LF October 2012 by Lazy Faire

Here is the Edmonton CGA Student Ambassador team, we are looking to add to it – check it out! www.limitlesspossibilities.ca

We’ve got a lot in common with accountants. We work off our assets too! LazyFAIRE

Do you want to hone in on your writing skills for the case analysis? How about practice designing for your business plan? We at Lazy Faire are looking for enthusiastic writers and designers to join our team! By joining LF, you’ll gain valuable skills for your coursework and have some impressive samples to add to your portfolio. And we don’t discriminate; Business students of any year or major can apply! If you are interested in joining our dynamic team, email your intent to lazyfaire@live.ca.

EDITOR’S NOTE A SPECIAL NOTE FROM YOUR EDITORS

A FEW RESPONSES FROM THE SEPTEMBER STUDENT POLL

It seems as though the fall semester commenced mere days ago; yet, here we are waltzing into our second month of fall term classes. With time passing so swiftly (as it always tends to do), sometimes it’s a lofty task to stay on top of all of the events and activities taking place at the School alone. That’s why in this issue, you’ll get the inside scoop on upcoming club hosted events, such as NGLC Progressive Dinner and BFA Mock Market Challenge, and learn about how you can play a greater role in the community by participating in Chillin’ for Charity, which has been selected as this month’s Community Center feature. Likewise, you will get a closer look at what our two SU representatives, Josh Le and Tim Holt, have been up to and how they plan on making the rest of the year an even greater success for Business students. We also encourage you to reflect on whether or not you “have the EDGE” as part of our cover feature and Clubs’ Corner with Mark Mowbrey, Paige Helwig and Kara Davis. As organizers of the EDGE competition this year, they’ll provide you with a better sense of what it takes to compete and ultimately succeed in arguably one of the most relevant and challenging competitions hosted by the Alberta SoB. Later on in our Student Spotlight section, you’ll get to find out more about a recent graduate, Jennifer Thomas, who has found her dream job working for our printing sponsor, Xerox. To conclude the issue, with exchange opportunities being announced left, right, and centre, we found it fitting to hear from two students who have recently completed a study term abroad. Taryn Klymyk and Karolina Zheng provide some insight on what it is really like to spend a summer or semester studying overseas. Truly, October is only one of the months this year that is packed with activity. In our last Student Poll, we asked students to tell us what they were looking forward to most this year. Check out some of your classmates’ responses on the right! Congratulations to Harum Nadeem, who was randomly selected and awarded with a gift card from Cookies by George! Don’t miss out on your chance to win some great prizes and be featured in LF! Look for our October Student Poll question on the next page or on our blog at: lazyfairemagazine@blogspot.ca! - The Editors

“I am looking forward to the Energize conference and Lister dodgeball!” “Conferences, Events, Networking, Opportunities” “Getting involved in clubs and volunteering opportunities is what I am looking most forward to because those are things I have not done yet in the two years of my university career. It is new and exciting to me to be able to participate in extracurricular activities. I am looking forward to the skills and experiences that I will gain by participating as well as meeting new friends.” “I’m looking forward to all the awesome stuff put on by the OM club - site tours, case competition, industry mixer - and the SCOPE competition!.” “I am looking forward to competitions! Hopefully the U of A can bring home some gold!”

E 3

TABLE of CONTENTS 6 7

NGLC Progressive Dinner

October Student Poll

BFA: Main Events

Why did you pick your major?

8-9

A Letter From Your SU Representatives

10-11

Community Center Chillin’ 4 Charity 2012

12-13

Clubs Corner EDGE Business Competition

14-15

Student Spotlight Jennifer Thomas

Up, Up and Away: Going on Exchange

Alberta Internal Case Competition

BSA Sports Tournament & BSA Annual General Meeting

Submit all responses on the LF blog at www.lazyfairemagazine.blogspot.ca under the “Student Polls” tab for the chance to win a gift card for campus vendors and be featured in next month’s issue of LF!

