Bright future for business graduates
Counting on the future
When Annalisa Ceccarelli takes to the podium to deliver her speech as one of the two valedictorians for the John Molson School of Business (JMSB), the friends she has made while studying toward her degree in accounting will be at the forefront of her mind.
“I met so many wonderful people from around the world and developed many great friendships,” she says. “Because of all the teamwork at business school, I got to know my classmates very well. It’s surprising who you become close to sometimes.”
Ceccarelli came to Concordia because of the Department of Accountancy’s strong reputation. “My mother is an accountant. I’ve always loved numbers and I’ve known for a while that this was the area I wanted to study in and this was the school I wanted to study at. Concordia was the only university I applied to. Thank God I got in!”
After having completed an internship at the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in Montreal, Ceccarelli will begin a full-time position there at the end of September while working toward her chartered accountant (CA) designation.
“This is a very exciting time for me,” she explains. “I’m very keen to start at PwC but I know it’s going to be a lot of work, especially since I’ll be in the CA program at the same time.”
“Actually, I’ll probably be more relaxed once I’m busy again,” she says. “The anticipation of starting a new job and this new program is killing me!”
Eventually, Ceccarelli says, she would like to work for herself. “I think the CA title will open a lot of doors. I’m looking forward to getting my first years of experience at a big firm and then maybe opening up a private practice.”
Ceccarelli hopes to start a family one day. “A big house, full of kids. That’s what I want. It seems far away now but I’m sure it will be here before I know it.”
With convocation fast approaching, Ceccarelli has been honing her valedictory speech. “My overall message to my graduating class is that your education is yours forever and nobody can take it from you. But how you use that education can affect others. We need to be helpful when we can and should always remember to be thankful. We’ve all had help from friends, family, colleagues and classmates, and it’s important to give back.”
Building on diversity
After six weeks of travel through Southeast Asia, Alison Revine plans to spend the rest of the summer relaxing with family and friends before beginning the next chapter in her life. Revine, one of two valedictorians at JMSB’s June convocation ceremonies, will join Procter and Gamble’s Customer Business Development department in September.
“I hope to have a successful, well-rounded career that allows me to travel, discover different cultures and have a positive impact beyond the organization I work for,” she says. “I also hope to have the flexibility to remain involved in the community, ideally in an area related to the arts.”
Revine chose to attend Concordia because the university embraces interdisciplinary learning. The academic path she carved out for herself allowed her to combine her interests. “It was one of the few schools that permitted cross-faculty studies and was open-minded enough to let me pursue my studies in marketing, while also pursuing my passion for the fine arts as a minor.”
While at JMSB, Revine had a very active student life. “Of course I learned a lot about business and marketing. However, I feel like my most valuable lessons came from outside the classroom.”
She was a Concordia Student Union councillor, a member of the Delta Phi Epsilon international sorority and president of the John Molson Marketing Association. She was also an active participant in the business school’s renowned case competition program, winning a gold medal at the international case competition in Navarra, Spain, in March 2013.
Revine is thrilled to have had a number of unforgettable experiences and to have forged some life-changing relationships while at Concordia. “The best thing about the JMSB experience is that there is no one JMSB experience. Concordia has one of the most diverse student bodies in Canada.”
Revine will talk about Concordia’s diversity in her valedictory address. “It is a differentiator that each student contributes to and it is also the school’s greatest strength,” she says. “It teaches us invaluable skills and prepares us for what lies ahead in our personal and professional lives.”
Related links:
• John Molson School of Business
• Concordia Student Union
• Delta Phi Epsilon on Facebook
• John Molson Marketing Association
• “Case competition lovefest” — NOW, April 3, 2013