presentation of the material, they
were off the mark. They had expected the young people,
a generation accustomed to the constant buzz of video
games, smart phones and MTV, to be most interested in
fun ways of learning about finances, maybe in the form
of games or cartoons.
But many of the students were already earning their
own money, buying their own cars and saving for university. They wanted to learn the math behind interest
rates and the specifics of how to make a budget balance;
they wanted practical information without the kitsch.
MacEwan University student Prasann Patel, an
accounting major, also worked on the project. He
conducted many of the interviews with high school
students, where he learned about their spending habits
and what they really wanted to know.
A lot of times, the high-school students would be
going out four or five times a week, and a lot of the
times, they dont think about how big an impact those
days out can have, says Patel. A lot of times managing
money means a lifestyle change.
Patel says when he asked the students how far ahead
they plan their finances, many thought no further than
a couple of weeks, maybe a month. He says the students
were especially appreciative to have a one-on-one interaction where they could gain insight about what would
be coming next for them, including heading off to
university and figuring out how they could plan for that
financially. It was obvious from the start that not only
did the youth need the website, they wanted it a place
where they could get financial information that would
be relevant to their lives.

Cho says that many students expressed they had, in
fact, been taught how to save money, and the amounts
necessary to save for big purchases. But they also said
the information was impractical, because once the large
sum was finally saved, the market would have changed,
making the purchase (of a car, a house, etc) impossible.
So, the CAEF took the information collected by
MacEwan University students, along with some
of their own research and made a website
themoneyproject.ca providing original content, while
connecting readers with financial information that
already exists. The site covers financial topics such as
Fernando Angulos market research class had a

chance to put their textbook learning into practice
when they conducted focus group discussions and
surveys at local high schools.
daily budgeting tips, advice from professionals and the
correlation between an individuals thoughts about
money and his or her financial situation. And, as per
the request of youth, many of the elements are interactive, including a survey thats like a financial personality test, with the end result being a personal money
motto, showing how the person views money.
Both Angulo and Starratt are happy with the partnership and the benefits experienced by both MacEwan
University students and the CAEF. And in the coming
years, theyre excited to watch as more and more
young people gain knowledge from the website.
We saw in our research theres a trend among
Canadians to have problems with debt. We thought by
targeting a young audience, we could start to build positive habits so they could have a strong foundation going
forward, says Starratt.
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p.33
RESEARCH
MATTERS
BEYOND THE
Two researchers build a new performance model for business that
considers social, sustainable, economic and environmental factors
By Cailynn Klingbeil
wo MacEwan University faculty are working to develop a

broader comprehensive performance model for companies,
one that examines firm performance beyond the typical
dimensions of financial statements.
Were trying to develop a model that is more comprehensive in
looking at other dimensions of firm performance, says Dr. Eloisa
Perez, a faculty member of MacEwan University School of Business.
When we think about performance we immediately think about
financial performance, but there are other dimensions of it and
thats what we are exploring. We are trying to develop this comprehensive performance measure that would include social, economic
and environmental constructs.
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p.35
RESEARCH
MATTERS
Evandro Bocatto
these alternative pieces of firm performance

is challenging. Identifying what social return and innovation look like and determining the measures that accurately capture it
is not as simple as examining a companys
financial records.
Were looking at customer satisfaction,
employee satisfaction, how the company
is viewed in the community in terms of
environmental issues, if they protect the
environment, if they have a sustainable
strategy for the long term, says Perez, listing
just a few of the many factors being explored.
Weve also included the contribution to society in terms of taxes paid and job creation.
In looking at all those factors, Perez and
Bocatto want to find out where innovation
fits is a company that values sustainability
and acts on its environmental impact more
innovative than a company focused just on
We are trying to develop this comprehensive performance