October 2012 E D ITOR - IN - CHIEF

P HOTOGRA P HER

Kirsten LePage

Josh Le

CONTENT E D ITOR

P RINTING THANKS TO

Alex Manolii

Xerox Canada

D ESIGN E D ITOR

P U B LISHE D B Y

Julian Ng SENIOR CONTRI B UTORS

Garry Deng Kristine Gu Sherin Kayat Braden Lauer Eileen Lee D ESIGN TEAM

Colleen Do Eileen Lee Bonnie Truong Jenny Truong

Business Students’ Association (BSA) THANKS TO

Alberta School of Business University of Alberta

Sunday

BBTC Weekly Public Speaking Meeting

UAMA Lunch and Learn

Tuesday

BEA Speaker Series

BFA Mock Market Begins

BBTC Weekly Public Speaking Meeting

Monday

October 3

BEA Nation 2 Nation

Thursday

BEA International Food Fair

BSA General Meeting

BUS 201 Case Presentations BUS 201 Case Presentations

BFA Portfolio Management Night

Wednesday

SMO Club Halloween Pub Crawl

BEA Halloween Pub Crawl

OM Industry Mixer

Friday

27 BSA Sports Tournament

AICC

NGLC Progressive Dinner

Saturday

PROGRESSIVE DINNER By Kirsten LePage, Editor-in-Chief Designed by Jenny Truong

he Next Generation Leadership Club is, once again, hosting its unique Progressive Dinner! As one of NGLC’s key events last year, this unconventional networking opportunity aims to connect undergraduate students with current business leaders, entrepreneurs, school alumni, as well as faculty members in a creative manner. Essentially, the event is a rotating

dinner consisting of a three-course After progressing through all three meal and drinks. Business students courses and meeting both the hosts and corporate representatives are and the guests of each, all participants paired and assigned to either prepare are invited to meet for drinks at a single one of the courses or attend a course venue to conclude the evening. at another participant’s residence. Overall, through this non-traditional The evening begins when the pairings networking event, the Next Generation arrive at their first host’s home for ap- Leadership Club hopes to foster a more petizers and continues as they travel personal connection amongst particito a second home for a main course, pants, whether they are driving, preparand a third home for dessert. ing, cooking, eating, or drinking.

NEXT GENERATION LEADERSHIP CLUB T

he Next Generation Leadership Club (NGLC) was founded in September 2011and established as a platform to connect business students to the people and resources necessary to develop them to be the leaders of tomorrow. The primary focus of NGLC is on leadership and entrepreneurship. If you would like to keep up to date on the latest and greatest in the entrepreneurial world, find NGLC on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NextGenerationLeadership. Would you like to become a participant of the Progressive Dinner or a member of the Next Generation Leadership Club? Send NGLC an email for more info at nglclub@ualberta.ca

Portfolio Management Night By Harry Chandler, President

RRSP, RRIF, TFSA, LSVCC, SROs, ABS… Do you know what all of these acronyms mean? Well, on October 10th, students will have the opportunity to learn what all of these are and how they relate to each other. Portfolio Management is the art of creating the perfect investment mix to maximize your gains while mitigating your risks. Not only do the careers in the industry pay well, but the skills can put your

paychecks to work even more! Learn how those letters can be the tools to make your money work for you so you can retire before getting a single gray hair! Industry professionals will be attending the University to provide students with free investment advice as well as explain the many different career options in portfolio management. A detailed description will be sent out prior to the event via the Business Finance Association’s mailing list. Make sure you register your email online at www.uofabfa.com.

BFA: Main Events

By Braden Lauer, Sr. Contributor Designed by Jenny Truong

High rewards, zero risk! It is possible at BFA’s Mock Market Challenge By Lief Williams, VP Academic

It can be a definite challenge to put aside money for savings when the student life is so full of expenses. Afterwards, it sits in your bank earning peanuts while being eroded by inflation. Want to beat inflation? Better yet, the market? Do you want to be able to tell the difference between a Google and a Nortel? Do you ever wish you had a chance to learn the ropes of equity markets, without the inconvenience of putting up your own savings? Whether you’ve found a genie in a lamp or have been wishing on shooting stars, your wish is about to come true! That’s right, the Business Finance Association’s annual Mock Market Challenge is back. This event has

been running for over 26 years, through bears, bulls, and Eurozone crises, allowing undergrad students to manage their own portfolios as they see fit. Not only is this a valuable learning experience, but there are also real cash prizes for top performances! With 100K virtual dollars at your disposal, countless securities and derivatives at your fingertips, the possibilities are both exciting and endless. Will you be the next Warren Buffett, or suffer the fate of John Meriwether? How do you stack up compared to your friends and colleagues? There will be an information session for the Fall Mock Market during Portfolio Management Night, in preparation for the market opening on October 15. This event will include sign-up procedures, a run-over of our stock simulator, as well as the rules and a Q&A session. A detailed description will be sent out prior to the event via the Business Finance Association’s mailing list. Make sure you register your email online at www.uofabfa.com.

