Life and Education in Canada

Shravani Manoharan, MOrgM, Class of ’21

Shravani Manoharan is from Chennai – a city in the southern part of India. She graduated this spring with her Master of Organizational Management (MOrgM), fulfilling a lifelong dream of studying in Canada: “Growing up, one of my biggest dreams in life was to pursue my studies in Canada,” shared Shravani. “Fortunately, I got the opportunity to pursue my Master’s at Crandall University in Moncton, Canada, which I chose for its academic excellence and great reputation.”

Moving across the world to a new country and culture can be a daunting experience, but Shravani was thrilled to find a friendly welcome waiting for her when she arrived. Recalling those early days, Shravani shared her excitement: “Arriving in Moncton, I was exhilarated and so relieved that the people here were very friendly and quick to help me. Since arriving at Crandall, I have never felt homesick but instead became part of a community of lifelong friends from all over the world.”

Of course, studying in Canada involves more than a warm welcome; there’s also coursework to be done, and Shravani found the MOrgM program to be both challenging and rewarding. “[It] has provided me with the confidence to launch my professional management career in Canada,” she said. “While I have always loved working with people, the MOrgM equipped me with the skills to work with and lead people more successfully. On top of this, the program also made me more aware of organizational culture and communication, both of which help me work in more diverse environments.”

Having started her program just as the COVID-19 pandemic was taking hold, Shravani was very thankful to her professors and her parents for their support as she completed her degree under challenging circumstances, and she was especially thankful to the Dean of International Academic Programs: “I would also like to express a special thank you to Dr. Dannie Brown for his continuous efforts to prioritize the needs of the International students, despite the many challenges that the University has faced throughout the pandemic.”

Dr. Brown had this to say: “Shravani‘s cohort had only two classes in person when they started in January of 2020 and then they had to complete the rest of their degree online because of the pandemic. She is a great example of the strength and flexibility that our international students show, a great ambassador for her home and for India, and now she will be an equally awesome ambassador as an alumna of Crandall University.”

Shravani is now working as a Banking Advisor at RBC, and looks fondly on her time at Crandall: “Of all of the memories that I have from my time at Crandall, my fondest memory is of a project on the topic of nonprofit management assigned by Dr. Ohlhauser because I found it quite fascinating to work with a non-profit organization.”

She then went on to share some advice to future students: “Use the resources that Crandall provides. I would also suggest that you accept your circumstances and always be open to new opportunities. Finally, don’t get disappointed if you don’t find your dream job right after graduating. You have to start somewhere in order to grow and realize your dreams. All the best!”