measure that would include social, economic and
environmental constructs, says Dr. Eloisa Perez, a faculty
member of MacEwan University School of Business.
Perez is working with her colleague, Dr.
Evandro Bocatto, also a MacEwan University
School of Business faculty.
Once we have a model, then we can
develop a framework for small businesses,
Bocatto says. Right now, Bocatto and Perez
are researching big companies, looking at
constructs correlated to performance and
innovation.
Were looking at the data in terms of
the environment, the society and corporate
governance; the thesis is that if companies
are incorporating new beliefs into the way
they operate, as a result they will create innovative products, services and processes.
Innovation enchants customers hence impacting performance. Were starting with big
companies because we have a huge number
of observations in our database and then
applying it to small and medium-sized businesses, Bocatto says.
They believe the study will yield a valuable map of what companies do now and
how they can create sustainable value while
making meaningful contributions to their
communities.
The two researchers admit that measuring
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its financial performance? Our hypothesis

is that if you are a more holistic company,
you would be more innovative, Perez says.
For the scope of their research, innovation is connected to sustainability. Its not
just looking at innovation that brought us to
where we are right now, but innovation that
really looks forward, into the future, and
says, whats going to be sustainable 50 years
from today?
Perez and Bocatto speak about the fact
that the world in which companies conduct business has changed; were all more
connected today and there are very few
boundaries. This has many implications
for business, whose role as a global citizen
means being responsible and sustainable at
all levels of operation.
A company could be a very good company locally, but if they hire a supplier in
China that uses underage workers, thats not
being a global citizen, Perez says.
The pair is using a database called Sustainalytics, which includes profiles of Canadian
companies listed on the TSX, with environmental, social and governance analyses.
Thats where were at right now, collect-
Eloisa Perez
ing data on companies based in Canada

and in Alberta, Perez says. While the study
initially intended to focus on small- to midsize companies in the Edmonton region, the
researchers have opened up their sample
size but expect the results they receive will
be beneficial to businesses of all sizes.
Very little research is being done in terms
of sustainability in a deeper sense, including
these many variables. Statistically there are
some challenges because there are so many
variables, so thats why we want to start
with the bigger companies that we have data
available for and see if it works. Then we can
apply our findings to small- and mid-size
enterprises, Perez says.
The database includes information on
many Alberta companies, primarily in the oil
and gas, mining and manufacturing sectors.
A fourth-year MacEwan student is helping
Perez and Bocatto collect the data, including
examining employee and customer satisfaction with each company. There is another
element, executive pay, and shes collecting
data on that as well. We believe such pay
makes a difference in the position toward
sustainability; that theres a link between
executive pay and sustainability. Sustainability involves a long-term objective, and
executive pay is generally tied to short-term
objectives, Perez explains.
Perez and Bocatto expect to finish the
project by June. Were still collecting data
and working the statistics, but we will have
some results very soon, Perez says.
By Doug Yearwood
OPPORTUNITIES
AND CHALLENGES
Chinese investment in Albertas oil sands
hinese direct investment in Canada was $10.9 billion

in 2011. MacEwan University School of Business Institute
of Asia Pacific Studies (IAPS), with funding from the
Alberta Rural Development Network (ARDN), held a very informative conference discussing Chinese investment in Albertas oil sands
on October 25.
The conference was hosted by Dr. William Wei, Chair of the Asia
Pacific Management program at MacEwan University. Three speakers
presented their diverse points of view: Dr. Lianyong Feng, professor,
School of Business Administration at the University of Petroleum,
Beijing, Dr. Wilton Littlechild QC, and Neil Reddekop, lawyer with
Ackroyd, LLP.
Through a translator, Dr. Feng addressed and countered Canadian
concerns that state-owned Chinese enterprise investing in Canadian
resource industries could cause problems down the road, as the Chinese government could be ideologically opposed to Canadian interests
while not allowing reciprocal investments in China.
Fengs comments emphasized that due to new energy independence
policies, rapid development of unconventional gas and an emerging new
energy revolution on the horizon, the United States as a primary
petroleum marketplace might not be in Canadas best interests long-term.
Canadas crude oil is traded at a lower rate than the international
standard due to its density. With Canadas current energy plan, Feng
suggests an increase in exports to China would be beneficial. In the
future it is estimated that US imports will be decreasing.
Despite the positive economic benefits of exporting Canadian
petroleum products worldwide, there are local and First Nation
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES: Lianyong Feng, Neil Reddekopp, Dr. Wilton
Littlechild speak about Sino-Canadian resource relationships
concerns about the environment. In his conference presentation,