A letter from your SU Council Representatives

Hello fellow Business students, I’m Josh Le, one of your two University of Alberta Students’ Union Students’ Council Business Councillors. A long title, but it essentially means that I represent your interests to Students’ Council. Students’ Council is the highest governing body and ultimate authority of the Students’ Union. As a Councillor, I serve to bridge the gap between Business students and the Students’ Union. Over my term, I plan to bring Business students’ interests, needs, and opinions to Council by consulting with Business students at a grassroots and executive level. Traditionally, there’s a large gap between the SU and Business – I plan on closing this gap. To accomplish this goal, I’ll be seeking out to create a formal and informal consultation structure to reach out to the 2000 Business undergrads. A major value-added benefit of Council for a Business student is the opportunity to understand and help direct the workings of the Students’ Union, a $10 million dollar organization, while having the opportunity to work and network with the Students’ Union Executive and the 31 other Councillors. If you ever need to get in touch with any of the Executive or Councillor across campus, let me know and I’ll make the proper introductions. Feel free to contact me at 780-242-5674 or josh.le@ualberta.ca if you want to learn more about Council, attend a meeting (it’s always catered by L’Express – AKA a free meal), or have a concern regarding the Students’ Union. Best,

Josh Le

Dear Business Students, It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all back for another year! I am stoked to be your Councillor in the SU this year and look forward to making some noise in the SU about things that matter to business students. As you may know, the cornerstone of my agenda is financial responsibility, and I have already been following through with that on a few issues that have come up within Council. Every time the executive committee has asked for money, I have been making sure that the reasons for spending the money have been well explored before the votes are cast. I guess I should tell you all a little bit about myself as well. I am a second-year Business student this year, and am a fourth-year student overall. I ended up in business after going into engineering for a year, only to find myself with a summer job where I socialized with a computer for 8 hours a day. After a couple weeks of that, it was pretty clear that I needed a change of career paths, and I settled on business. Since then, I really enjoyed my first year in Business where I tried to do as much stuff within Business as my schedule could accommodate. I decided that JDC West looked like a lot of fun so that was the big one I committed to. I was on the debate team where we took home a third place and, when that was finished, I decided that I would run for Council. I am very glad I did because it has been an awesome experience so far. I would be thrilled to talk to anyone in Business about any of the things going on in our school or about, really, anything. All of you first-years out there come and say hi and I would be happy to give you some pointers and share my experiences with you (I could probably help quite a bit on those accounting 311 problems ;) ). I can usually be found somewhere in the Business building! Hope you all have a great year! I am Tim Holt and I approve this message.

Tim Holt

COMMUNIT Y CENTER

An Icy Leap of Faith:

Chillin’ 4 Charity 2012 By Kristine Gu, Sr. Contributor Designed by Bonnie Truong

ark your calendars! The 2012 Chillin’ 4 Charity Polar Bear Swim is just around the corner, and it’s bigger and better than ever. On November 14th, don’t be surprised when you see the crowds and media gathered on campus; cheering on the brave students will be faculty members, and special guests who will also be taking the giant leap of faith into freezing waters for the annual fundraiser. Organized by the Alberta JDC West business team, the event boasts an icy pool, hot tubs, zany costumes, prizes, and more. Nicole Huygen, VP Internal, joined us for an insider interview, and showed that in the midst of all the icy fun lies a heartwarming cause and a great chance to give back to the community—an integral part of the student experience here at the School of Business and at the University of Alberta. Welcome! Thanks for joining us. Now, even if you’re not participating, it’s always fun to go watch the event—people taking the leap of faith in near freezing weather, what’s there not to like? The best part is that behind all this fun is a great cause. Could you give us a break down on how the event works for those who may not be as familiar with it? 10

