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Convocation 2019: Rotman grads look forward to tackling the next big problems in business

June 21, 2019

Get ready, the graduating class of 2019 is about to take on the biggest challenges facing business and society.

For 628 students across the Rotman School of Management, today — Convocation Day 2019 — marks the well-deserved end to months of demanding study. At both this morning’s ceremony (honouring graduating Full-Time MBA, MGA/MBA, PharmD/MBA and Skoll BASc/MBA students) and this afternoon’s ceremony (for students graduating from the PhD, professional MBA and specialized programs), Rotman staff gathered outside Convocation Hall to cheer on the procession of graduating students.

The celebratory spirit carried into the hall where Richard Nesbitt (MBA ’85), former CEO of the Global Risk Institute and former COO of CIBC, shared encouraging words with this morning’s graduates, while Marcia Moffat (JD/MBA ’97), country head of Canada for BlackRock, inspired graduates with her speech in the afternoon.

“All of you in the graduating class of 2019 are the most successful people in your age group,” Nesbitt said in his address. “You are graduating from Canada’s top business school. The next ten years will be exhilarating work…I wish you every success.”

There’s a lot for today’s graduates to look forward to: some have their eyes set on entrepreneurial ventures. Others have recently secured promotions, thanks in part to what they’ve learned from their Rotman programs. A good portion have lined up full-time positions working in financial services, consulting and technology, among other industries.

New Rotman grad Bongchul Kim (MBA ’19) is excited to be joining the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation as an associate investment officer. This new role will take him to Washington, D.C. where he’ll be making an impact in emerging economies by executing investment strategies and providing advisory services.

For Kim, convocation is a bittersweet occasion.

“While I’m very excited about the journey ahead and proud of earning the Rotman MBA degree, I’m going to miss the good times and good people at the School,” he says.

Kim is most grateful for the network he developed at Rotman.

“It’s comforting to know that wherever I land, I’ll be connected to a strong network of high-achieving students, supportive alumni and industry professionals,” he explains.

Additionally, many graduates are eager to put the skills they acquired through coursework and assignments to use in their new careers. Andrew Lauzon (MMA ’19), a member of the inaugural Master of Management Analytics class, will be starting a consulting role with Trindent Consulting in Toronto.

“It’ll be exciting to use the collection of data tools we’ve learned to make a large-scale impact,” says Lauzon. “Rotman has prepared me well. I’ve come to appreciate that it’s about committing the effort and seizing all opportunities.”

Though they are no longer students at the School, Rotman graduates tend to maintain a lifelong appetite for learning.

“Even though the program is finished, my learning and growth will continue. I’m looking forward to putting knowledge into practice and honing the skills I acquired here,” says Sailaja Bhaskar (EMBA ’19).

Bhaskar, who is an experienced executive, credits the one-year Executive MBA program for helping her bring her knowledge of corporate governance, leadership and organizational behaviour to the next level. These lessons continue to serve her in her current position as executive director of clinical research and R&D projects at Purdue Pharma, based in the Greater Toronto Area.

“During the program, I got used to pushing the boundaries in my work and striving for excellence,” she says. “I’m not done yet.”

Rebecca Cheung

 

The Rotman School of Management congratulates all students who graduated from their Rotman programs in June 2019, including:

295 Full-Time MBA graduates
6 MGA/MBA graduates
1 PharmD/MBA graduate
4 Skoll BASc/MBA graduates
46 Morning MBA graduates
56 Evening MBA graduates
61 Executive MBA graduates
24 Global Executive MBA graduates
29 Master of Finance graduates
60 Master of Financial Risk Management graduates
43 Masters of Management Analytics graduates
3 PhD graduates

(In addition, we congratulate the 26 JD/MBA graduates who received their degrees at the Faculty of Law convocation ceremony earlier this month.)