$1.5-million gift fuels Haskayne student success through mentorship program and scholarships

At the Haskayne School of Business, mentorship is much more than just a commonly used business term. Mentoring is a crucial tool which helps students grow as professionals and transition from university life to the business world. The impact of the professional mentorship program, which first started at Haskayne in 2002 and is now part of the Canadian Centre for Advanced Leadership in Business (CCAL), extends far beyond the classroom and has deep roots in research, community and leadership. Glenda Reynolds, director for the Canadian Centre for Advanced Leadership in Business is pictured above (left), with John MacAulay, senior vice-president, Prairies and Northwest Territories, of the BMO Bank of Montreal (middle) and University of Calgary President Elizabeth Cannon (right). 

A special announcement was made at the Canadian Centre for Advanced Leadership in Business’s fall kickoff celebration on Sept. 19. With the generous support of a $1.5 million gift from BMO Financial Group, the mentorship program, now officially named the BMO Mentorship Program at the Haskayne School of Business, will energize the next generation of business leaders and continue to provide Haskayne students with an invaluable hands-on learning experience.  

In addition to mentorship, $250,000 of BMO’s gift will fuel student success through MBA scholarships. Over the next five years, the scholarships will support up to 40 full-time graduate students who are enrolled in the daytime or evening MBA programs at Haskayne.

“BMO is committed to helping improve the quality of life in the communities where we live and work, and this gift is a reflection of that,” said John MacAulay, senior vice-president, Prairies and Northwest Territories, BMO Bank of Montreal. “Support for education in its many forms is fundamental not only to the development of our next generation of leaders, but also to the success of the Canadian economy at large, and continues to be a foundational element of our charitable giving efforts.”

Mentorship matching that’s backed by research

The onboarding process for participants is crucial to the matching process. Both mentees and mentors are asked to set goals each year they participate, complete self-assessments and attend an orientation session on how to get the most out of their mentorship experience.

A comprehensive mentorship research project runs alongside the program, providing recommendations on best practices in many areas. The research, led by Dr. Irene Herremans, PhD, helps inform the direction of the program including onboarding and structure of events participants attend.

Value for participants extends beyond required touch points

Mentorship sessions run for eight months (from September to April each year) and those participating in the mentorship program are required to meet six times per year, but many say the connections they make last well beyond that. Mentors fill a critical role for student mentees — providing impartial advice, sharing career experiences and helping build their mentee’s professional network.

Faith Jean, MBA’17, has experienced the programs from both sides — she has been both a mentee and mentor. “During my MBA I had several mentors from a variety of industries who guided me. It was a safe place, a sounding board, where I could talk about my challenges and next steps,” says Jean. “As a mentor I integrate the advice I received as mentee with my own wisdom and share my viewpoints with my mentee.

“Because of my role as a mentor I’ve really refined my emotional intelligence and leadership skills,” she reflects. “There’s an immense amount of value in both relationships and I believe there’s a learning opportunity in every interaction.”

Strength in community and mentorship

One of CCAL’s greatest points of pride is the community of business leaders who give their time and knowledge to help Haskayne students unleash their leadership potential. The program’s results to date are impressive.

“Mentorship is incredibly valuable for students. And the program is really just starting to hit its stride,” remarks Dr. Jim Dewald, dean of the Haskayne School of Business. “Last year we had 135 hand-matched pairs of mentees and mentors. We’re really proud of these numbers and know that because of BMO’s support, we’ll be able to take it to the next level.”

The future of CCAL is looking bright as it enters its seventh year of developing leaderships skills in the next generation of business leaders. In addition to the BMO Mentorship Program at Haskayne, other leadership-based programming is well underway including Adventure Leadership Education, Lunch with Leaders and the Haskayne Guided Path System.  

BMO’s gift is part of the university’s ongoing fundraising campaign, Energize: The Campaign for Eyes High, which is targeting $1.3 billion in support by 2020. The campaign recently crossed the billion-dollar milestone and is helping the university invest in new student experiences, innovation in teaching and learning, and fostering deeper connections with the community.