Dr. Littlechild points out that First Nations rights to sovereignty over
natural resources are supposed to be upheld by treaties such as the
Constitution Act of 1930. However, recognition of First Nations rights
has been ambiguous at best.
Treaty rights are abrogated on a daily basis, says Littlechild.
Neil Reddekop concurs with this message. He also feels that the business and operational practices threaten the environment and integrity
of the oil sands and its surrounding communities.
A majority of Alberta First Nations that have commented on the
pipeline have not said, no pipeline at any cost. Rather, they have said,
the conditions for our acquiescence in the pipeline have not been
met, Reddekop says.
Reddekop and Littlechild agree that by finding a balance between
business and environment, many social concerns would be addressed.
They both see positives in a proposed organization put forward by
Dr. Feng: a multilateral energy collaboration that would see Chinese
integration into the Canadian market and bridge the relationship
between governments, enterprise and community. The Sino-Canada
Energy Cooperation Regulatory Association (Sino-ECRA) would ensure
transparency on energy use, and provide benefits to both the corporate
sector and First Nations communities.
The result of the conference is another step forward in broadening
understanding through discussion between Asia and Alberta. Developing these relationships is a key element of the work at MacEwan
University School of Business IAPS and more discussion forums like
this one are sure to be held in the future.
CONFERENCE ATTENDEES: Joe So, Govt of
Alberta and Chiu Lau, Lee Garden
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FACULTY
PROFILES
The Facilitator
Building relationships,
mentoring and negotiation:
All in a days work
By Robin Schroffel
Gordon Lucyk
Co-Chair Student Services,
Coordinator, Intl. Business
You could say that Gordon Lucyk has a talent for making
connections. As the Co-Chair of Student Services at MacEwan
University School of Business, hes the one students go to when theyve
got an academic issue, whether its the desire to take more courses than
normal, do something out of the ordinary, or appeal a grade.
On top of that, Lucyk acts as the primary faculty contact for
Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME), a
program he was instrumental in bringing to MacEwan University,
as well as the main faculty advisor for Enactus (formerly known as
Students in Free Enterprise, or SIFE). Finally, hes a Course Lead and
instructor for Business 450, an innovative offering that sees students
apply strategy in a simulation before making presentations to panels
of academics, administration and business leaders from the outside
community. Last year, he and fellow Course Lead Victor Bilodeau
were recognized for their work in Business 450 with a MacEwan Day
Innovation Award.
But Lucyks multi-faceted role at MacEwan University developed
with time. He came to the school in 2004 as an instructor due to
his international negotiating experience, but his varied resume
including a MBA and MA from the Wharton School in 1991, years
spent marketing a commodity to the Asian market, and experience
working in finance in France led him to eventually do much more.
His current position, which he stepped into in mid-2011, allows
Lucyk to get really involved when a student is looking to go above
and beyond. One of his favourite aspects of his job has been
connecting students with conferences and helping them to prepare
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case-study presentations. Its been great to give students the opportunity to show their abilities, he says.
And some of the students hes worked with have been extremely
successful: one case study was picked up for publication by a textbook, while another was published in the conference proceedings.
This year, Lucyk plans to research more conferences and connect
even more students with these opportunities.
More than anything, he loves to see students engaged in their
education. That explains Lucyks obvious pride when he talks about
Enactus, an organization hes seen go from about 15 active members
to a list of 180 in the span of a year. When I look at the youth of
today, I think they want to have more than just a job. They want to
do something that makes a difference in the communities they work
in, he says.
According to Lucyk, Enactus can help students do that. The experience a student gets, not only in contributing to the community
but in the connections they make, can have a huge impact on their
future. Its a way of differentiating themselves from their peers,
he says. It has a positive benefit for their careers, but it also allows
them to give back.
Its understandable, then, that Lucyk doesnt mind putting in extra
time for Enactus: from early meetings to weekend retreats and even to
late-night social events, Lucyk is enthusiastic about being a part of it
all. I really enjoy the energy and ideas students bring, and will meet
with them anytime, anywhere. Though its important to know when
its time to go and let the students be students, he says with a laugh.
The GameChanger
Real-world experience plus
formal education equal a
fresh take on Business 201
By Robin Schroffel
Leo Wong
Assistant Professor
When Leo Wong was an undergrad marketing major at the
University of Alberta, he joined a few student clubs, but found
himself searching for more opportunities to get involved. He
didnt find them, so the avid volunteer created his own. Soon after
graduating, Wong started his own non-profit organization, Youth
One, which acted as a social network, publishing platform, and
volunteerism hub for youth, which he ran for two years before
returning to school for a PhD in marketing. In August 2011, he
found himself joining the MacEwan University School of Business
as an assistant professor teaching a variety of courses.
Wong brings a rare combination of real-world experience in
non-profit management and a formal marketing education to his
students, and this year, the results are showing in the revamped
Business 201 program. Normally the first business course students
take, it was once a dry overview of the many facets of business
education. Historically, not a lot of students enjoyed the course,
admits Wong. But last year, along with five students, he submitted a video to a competition jointly hosted by the Principles for
Responsible Management Education (PRME) office and a school
in Denmark on how he would change Business 201. The video
placed second and earned Wong and a student a trip to Denmark.
Now, Wong is the Business 201 course lead, and using his background in sustainability as a starting point, hes put his recommendations into action. Theres a lot more discussion now. The
course now is very much about sustainability, he says.
But by far the biggest innovation to Business 201 is the courses
community service assignment, which requires students to put

