Business education beyond the classroom

Education is one of the cornerstones of becoming a successful business owner, but nothing prepares you quite like hands-on experience.

At the John Molson School of Business (JMSB), students have plenty of opportunities to test their skills and knowledge in the real world.

Concordia Small Business Consulting Bureau

The Concordia Small Business Consulting Bureau (CSBCB) allows MBA students to run their very own for-profit consulting business, while earning three credits towards their degree.

“Students have to find their own clients, write business plans and do market research, just like if they were running their own consulting business,” says Alexandra Dawson, an associate professor of management and the director of CSBCB. “They get real hands-on experience on what it’s like to manage a consulting firm.”

MBA graduate Danielle Ker says that participating in the CSBCB was a huge part of her education.

“It was a way to go beyond the theory of the classroom,” she explains. “We get to see our ideas come to life as they are applied by entrepreneurs.”

Dobson Practicum

At JMSB, gaining real-world business experience isn’t just for MBA students. The Dobson Practicum provides current students and recent graduates with the tools to turn their business ideas into reality.

Aspiring entrepreneurs enrolled in the program get access to business networks and mentors, and resources and guidance to help their business succeed.

Anthony Esposito participated in the practicum as a fourth-year management student. With its help he started Delivurr, an online grocery delivery service.

“I already had a business idea and the Dobson Practicum was an amazing opportunity to get support,” Esposito says.

“A lot of the lessons I learned during the practicum, I brought to my studies or vice versa. It brought a sense of practicality to what I was learning in the classroom.”

Enactus

These days, successful entrepreneurs need to think about more than their bottom line. They also need to be socially responsible. Enactus is an organization for entrepreneurial students interested in society’s most pressing problems.

“You can build social responsibility into the curriculum, but students get engaged by being out in the community,” says Ron Abraira, a senior lecturer in the Department of Management and faculty advisor for the organization.

Hikmat Alsaket, a finance student and co-president of Enactus, says it’s about more than just creating a successful business plan and executing it. “It’s also about identifying the problems that are impacting a community and making it better.”

The organization also helps students find their own path. “Enactus really gave me a sense of clarity and direction about my future,” says Heather Doran, a fourth-year marketing student and Enactus co-president.

“I’m about to graduate and enter the workforce. And I know that I need to work in an industry that focuses on social responsibility. That’s really important to me now.”

Find out more about the John Molson School of Business.