Celebrating 30 Years of the Program Icing on the Cake
The Schulich Real Property Alumni Association (SRPAA), in collaboration with the Schulich Real Assets Area, commemorated three decades of real estate and infrastructure education on 7 November at the 15th annual Perspectives Lecture.
Each year, the Perspectives Lecture welcomes key leaders from the Real Estate & Infrastructure sector. This year’s theme was titled “Operating in the Grey: Shaping Our Future”, and saw Barbara Zvan, President & Chief Executive Officer of University Pension Plan Ontario, deliver a compelling address on how she embraces challenges, as well as issue a call to action to create positive change within our organizations, our communities, and ultimately, our economy. Barbara was introduced by Tiff Macklem, Governor of the Bank of Canada, via video. The event was held at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel and drew nearly 300 attendees.
After Zvan’s keynote, a milestone anniversary was celebrated – 30 years of the real estate and infrastructure program. A tribute was made to Professor Emeritus James McKellar. Professor McKellar is a respected founding member of Schulich’s real estate and infrastructure offerings. His notable contributions range from the establishment of Schulich’s Sustainable Infrastructure Fellowship Program to overseeing the design and development of Schulich’s physical facilities. Recognition was also paid to program pioneer, Perspectives Lecture (PL) and Master of Real Estate & Infrastructure (MREI) program founder, retired Executive in Residence, Andre Kuzmicki.
Other notable speakers from the evening include Schulich Dean Detlev Zwick, Perspectives Lecture Committee Chair Kyle McDowell, Timothy R. Price Chair Jim Clayton, SRPAA President Christian Petersen, and Kingsett Capital Vice-President, Asset Management, Steven Gross.
“Our School has been developing future leaders for the real estate & infrastructure industry for three decades now, and these graduates are making a real difference in the industry,” said Dean Zwick. “Congratulations on 30 remarkable years of impact, growth, partnerships and success in real estate and infrastructure!”
The 2023 Perspectives Lecture was generously sponsored by twenty companies, led by Penthouse-level sponsors Fitzrovia and McCarthy Tétrault.
Eric Choi (MBA, 2006) has won the prestigious 2023 Sidewise Award for best short form alternate history for his story “A Sky and a Heaven” which appeared in his short story collection Just Like Being There (Springer Nature) and the anthology Other Covenants (Ben Yehuda Press).
Alternate history is the literary genre that explores what might have come to pass if historical events had happened differently. In “A Sky and a Heaven”, Choi explores what might have been done to save the crew of the ill-fated Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003.
“Believe it or not, there are actually links between science fiction and my time at Schulich,” says Choi. “The 1951 novel Foundation by Isaac Asimov, which has been adapted into a series on Apple TV+, postulates a fictional discipline called psychohistory that is supposed to be able to make general predictions about the future of human civilization. Probably the closest real-life disciplines to psychohistory are organizational behaviour and macroeconomics, which might be why these were my favourite courses at Schulich!”
The 2023 Sidewise Awards were presented on October 27th at the World Fantasy Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. The judges for the 2023 award were Eileen Gunn, Matt Mitrovich, Olav Rokne, Kurt Sidaway, and Steven Silver. Choi shares the 2023 short form award with Nigerian writer Wole Talabi for his story “A Dream of Electric Mothers”.
Schulich’s Master of Marketing program was ranked #1 in Canada and 10th overall in North America by QS.
To compile its 2024 ranking, QS surveyed 131 Master of Marketing programs in 26 countries around the world using a number of criteria, including employability, thought leadership, class and faculty diversity, value for money, and alumni outcomes.
Schulich’s Master of Marketing program ranked 10th in the world in the category of Alumni Outcomes – the extent to which the school’s graduates have gone on to pursue highly successful careers.
“We’re very pleased to have been ranked the #1 Master of Marketing program in Canada and one of the top programs in North America,” said Schulich Dean Detlev Zwick. “Today’s ranking results are a reflection of our world-class faculty, the high quality of our students and program, and the success of our graduates.”
