Shaping tomorrow’s business leaders
Leading-edge research, experiential education and globally diverse student body help distinguish master’s programs at TRU Bob Gaglardi School of Business and Economics in Kamloops, B.C.
Working in a marketing role at a law firm in her hometown of Kamloops, B.C., Tana Jones had dreams of earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree to help her advance in her company. Her employer was highly supportive, but could she balance full-time studies with a full-time job? She found the answer at the Bob Gaglardi School of Business and Economics at Thompson Rivers University (TRU Gaglardi) in Kamloops.
Tana Jones is taking on new challenges in her position at a Kamloops law firm and is confident about the value of the MBA program she has taken at TRU Gaglardi. supplied
“It had been 13 years since I had finished my undergraduate degree, and I felt a bit uncertain,” she says. “From the moment I reached out to admissions, the staff were so helpful and encouraging that I was immediately put at ease. They helped me understand the solutions they offered to help me reach my goal.”
Ms. Jones says the programming was set up tomake her combined academic-work life easy to manage. It seemed that the professors had collaborated with each other to set schedules that staggered the timing of assignments and exams. “I had options for both online and in-person classes, and the learning platforms are easy to understand and accessible,” she says.
The culture at TRU Gaglardi is incredible as well, she adds. “I love being part of a university with a big campus feel but smaller class sizes, where you get to know your professors and fellow students. And the school and my classmates always engaged me to be part of the community.”
Ms. Jones started her studies in January 2020, attending most classes virtually that first year due to COVID-19 adaptations. With her courses complete, she is now working on her thesis.
“I got great value from the school’s commitment to research opportunities for students,” she says. She took part as a research intern in the pilot Researcher-in-Residence program, a partnership among Mitacs, TRU and the City of Kamloops. “I had the opportunity to work on cultural mapping, surveys and other research projects to help the city develop knowledge for future policies and services. It’s a proactive way to address community issues, and it gave me great practical experience.”
Preparing students to help solve today’s organizational challenges
High-quality research and experiential education are two of the hallmarks of TRU Gaglardi, says Mike Henry, dean of the school.
“Today’s business graduates want to have an impact on the world and to have purpose in the organizations they work in,” he says. “Engaging in primary research with professors and community partners helps our students develop problem-solving expertise, which they take into their jobs to help improve organizational outcomes.”
“Today’s business graduates want to have an impact on the world and to have purpose in the organizations they work in. Engaging in primary research with professors and community partners helps our students develop problem-solving expertise, which they take into their jobs to help improve organizational outcomes. ”
The school bears the name of Kamloops business leader Bob Gaglardi, who is recognized for community investments and sustainability initiatives. “His values resonate with the school and are reflected in our community engagement and our distinctive programs,” says Dr. Henry.
Understanding that sustainability is a top agenda item for today’s organizations, TRU Gaglardi offers two master’s degree programs that link the environment and business goals: a Master in Environmental Economics and Management (MEEM) and a Master of Science in Environmental Economics and Management (MScEEM).
The combination of environmental economics and management is unique, says Dr. Henry. “Students take some of the core MBA courses and then specialize in environmental economics. Adding the management component gives them the skills to not only conduct such analyses but to communicate and implement the findings of that work in their organizations.” These two programs also provide innovative hybrid learning platforms, allowing students offsite to directly connect and interact with fellow students in the live classroom.
One of the flagship research projects in the MScEEM program is the Community Carbon Accounting Program, he explains. Sponsored by TELUS and supported by the Interior University Research Coalition, “it pairs graduate research fellows with businesses or non-profits to produce an accounting of their carbon footprint, which culminates in a report recommending actions to reduce their carbon footprint in the future.”
Research projects can arise from a challenge identified by an external partner, or by a faculty member or the students themselves. “For instance, a student from Africa collaborated with a local farmers’ market to analyze how it operates and explored how that particular model – which is common in Canada – could be transferred back home to their African country and help create economic development there,” says Dr. Henry.
Bringing global diversity to the education experience
The high proportion of international students on campus is another positive feature, he says. Three-quarters of the students at TRU Gaglardi are international, coming from numerous different countries.
“It’s a complicated time in business and economics around the world, and we try to help students navigate the complexities and see opportunity. It’s our job to help students also to understand risk and how to make smart decisions and solve these problems. Our goal is to give them the tools to bring about positive change. ”
“Many students from abroad find TRU attractive because they don’t want to get lost in a big metropolis and want to experience a small university in a medium-sized city of 100,000, like Kamloops,” says Dr. Henry.
“And 30 per cent of our graduates who came from other countries decide to stay in the B.C. Interior. They often open businesses and make other contributions to the diversity and vibrancy of this region.”
The international nature of TRU Gaglardi and TRU as a whole also enriches the education value for all students, says Nancy Southin, associate professor and chair of the school’s Management, Information and Supply Chain department.
“We also have a highly global faculty, so that students can see themselves reflected in their professors,” she says. “And having these different global perspectives, where students can share information about issues from their countries, is a very broadening experience.”
The university provides programs to encourage international students to explore the region and take advantage of the mountains and other environmental features that support outdoor activities. For example, the Leisure Exploration Activity Program (LEAP) engages students – international and Canadian – in snowboarding, skiing and curling, as well as summer events such as wine tours. The physical attributes of Kamloops and the surrounding region are another point of attraction to TRU.
Skills for today’s workplace
In line with the experiential-education approach, a large proportion of the faculty in TRU Gaglardi come from industry, and when they teach master’s students, they bring current business and economics issues to the forefront. “For example, understanding international business and global supply chains is critically important now, as illustrated by current events,” says Dr. Southin. In her supply management course, she recently guided students to analyze the timely issue of the infant formula shortage.
There are other subject areas in demand in the business world that are increasingly stressed in curricula and research, she says. These include data analytics and study of technology impacts on business operations.
“It’s a complicated time in business and economics around the world, and we try to help students navigate the complexities and see opportunity,” Dr. Southin says. “It’s our job to help students also to understand risk and how to make smart decisions and solve these problems. Our goal is to give them the tools to bring about positive change.”
Tana Jones is clearly seeing the benefits of her MBA studies at TRU Gaglardi.
“I’m applying some of the data analytics, and strategic management and leadership skills in my current position at Fulton,” she says. “And my employer has elevated me to a business development role. I’ll be assessing more complex business challenges and will be able to implement the knowledge I gained through my MBA. My employer is excited about the prospects, and so am I.”
To view this report on The Globe's website, visit globeandmail.com
To view the full report as it appeared in The Globe's print edition: The MBA Difference