into practice the basic principles theyve learned. Each class puts
together its own food bank drive, organizing itself into various
roles, developing job descriptions and ways of reporting to each
other, and producing tangible results in the amount of food
collected. In a way, its like role-playing, but in the real world.
Its very much an experiential way of learning and it has a
social benefit in terms of helping the student food bank here at
MacEwan, Wong explains.
The food bank drive doubles as an Enactus project. Enactus is
another area at MacEwan University that Wong, as the groups faculty advisor, has become deeply involved in. Along with the food
bank drive, Wong advises on the groups work with St. Michaels
Health Group and its product, Babas Own perogies (learn more
about this initiative on page 11). This year, hell be looking at ways
Enactus can help the social enterprise to raise funds for a freezer
truck and develop a competitive business strategy.
Wong is passionate about the partnerships hes forged through
Enactus and PRME, and believes these types of projects are critical
for creating a full educational experience. Through these, students are able to grow both personally and professionally, and he
feels this gives MacEwan University students a competitive edge.
Everyone gets a degree, but thats really the minimum that a student should get out of coming here, he says. These opportunities
are ways to engage people so that we think about issues and we can
become more responsible leaders. Thats why I get involved.
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p.39
GRAD
PROFILES
The
Connector
MacEwan University
student builds community
through campus club
he founded
By Matt Hirji
Rob McCuaig
Management Studies (2011)
Bachelor of Commerce
(in progress)
When Rob McCuaig first started his studies at MacEwan
University in 2008, he noticed a lack of community spirit and
student engagement on the colleges south campus. Unsatisfied,
he decided to do something about it; he started the Business
Academic Recreation Social Club (BARS) and began to build connections with his fellow students.
I realized that the more you get involved with the school, the
more you get out of your education, McCuaig says. Its really
simple to go to school, attend classes and then just leave right
away. You didnt get that strong university feel. But if you do
that youre not fully taking advantage of all the resources that
MacEwan puts into students.
A few dodgeball tournaments and social functions later,
the BARS club had grown in popularity far beyond McCuaigs
expectations. And before long the South Edmonton Business
Association (SEBA) expressed an interest in building a partnership with the fledgling social club. Recently, the two organizations have been working together to host events where students
can meet and learn from business professionals.
In addition to facilitating professional development, McCuaig
says that the BARS club fosters a strong sense of community,
allowing students to cultivate common interests and learn from
each others life experiences outside of the classroom.
Today, McCuaig, who received his diploma in Management
p.40
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Studies in 2011 and is now pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce at

