Leadership in a post-pandemic world: Introducing the 2022-23 Jarislowsky Fellows in Business Management

The past two years have brought more than a fair share of pivoting, shifting and evolving — especially when it came to the educational experience. While we all got accustomed to online courses, Zoom meetings and casual clothing, the long-awaited full return of the in-person classroom environment is finally upon us. 

The energy, connections and conversations that the classroom facilitates simply cannot be replicated, and the 2022-23 Jarislowsky Fellows in Business Management Patrick Lor, BA’90, MBA ’01, and Karen Radford, BSc ’89, MBA ’91, could not agree more. In fact, giving students the space for introspection, the chance to engage with their peers in meaningful ways and the opportunity to learn and embrace diverse perspectives and styles of leadership are elements of the fellowship Lor and Radford strive to impart. 

Wealth of experience beyond the classroom

Each year, the Canadian Centre for Advanced Leadership in Business offers the Jarislowsky Fellowship in Business Management to MBA and Executive MBA students. The fellowship provides a unique opportunity to enrich Haskayne students’ experience through engaging successful business, social sector and public sector leaders as role models. Beyond their diverse experience, selected leaders bring forth rich perspectives and invaluable learnings to help increase the depth and breadth of students’ learning experiences — and this year’s co-fellows are doing just that. 

Lor currently serves as managing partner at Panache Ventures, a seed-stage venture capital firm that has invested in over 95 startups. Radford has more than 30 years of experience in the energy and telecommunications industries, previously serving as president and EVP at Telus and EVP and chief transformation officer at Enbridge.

Newly appointed co-fellow Radford is enthusiastic about being selected: “I have four goals in life; number four is to learn and explore. How better to meet that goal than to share and learn with a group of committed businesspeople? The Jarislowsky fellowship will allow me to do just that.”

Lor eagerly embarks on his second year as a co-fellow. He acknowledges the difficulties the pandemic brought to students last year and is hopeful for the new possibilities this year can bring.

“I hope that we can continue to bring students something that can’t be taught in classrooms,” says Lor. “We want to challenge students to think about how they can make a huge impact on the world. We want them to challenge us back and engage in conversations that shift their mindsets.” 

Motivating students to look inwardly and focus on their passion

Lor is exceedingly confident in his students’ dedication to their studies but acknowledges where he can play a pivotal their academic journeys. “Sometimes, in the grind of schoolwork and schedules, they may forget why they started the journey in the first place,” he explains.

I’ll be there to cheer them on, to keep pushing them until they hit their full potential and to re-ignite their ‘why.’ They will take care of the rest from there.

While Radford and Lor are committed to championing the students’ passions, Radford acknowledges it will be equally important to push them to look inwardly, too.

“I believe the most impactful leaders are ones who invest the time to know themselves,” she says. “Patrick and I want to expand people’s minds while also providing space for introspection and deeper knowing. We are looking at how you do business in different parts of Canada and how important it is to embody what you believe — as an integrated leader, this has far greater gravitas and impact.”

The Jarislowsky Fellowship in Business Management is hosting its first event of the year, the Jarislowsky Dinner and Discussion on Sept. 23, where Haskayne MBA and EMBA students will have the chance to connect in person with Lor and Radford. Additional events are being planned for the remainder of the fall and winter semesters.

Learn more about the fellowship and stay up to date with future offerings.