Chillin’ 4 Charity is an annual charity campaign held by the Alberta JDC West team to raise money for United Way. The event itself is actually quite simple; we ask students to register in groups, raise a minimum donation amount, come to the University Main Quad ready in costumes, and take the plunge. We provide each group with an introduction as they jump into the freezing water, and they can jump as many times as they desire! After each team has their moment to shine, they can then rush into the hot tubs provided to warm themselves up! We’re curious— have you taken the dive yourself? If so, tell us a bit about your personal experience with the event as a participant. How did it feel before, during, and after, and would you do it again? Last year was my first year with JDC West, and therefore my first year partaking in Chillin’ 4 Charity. As the temperature declines and ice begins to form in the pool, you become a little petrified imagining yourself jumping into that water, but it is an astounding experience. The first jump is the worst—you’re not used to the water, and the initial shock as you submerge yourself comes as a surprise. But for some strange reason you are tempted to do it again! Being a member of JDC West again this year means I am required to jump, but I must say, I cannot

wait for it! The event has run for a number of years now and it has evolved into something that students look forward to, even in the middle of kind Edmonton winters. What have past events been like, and what kind of growth has the event seen in its recent years? This will be the sixth year that Chillin’ will be taking place, and it has most definitely grown as an event. In previous years, we have been able to bring the media in and have had a strong Business student turnout, but we’re hoping to make the event much bigger this year. We will have local media attention, corporate sponsors, and a larger student base that involves individuals from all over campus.

We’re pleased to announce that Dean Joseph Doucet will be jumping with us. We can only expect great things from such an event attended by daring souls that dive into icy waters for United Way. What goals are you looking to meet this year, and what are some highlights that we can look forward to? Our goal this year is $5,000. Last year we didn’t set a monetary goal, but we’re hoping that we will achieve it this year. If there is a positive reaction from all the student groups (business and campus-wide), local businesses, and from the faculty, we strongly believe this goal can be attained. We’re pleased to announce that Dean Joseph Doucet will be jumping with us, and hopefully other staff members are just as courageous as he is and will sign up too! In addition, we will be giving prizes away for participants and will be hosting a night gathering to celebrate the event with participants and spectators.

is a very positive event. We’re hoping to raise a significant amount and we do not want it to feel exclusive. We invite the university community, everyone involved with United Way, and any businesses that want to give back to join us, cut loose, and take the fun plunge. We wish all of you the best this year! Do you have any words of encouragement or advice for the participants and for the onlookers that may be joining us for the first time? Don’t be shy to sign up and jump! We don’t want the event to seem exclusive, so we want people to join in the festivities to represent their cohort, their student club, or even their group of friends! Challenge your professors to jump, challenge your friends, and challenge yourself! It may seem daunting, especially if we get the frigid winter temperatures early this season like we’ve experienced before, but it’s a fun experience. It goes to a good cause as well. Most of us donate to United Way annually, and this may be the most exciting way you can make that donation. We want this event to be a success and that will happen with the support of energetic people who sign up and experience the polar dip for themselves!

Interested in signing up or donating to this one-of-a-kind event? Join the brave souls when Chillin’ 4 Charity happens at noon on November 14th in the Main Quad. More information with regard to registration and donations can be found on the event website. Best of luck to the organizers and courageous participants at this year’s Chillin’ 4 Charity!

More information can be found at Chillin4Charity.com!

In the midst of it all, what would you say are some of the most important things that Chillin’ 4 Charity brings to the students and to the community? There are many events that take place on campus to raise money for different charities, but Chillin’ is special because it challenges people and their comfort zone, and 11

Club’s Corner:

By Eileen Lee

Sr. Contributor & Design Director

he EDGE Business Competition is a national Business case competition defined by Energy, Determination, Glory and Excellence. It is a challenging and high-energy competition where teams of 5 will attempt to find the best solution to a case which models current Canadian business situations. Delegates will need to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment and apply their skills and varied experiences to solve these multi-disciplinary cases. The EDGE Business Competition will take place between Friday February 1st and Sunday February 3rd, 2013. It will be held at the Chateau Lacombe-Crowne Plaza as well as at the University of Alberta. For all interested Alberta School of Business undergraduate students, however, there will be an Internal Round in which teams must first participate.

information about EDGE and allow them to ask any questions. Next year will be the 3rd consecutive year that the U of A has hosted EDGE and for our October issue, we had the privilege of interviewing representatives Kara Davis, Paige Helwig, and Mark Mowbrey from the EDGE Business Competition. Kara is the VP Public Relations and is responsible for recruiting all external delegates for EDGE. Paige, the VP Events, is responsible for logistics, managing the volunteers, and ensuring that the competition runs smoothly. Mark is this year’s Chair and he is responsible for all aspects of EDGE and ensuring its’ overall success. We asked them a few questions to become better acquainted with the competition.

