In this week’s My Story in 30 special episode, we’re thrilled to have Husnaa Zamarai and Sheru Yousafzai from the EDI committee of TRSS sharing with us their recent achievement at CABS for the best EDI initiative for students as they launched the first ever EDI Well-being Space in TRSM.

TRSS has been the voice for many generations of undergraduate TRSM students. Over the past years, students have expressed the need to have a multi-faith room in the TRSM building in addition to the one we have at the university located in the Student Campus Centre (SCC). Oftentimes, staff and faculty members would encounter students praying in the stairwells or in classrooms because they didn’t have a dedicated space in the building nor wanted to be late for classes. As students advocate for students, the EDI committee conducted a community survey in the Fall semester, researched and visited different standards for a multi-faith space and worked closely with faculty members to bring the EDI Well-being Space project to students. 

Thanks to their hard work, in late February, students now have access to the EDI Well-being Space right here in the Ted Rogers School of Management located on the 7th floor, room TRS 1-045. This space is open to those of all faiths/spiritualities or none at all, to pray, meditate, reflect, bereave or find quiet. It is provided to help in managing life, spirituality, health, studies and wellbeing.

In collaboration with the Business Career Hub (BCH) @tedrogersbch, this podcast is part of our Co-op Series. This series features upper-year students who share their Co-op journey, tips to support you with your Co-op application and more! In this week’s episode, you’ll learn the importance of having a strong resume and cover letter with Spencer Bulley.

Spencer Bulley, 5th year Economics and Management Science, shared insights on tips to build a strong cover letter. Spencer just finished his last work term with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management where he worked directly with C-suite executives. He has been leveraging the Co-op Program and support from the BCH to succeed in positions from investment banking to real estate transaction advisory. With his extensive experience, he provides students with a cover letter guideline to vividly tell their story to prospective employers. His advice for students who are looking to apply for Co-op is to have a diverse approach, and take on different opportunities from student groups involvement, volunteer activities or case competitions.

Somin Park, 4th year Hospitality and Tourism student, shares her journey as an international student, how she got involved, and helps students as a Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) Facilitator for Program Advising and Student Success (PASS). Previously she was a Front Desk Agent at HOEM Residence where she interacted with many students. This sparked her passion to work with students and help them succeed as a PAL Facilitator. Somin also explains the differences between PAL and tutoring and how students can leverage the services to feel more prepared during exam season. Amidst midterms, she highly recommends students to start learning early, don’t cram all the materials at once. Follow @trsm_studentsuccess for different resources available for students.

In collaboration with the Business Career Hub (BCH), this podcast is part of our Co-op Series. This series features upper-year students who share their Co-op journey, tips to support you with your Co-op application and more! In this week’s episode, you’ll learn the importance of having a strong resume and cover letter with Amanjot Malhi.

Amanjot Malhi, a fifth year Business Management Co-op student majoring in Human Resources Management, offers insight on how the BCH helped her tailor her resume to jobs to stand out to employers. Her advice to students is to leverage the BCH services earlier and don’t hesitate to have multiple people review your resume. She also shares the secret formula to a great resume, the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, and Result) method and why it is so beneficial to use in your application. Crediting all the support from the BCH,  she has secured a full-time job at Wet’n’Wild Toronto.

Syanna Gardner, a second year Business Management student specializing in Marketing Management, shared how she shaped her university experiences as a commuter student and overcame the imposture syndrome. By changing to a positive growth mindset and having her friends keep her accountable, she has taken on many opportunities such as facilitating Bootcamps at the BCH and joining Enactus’ Project BITS and Black Business Student Association (BBSA). She was able to develop numerous soft skills for her personal and professional journey. Her advice to students is to stop doubting yourself, just do it, and take any opportunity that comes your way.

Fun fact: Syanna is also the winner for the GRIT video campaign: “Made of Grit” from TMU that launched last Fall. Listen to her podcast to find out more!

Anjali Toolaram graduated from the Accounting Program at TRSM and is currently pursuing her Professional Master Diploma in Accounting, sharing how important it is to build experiences prior to Co-op. She gained the experience she needed to be a part of the Co-op program through attending Bootcamps and getting involved in student groups. With her work experiences at CRA, RBC, and KPMG, she highly recommends students to start getting involved early in your first year, leveraging all the resources that TRSM and TMU have to offer such as BCH and PAss, networking opportunities and the Tri-Mentoring program that help equip students with the transferable skills for their professional development.

Gevorg Chibukhchyan, a third year School of Accounting and Finance student talks about how he managed juggling both full-time work and studies. He chose to double major in Accounting and Finance because of his previous work experience at accounting firms and education in college. This led to his interest in building skills in Finance and pursuing his CPA designation. Currently, he is the Vice President of Finance at the Ted Rogers Investment Council and Senior Advisory Consultant at K&P CPAs. Crediting his expertise in time management, he is able to separate his school life, work life and personal life. His advice for first-year students is to see what works for your schedule, take advantage of everything, and don’t rush through things just because you want to finish it as soon as possible, take your time to do it properly and enjoy the process.

In collaboration with the Business Career Hub (BCH), we are excited to share a new special podcast series! This podcast features upper-year students sharing more about their Co-op journey, tips to support you with your Co-op application and more! In this week’s episode, you’ll learn how the Co-op program has kick-started Amy’s journey.

Amy Ko, a fourth year Business Management Co-op student majoring in Marketing Management, explains how she was initially very hesitant to join the Co-op program, but changed her mindset once she was accepted.  She offers insights on how the Co-op program kick-started her journey and more about her  8-month Co-op work term as a Brand Marketing Intern at Sephora. Her advice to students who plan on joining the Co-op program is to be resilient and persistent, attend the information and Co-op sessions the Business Career Hub provides, and when the right moment comes, you will know and it will be immensely rewarding. Crediting the different info sessions offered by the Business Career Hub (BCH) and her previous work experiences in student groups like the Ted Rogers Students' Society (TRSS), Ted Rogers Marketing Association (TRMA) and the Toronto Metropolitan Consulting Association (TMCA), she now plays a part in various projects and roles in Sephora, including the largest holiday campaign of the year.

Baxter Thomas, a second year Hospitality and Tourism Management student, talks about how he felt the homesickness transitioning from the middle of nowhere, surrounded by woods, to moving down to the big city of Toronto. From valedictorian to failing his midterm, Baxter explains how he hit the wall of not knowing if he could succeed even when he put in so much effort. He was able to persevere and change his mindset to just keep going and things will get better from there. His advice to students in the same boat is to look at the big picture and while there will always be poor marks, you shouldn’t let grades determine your worth. Crediting his perseverance, he is now a Research Assistant to Dr. Wayne Smith, Chair of Hospitality and Tourism Management, only in his second year.

Terel Leslie, a second year Business Management student specializing in Human Resources Management, explains how his high school teachers pushed him to focus on academics, forming his mindset of how high school shapes the rest of one’s life. This attitude led him to understand that one has to work because nothing will be handed to you freely. By dipping his feet into different opportunities and joining various student groups like the Toronto Metropolitan Consulting Association (TMCA), Enactus’ Project BITS and Human Resources Student Association (HRSA), he was able to develop numerous soft skills for his professional journey. His advice to students is to put yourself out there and take the opportunities that are available, but don’t burnout by taking too much on.