MacEwan and sits on the board of SEBA, remains steadfast in his
belief that post-secondary education should be more than just
going to lectures and studying from a text book.
You start to lose out on the whole university experience if
you just focus on academics alone. I learn in so many different
ways, and learning from the textbook alone is only one avenue,
McCuaig explains. At the end of the day, if I can gain experiences
from many different places and learn little amounts of information from a lot of different people then Ill be better off for it.
The goal of learning from different people has even motivated
McCuaig to travel through a study abroad program offered by
MacEwan. In January, McCuaig will fly to Sweden, where he will
complete his final semester of school.
Studying abroad is an experience McCuaig has been eagerly
anticipating: Itll be a great learning experience, McCuaig says.
Last year I met quite a few MacEwan exchange students from
Europe and they said the exchange was one of the best experiences that theyd ever done. The amount of personal growth that
you get out of an exchange is just not something that I want to
miss out on. Taking yourself out of your own culture, I think it
will really broaden my perspective on things. Itll allow me to
come back to Edmonton and start a career with fresh eyes and
new ideas.
The
Entrepreneur
Food truck owner gained
work ethic and motivation
at MacEwan University
By Matt Hirji
Ariel Del Rosario

Asia Pacific Management
Diploma (2003)
Five years ago, in the spring of 2006, Ariel Del Rosario was
given an assignment to create a business plan in one of his MBA
classes at the University of Alberta. For some students the task
was merely another hurdle to jump over. For Del Rosario, it was
an opportunity to set a dream of owning a successful business
into motion.
One year later, what emerged from the assignment was one
of the first food trucks to open in Edmonton. In fact, when his
kitchen-in-a-truck parked itself downtown to serve Filipino
barbeque food under the moniker Filistix, many potential
customers were cautious of the novel food option. Del Rosario
and his business partner, however, remained optimistic that his
business would become successful in time.
In every other culture, there was some sort of street food
culture that existed, Del Rosario explains. I realize that in
[Edmonton] its a seasonal business, and you can only operate
in May through October. But theres all this street food culture
elsewhere. So we said Why dont we bring it to Edmonton, and
see what happens? We saw it as an opportunity to make a bit
of money, but also as an opportunity to introduce a little bit of
street food culture to the downtown core.
Del Rosario is the first to admit that none of this would have
been possible without the help of MacEwan University. Thats
where Del Rosario first learned foundational knowledge in
business, while also honing his entrepreneurial spirit.

Frustrated in the workforce after graduating high school,
Del Rosario realized that he needed to pursue a post-secondary
education if was going to achieve his goal of being a successful
businessperson. So, in 2001, the Edmonton native decided to
enroll in the Asia Pacific Management diploma program at
MacEwan University. As it turns out, it was a pivotal decision
that paved the way for a thriving career as an entrepreneur.
I owe a lot of my success to [MacEwan University] because
they pushed me. Without that I dont think that Id be where
I am today. I knew that I had it in me; Id always had this drive to
be an entrepreneur. But studying at MacEwan University instilled
a strong work ethic in me and really motivated me to succeed,
Del Rosario says.
After graduating from MacEwan University, Del Rosario went
on to pursue an MBA at the University of Alberta. It was there that
he further developed his skills as an entrepreneur and started his
company.
Id never thought about it that way, but its definitely been
a long journey, Del Rosario says. Originally, we wanted to
provide healthy alternatives in terms of healthy food options in
Edmontons food trucks. We wanted to change the way people
thought about food trucks. Now, we want to see how far we can
expand in the next few years.
aspire
p.41
Springboard
By Adrienne Hill, Public Relations (2012)
RENDERED
SPEECHLESS
Dynamic classes and course material
set the stage for a vibrant career
I wasnt sure what to expect when I signed up for two evening