Important Dates:

October 8th: Registration for Internal Competition Opens October 29th: Registration for Internal Competition Closes November 3rd: Internal Competition November 5th: Volunteer sign-up opens February 1-3rd, 2013: EDGE Business Competition

The Internal Round will take place on November 3rd, where teams will compete for a spot to participate in EDGE 2013. The Internal Round will consist of a smaller-scale case competition and allow potential delegates to have a feel for what the actual EDGE competition will be like. It is also a great opportunity to utilize your knowledge outside of the classroom and to build your case competition skills. Only the three teams chosen from the Internal Round will be able to represent the U of A at EDGE. Registration for the Internal Round will open this month from October 8th to October 29th. The cost to register will be $50 per team. In the end, not only will the winners be guaranteed a spot at EDGE 2013 but the 1st place winners will have their team delegate fees paid in full ($1000 value) and the 2nd place winners will have half of their team delegate fees paid ($500 value).

7: www.edgebusinesscompetition.com

There will be two Internal Round information sessions held on Tuesday October 9th from 5pm to 6pm and on Wednesday October 17th from 5pm to 6pm. These sessions will give potential delegates more

Ö: edgebusinesscompetition@gmail.com

Internal Round Information Session Dates: Tuesday October 9th, 2012 @ 5-6pm Wednesday October 17th, 2012 @ 5-6pm Locations: TBA

For More Information:

v: facebook.com/EDGEBusinessCompetition t: @EDGE_Business

From Left to Right: Kara Davis, Mark Mowbrey, and Paige Helwig How did EDGE first get started and what was the objective in starting this case competition? Mark: It started with two U of A students, Brian Harris and Jen Minchau, who went to the Live Case Competition in Toronto. They decided to bring back what they learned and their experiences to the U of A and create one of the most sought after business simulation competitions for all schools across Canada.

What can delegates expect during this three day competition? Paige: EDGE will be a whole-weekend event. It will include staying at a hotel, meals, cocktail receptions, and an awards gala. It is a great opportunity to meet sponsors and network with your peers all across Canada. There will be an open reception on Friday and the case will take place on Saturday and Sunday. Delegates must be on their feet, and be thinking ahead, at all times.

How do you think EDGE has evolved over the years? M: EDGE has grown tremendously over the years. We now have delegates across Canada who are interested in joining EDGE approach us, as well as sponsors who would like to support EDGE.

Who will be judging the competition? M: EDGE will be judged by industry professionals and professors from the U of A.

What kind of sponsors will be at EDGE? M: AMA Insurance will be our title sponsor this year. It is the first year we will be having a title sponsor. They will be sponsoring the entire internal round as well as the actual competition. What sets EDGE apart from all the other case competitions students can participate in? Kara: EDGE is a simulation of real-world events. It’s different from other case competitions in that your decisions from prior challenges will affect your future decisions. It is more of a simulation than a case competition. What kind of qualities are you looking for in participating teams during the Internal Round? K: We are looking for individuals who are well-rounded and come from a variety of disciplines. This competition is geared towards students who have already taken their 1st year Business classes, however, we have had 1st year students who have done well in the competition. How many teams will be representing the U of A at EDGE? M: In total there will be 5 teams. 3 teams will be selected from the Internal Round and the 2nd place winners from the junior and senior category of the Alberta Internal Case Competition (AICC) will be selected to compete.

