MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

Another remarkable year has come and gone at the Gerald Schwartz School of Business. It was a notable year from a variety of perspectives and a number of the highlights are described in the pages that follow.

What stands out most to me, however, is the realization that the graduates of 2023 have come to the end of a long and winding journey that began with the unprecedented disruption caused by COVID 19 near the end of their first academic year. This group endured a great deal during their four years at X, from the cancellation of classes in March 2020, the completion of the 2019-20 year online which included the first of multiple virtual exam periods. They also suffered through “social distancing”, self-isolation periods, the cancellation of international exchange opportunities and a multitude of other pandemic restrictions. Convocation brought to an end this unique and unimaginable undergraduate experience, and these graduates deserve our admiration for their perseverance and resilience. The challenges they faced and the obstacles they had to overcome, one hopes, should imbue in them a confidence that they are well prepared to tackle whatever the “real world” has in store for them next. I could not be more proud of their accomplishments and the indomitable spirit they exhibited over these past four years.

As you read this report on what transpired at Schwartz over the past year, I am confident that you will see just how talented and successful our students, and faculty, are. They continue to shine within, and beyond, the confines of the Schwartz School, and they bring credit and pride to the University community. The future looks bright indeed as we send a new cohort of activists, thinkers, and leaders toward the next phase of their budding careers.

Timothy Hynes PhD

Dean, Gerald Schwartz School of Business St. Francis Xavier University