courses as part of the Public Relations program at MacEwan University. After successfully completing both courses with knowledgeable
and helpful instructors, I was left with no doubt as to my next steps. I
promptly signed up for the popular full-time program.
September 2011 marked the beginning of a busy first semester. I
learned the fundamentals of what it takes to communicate effectively in
a dynamic and intriguing field. The small classroom sizes contributed
to increased comfort, confidence and connection with fellow staff and
students; we were in this together, learning from one another.
Our hands-on, practical learning environment helped us develop
valuable critical thinking skills through in-depth exploration of timely
news events. Lively discussions allowed budding professional communicators to do what we do best, communicate!
Another valuable component of the program involved extensive
writing assignments. Late into the second semester, we were assigned
to write our first speech for Rachel Notley, member of the legislative
assembly of Alberta for the NDP. She was set to speak at Grant Notley
Park at an event honouring workers injured or killed on the job. This
park was named in honour of her own father who died tragically in a
plane crash in 1984 while serving his constituents.
p.42
aspire
Daunted at first, I embraced the challenge in capturing Rachels

voice by turning her passion into words that would inspire the crowd.
Stories of pain and loss came to light from families who had lost loved
ones from often preventable deaths in the workplace. Slowly but surely,
the speech took shape.
My efforts paid off as my speech was one of three chosen by our
instructor, Elaine Calder, to present to Rachel. I was even more thrilled
to learn that Rachel had chosen my speech to address the crowd. It
was fortunate I wasnt the one speaking as I was rendered speechless!
While I may have succeeded with this particular assignment, I didnt
do it alone. I received immeasurable support from my instructors and
gained valuable knowledge from the course work. I can safely say this
program has opened doors and provided ample opportunity for me to
pursue a successful career in communications.
Today, I am working with the Alberta government within a dynamic
and busy communications team. With each passing day, I gain a broad
range of valuable communications experience including strategic planning, developing a wide variety of information materials for internal and
external audiences, nurturing client relationships in the production of
collateral materials, creative storytelling, collaboration on numerous
initiatives and more.

Aspire Winter/Spring 2013

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VOL.

4 ISSUE 2 WINTER/SPRING 2013

THE PARTNERSHIP ISSUE

A partnership between MacEwan

Research yields a new

Supply Chain Management program

Swinging for Success

Institute for Asia Pacific Studies

When MacEwan University

Two researchers are building a new performance

MacEwan Universitys Corporate Learning and

By considering the construction industry, in addition

Message From the Dean

Beyond the Numbers

Message from the Associate Dean

Student and Grad Profiles

Work Term Winners

Cooperation between West Fraser Co. and MacEwan

MacEwan University School of Business

FROM THE DEAN

Elsie Elford, BA, LL.B

MacEwan School of Business

Women Win Bronze at CCAA

For the fourth time in as many years,

Visiting Scholar Howard Lin

COMING TOGETHER: Delegates from MacEwan University and the

MacEwan University School of Business

McLennan Ross Sun Junior Golf Tour

Small Business Week

CMA Accreditation Recognizing

ADVANCED ACCOUNTING: Janet Paterson-

Weir, Provost & EVP Academic; Joy Thomas,

Put Accounting Employers and Students in one Room and

FACE TIME: Employers and students participated in a

MacEwan University School of Business

MEET THE HOSTS: Susan Meingast and

Orville Chubb of Avenue Magazine

WELCOMING TEAM: MacEwan University

Public Relations students help host the event

PHOTOS BY BUFFY GOODMAN

When MacEwan University students made

MacEwan University School of Business

t just a hairnet over five-feet-tall, Olya Vrana is dwarfed by

HIGH YIELD: Each Baba makes 1,200 perogies by hand

Each year 1.26 million perogies and half a

The perogies are essentially the 32-year-old organizations

hopelessly to shove a log of dough through

ROLLING IN DOUGH: Enactuss challenge is to help

amphitheatre room for an orientation on

filled out their application to the School of

McCoy, 19, learned about Enactus last year

people were willing to pay for perogies

St. Michaels sent its best Babas to MacEwan University

ing where Babas was put on the chopping

to the table might actually cause damage?

DEEP FREEZE: This walk-in will store 1.26 million perogies

PHOTOS BY GENESIS STUDIO

MacEwan University School of Business

ommunication is one of the most foundational

MacEwan University School of Business

Ratka Janjic, Senior Manager of Corporate

When CWB decided to implement a

internally, says Heather Sanregret, Assistant

TRAINING RELATIONSHIP: Ratka Janjic,