How do students sign-up as volunteers? How many volunteers are needed? P: Students can sign up through our website or contact me. We will need around 35-40 volunteers. It is a great opportunity to see how a Business competition is run and to see the results from all your time taken to prepare. Students can choose to volunteer in academics, events, or external and sign-up opens on November 5th. Do you have any advice for students who are interested in joining a case competition but are unsure of where to start? K: Come out to the internal round. It will be good practice. M: You will get to see what an EDGE case is like before the actual competition and it is a great start for your business career. Overall, if you are a driven individual looking for your next challenge and would like an opportunity to compete against your peers all across Canada, then EDGE is the case competition for you.

\ STU D ENT S P OTLIGHT

Jennifer Thomas By Sherin Kayat, Sr. Contributor Designed by Colleen Do

s one of the leading corporations in document man- How is it that you came to work for Xerox? Had this agement and printing technology, Xerox has built its always been something that you had planned to do? success upon the foundations of innovation, creativity and perseverance. After over half a century since it first After completing my degree in 2009 and spending a year opened its doors, Xerox continues to grow by expanding working and travelling abroad, I returned to Edmonton eaits business in international markets, thereby creating ger to get some real business-to-business experience. I apan ample amount of career opportunities. Recent Al- plied for various jobs and went to several interviews, but afberta School of Business graduate, Jennifer Thomas, has ter meeting with the Xerox Sourcing Specialist, Diana Wyley, experienced first-hand the career advancement oppor- I knew that I had found a great opportunity. While I didn’t tunities that Xerox has to offer. Having recently been specifically plan to work for Xerox when I was continuing promoted, she now utilizes her skills as a Field Training my education, I did know that I ultimately wanted to end up Consultant. We chose to feature Jennifer as the Student working for a company in a sales environment, where there Spotlight for October, since her situation highlights the would be ample room to advance my career. versatility of a BComm degree and the many opportunities out there for Alberta School of Business graduates. How has your experience at the Alberta School of Business benefitted you since you joined the workforce? Tell us a bit about yourself. My experience at the Alberta School of Business was one I graduated from the Alberta School of Business in 2009, that has definitely contributed to my ability to succeed in with a major in Latin American Studies and a minor in Busi- the workforce. The overall experience not only allowed ness Law. During my time at the U of A, I worked full-time me to foster a solid work ethic, but also allowed me to at a retail store in Edmonton and had a healthy appetite for gain knowledge and general business know-how, which travel, which is what I pursued in the majority of my time has been the foundation for my ongoing skills and career outside the classroom. More recently, I spend my free time development. developing my handmade jewellery business, alongside my partner, as well as participating in various charity events like What are some career opportunities that Xerox has to The United Way “Every Day Hero” campaign and the Road offer? Are there any opportunities specifically for students? Hockey to Conquer Cancer event. It is fair to say that the career opportunities are really endless with Xerox. Whether you want to pursue a career in After working at the Xerox-authorized agency, Segue Sys- sales, work towards a sales manager or specialist position, tems Inc., in Edmonton for 2 years as an Account Executive, or even become a member of the finance team, there are I have recently been promoted to a Field Training Consultant many career paths that are at your fingertips. For students, position. As a Field Trainer, I have the opportunity to work there are opportunities to work in sales for the local Xerox with sales representatives across Alberta and Saskatchewan agency, Segue Systems Inc., to first get their feet wet in sellto aid in Xerox product sales, as well as coach them on ing to small and medium size businesses, which is the path the soft skills that will help them in a wide array of future that I took and which has led to my current role. business-to-business scenarios. Roughly 80% of my time is spent in the field on calls with the sales representatives. The rest of my time is designated to enhancing the training experience and coming up with creative ways to facilitate the development of the employees. Tell us a bit about your position within Xerox.

Touching on your promotion with Xerox, how has your role within the company evolved since you first became a part of their team? As I first started as a sales representative, my duties were primarily customer-focused, with a database of customers to support and quotas to achieve in terms of building the business in my territory. Since my transition to the Field Trainer role, I have taken on more of a coaching and mentorship position for the sales staff. I still spend much of my time working with customers to ensure their satisfaction on a daily basis, but now my focus is mainly on how I can help the sales representatives build their respective skillsets and aid in their success, both short-term and long-term. What has been the greatest challenge that you have had to face since you have graduated and entered the workplace? I think that the greatest challenge I had faced after graduating was the classic big question: “What next?” Unlike some people who have a very direct vision for their future and career, I was still somewhat unsure. In the end, the best plan for me was to choose a company that had a wide array of options for the future, giving me the ability to “cast a wide net” – so to speak – and keep the door open to a variety of career paths. Do you have any advice for students soon entering the workplace? I would say to students that it’s OK not to know exactly where you want to end up 1020 years from now – not many people do. When looking for a place to start your career, just make sure that it is one that is going to allow you to continue your learning, expand your experience, as well as provide ample room for growth in the future. At the end of the day, your first job will not be your last, but it’s important to make the right decision about which starting point will accelerate your path to success.

: y a w A ! Up, Up and ange h c x E Going on

By Garry Deng, Sr. Contributor Designed by Jenny Truong

was infectious! Traveling abroad was always something that I’ve wanted to do, but exchange was something that I thought I couldn’t do. Because I’m an accounting major, I had to make sure that I had all my requirements for my designation and I was also a Co-op student! So I wasn’t sure if I would be able to fit it in. But after talking to her, and learning about the summer exchanges especially, I thought: “No! I can definitely go on exchange!”

xchanges for business students are a great opportunity to see a new culture and learn new things while being able to continue your studies. As the world is constantly evolving, having a first-hand view of a different culture can be invaluable. Getting out of your comfort zone can be hard, however, without knowing what you’re getting What would you say was your best experience from going on exyourself into. For this reason, Lazy Faire sat down for an interview with change? two very exceptional Business students, Taryn Klymyk and Karolina Zheng, who were glad to share their exchange experiences with you. Taryn: Well, the travel was definitely the best. Europe is great for travel and you can do it relatively inexpensively. Anytime we had 3-4 days without Where did you go during your exchange? class, a group of us would just jet off to somewhere new and go for a vacation. I think we went to 12 different countries when I was on exchange, so Taryn Klymyk (Semester Exchange): I went to a school called EDHEC in that was definitely the best part. And the beach, the beach is amazing. I Nice, France. could see the beach from the balcony in my apartment, so, compared to Edmonton, it was quite a nice change of scenery. Karolina Zheng (Summer Exchange): I went to a very small town in Germany called Oestrich-Winkel. It was a very cute and quiet town. Karolina: Hands down, the best experience was just meeting all the AMAZING people that were there. With a summer exchange, everybody Why did you choose that particular place? Or why did you want to is an exchange student. Everyone’s there to have fun, travel, and just meet go on exchange? new people. The people that you meet there are unreal; everybody is from a different place and that just makes it even more fun. Taryn: I wanted to go on exchange because I love to travel, experience new things, and I’ve wanted to go to France since high school. I chose What are some things exchange students should take advantage of the school in Nice, France because it is one of the best Business schools while in another country? in France. It was between Lille and Nice, but I chose the school in Nice because it was more of a finance school. Taryn: They should take advantage of experiencing that country - the little things are just as important as the big things. So even walking down the Karolina: I had an opportunity to interview the president of last year’s streets and experiencing the new culture and trying to get every aspect of BEA and she was promoting the idea of going on exchange. It was it: the food, the atmosphere, the night life, the school, everything. Try not during that interview that the enthusiasm she had for exchange really to say “No”, ever. Just say “Yes” to everything and experience as much as pushed me to go on exchange. Really, her passion and enthusiasm you possibly can.

Taryn Klymyk 16

Karolina: I definitely think that students should take advantage of the geographic area that they’re in. Definitely explore the location and learn how the environment is there and compare it to Edmonton, because, once you experience something different, you always appreciate things more at home. Get a grasp of the culture, the environment, and take advantage of travelling. I think weekend trips and travelling with different exchange students and friends is an unreal opportunity that you don’t get a chance to do here.

Karolina: Definitely, but that’s the best thing about being on exchange! Because you’re going over alone, you’ll have to be really dependant on yourself. Try to be more resourceful since you can’t rely on others – your parents or your best friends. I remember I was given the wrong address by the housing coordinator, so I just walked around town for two hours looking for the place. Definitely makes a story. The thing is, while it was frustrating at the time, when I look back on it, it’s a fun memory.

How did you survive as an exchange student? Did you ever run into any problems?

In a short statement, why should a business student go on exchange?

Taryn: It was just difficult with the language barrier. All the classes on exchange at all of our partner institutions are taught in English, but just being in the culture and living in France was difficult. The first couple of weeks were the hardest with all of the administrative stuff like setting up a bank account, getting a bus pass and all of that; if you don’t speak the language it can be difficult. But the other French students and exchange students were great, you just have to ask and lean on the other students to be able to help you with things like that.

Taryn: Business students should go on exchange because they learn so much more outside of the classroom on exchange than in the classroom, and you’ll remember these experiences and memories for the rest of your life. The time spent on exchange will be the best time of your life for a long time to come. Karolina: Business students should go on exchange because it will, hands-down, be the best experience of their life!

Karolina Zheng

AICC

By Garry Deng, Sr. Contributor Designed by Jenny Truong

The Alberta Internal Case Competition (AICC) is the University of Alberta School of Business’ first internal case competition of the school year. Designed to appeal to both rookie and senior business students, students compete within their respective divisions with some pretty sweet prizes on the line. A total of 20 hours will be allocated to the case competition as cases are handed out to business students on October 19, 2012 and presentations will be taking place the following day on October 20, 2012. Additionally, this is the first year ever that AICC is also including a Q&A with professionals within the industries that are outlined in the cases. Note that each team is limited to only 3 people at a cost of $30 per team. As well, prospecting business students are advised to sign up as soon as possible between the dates of October 11, 2012 to October 18, 2012 due to there being limited spots. Kristiann McCool, the organizer for this year’s AICC, can be contacted at kmccool@ualberta.ca should there be any questions or concerns. We hope to see you compete!

MORE PHOTOS FROM EXCHANGE

Check out some more exciting shots from Exchange!

CAN’T GET ENOUGH DODGEBALL, SOCCER AND VOLLEYBALL IN YOUR BUSINESS LIFE? You’re all invited to the Annual BSA Sports Tournaments! When? Saturday, October 27, 11am - 5pm Where? University Pavillion (Butterdome) Cost? $5 per player How do I sign up? Sign-ups will start in the second week of October. But what are the prizes? Prizes for Best Team costume, and Winners of the BSA Sports Tournament As well, lunch will be provided (so really, a prize for everyone!) Minimum of six players per team and a max of 10. See you there!

BSA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING On October 18th, Business students, no matter their year or major, will be heading across the frosted campus grounds to attend The BSA’s (Business Students’ Association) first ever Annual General Meeting. The umbrella organization for all Business student clubs at the Alberta School of Business is inviting all club leaders, SU Executives, Dean Joseph Doucet, Undergrad Associate Dean Elaine Geddes and Undergrad students (that’s you!) to attend the meeting in CCIS 1-430 at 5:30pm, after the conclusion of the BUS 201 Lecture. Over the hour, attendees will get a closer look at the initiatives this year’s BSA Council will be implementing in an effort to increase its accountability and better serve the student body. In addition to seeing exactly how your student fees are allocated amongst the BSA’s many operations, you will also learn more about current financial controls, the budget for this school year, any structural changes, the next BSA Election, and other major projects the BSA is pursuing. To allow students to prepare for the Meeting, the AGM agenda and all related documents will be posted on the BSA website prior to the meeting. Even so, if you still have some questions or concerns, Council members invite any interested individuals to stop by the BSA office with their inquiries. Above all, this AGM presents you with the opportunity to make your opinion count and ensure that we, as members of the BSA ourselves, remain part of an association that is both transparent and responsible for its actions. In light of this pursuit, the BSA welcomes questions from all students and attendees present that evening – so bring a friend!

BSA AGM October 18th, 5:30-6:30 pm CCIS 1-430

LazyFAIRE Please pass this copy on to a friend or to a table in Winspear to optimize its use.

The one thing that never changes is our values. We succeed through satisfied customers. We value our employees. We deliver quality and excellence in all we do. We require premium return on assets. We use technology to develop market leadership. We behave responsibly as a corporate citizen. –Joseph C. Wilson, Xerox Founder, 1961

Last year across Canada 170 new grads joined our team. Find out why findyourXfactor.com. Xerox is a proud sponsor of the University of Alberta BSA.

© 2012 Xerox Corporation. All rights reserved. Xerox®, Xerox and Design® and Ready For Real Business are trademarks of Xerox Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Xerox Canada Ltd. is the licensee of all the trademarks.