QS is the world’s leading provider of services, analytics and insight to the global higher education sector and its QS World University Rankings is the world’s most popular source of comparative data about university and business school performance.
Schulich recently hosted its 2nd annual networking event for Schulich alumni working in supply chain management. The event which was hosted at Schulich, welcomed alumni, faculty, and industry guests for a day of discussion, educational sessions, and networking.
The day included an alumni industry panel on the critical challenges facing supply chain managers, an interactive workshop on supply chain sustainability presented by Schulich’s Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) Accelerator Lab, and a keynote leadership panel on A.I.’s impacts on supply chain analytics. The keynote panel featured speakers, Zaman Forootan, Global Practice Leader for AI, Hatch; Divinus Oppong-Tawiah, Assistant Professor, Schulich School of Business; and Andrea Ruotolo, Global Head, Customer Sustainability / ESG, Rockwell Automation. For a full list of presenters, please see this page.
The event was organized by the George Weston Ltd. Centre for Sustainable Supply Chains in collaboration with Schulich’s Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement, and the Schulich Supply Chain Alumni Association (SSCAA).
“The George Weston Ltd. Centre is proud to support our growing alumni community. This year’s event provided alumni with the opportunity to learn from each other, and to share insights on critical challenges including the sustainability and digital transformation of supply chains. It was a personal pleasure to re-connect with a diverse group of alumni across Schulich’s programs,” said David Johnston, Research Chair & Director, George Weston Ltd. Centre for Sustainable Supply Chains.
To view photos from the event, please click here.
The Schulich Supply Chain Alumni Association (SSCAA) invites members of the Schulich community to get involved in future events. There is no cost to become a member and benefits include expanding your professional network, participating in networking events, and staying engaged with the Schulich community. To sign up for a free SSCAA membership, visit this page.
[Photo credit: Dhara Joshi]
The 10th Kellogg-Schulich Alumni Gala took place at the Shangri-La Hotel in Toronto this past week. This annual gathering, hosted by the Kellogg-Schulich Alumni Association (KSAA), brought over 140 alumni from different cohorts and countries together to celebrate the rich history and continued impact of the Kellogg-Schulich Executive MBA (KS EMBA) program.
“In many ways, the Executive MBA is our flagship program,” said Schulich Dean Detlev Zwick. “We see this through the impact our graduates have had on the business world.”
The evening began with opening remarks from KSAA President Zara Lam (EMBA ’13). Lam highlighted the many dignitaries in attendance, including a delegation from the Kellogg School of Management.
“Our relationship with Schulich is very important to us,” said Kellogg Associate Dean Thomas O’Toole. “This partnership is longstanding, vibrant, robust, and it’s best days are yet to come.”
The emotional centre of the event was a touching tribute to Su-Lan Tenn, the program’s recently retired Assistant Dean. Tenn recounted moving and humorous stories about students, cohorts, and milestones throughout her 22-year tenure and received a unanimous standing ovation. The evening also featured a keynote address by Dina Kamal, a leader in Deloitte’s artificial intelligence practice, who explored the implications of the next wave of AI on business and society.
Lastly, the inaugural recipient of the KSAA Award was announced that evening. The Award, which aims to create leadership opportunities for diverse voices, was awarded to Elizabeth Choi (EMBA ’24 Candidate).
The event concluded with a palpable optimism for the program and its alumni network.
“You worked hard, you succeeded,” said Matthias Kipping, KSEMBA Program Director. “We’re excited to share your journey as you continue to make an impact as leaders!”
To see some of the photos of the event, please click here >
The Financial Times of London today ranked the Kellogg-Schulich Executive MBA #1 in Canada.
The Kellogg-Schulich EMBA program was ranked 37th globally and placed 12th among programs based in North America in this year’s Financial Times ranking. The 2023 Financial Times ranking marks the 15th time that the Kellogg-Schulich EMBA program has been ranked #1 in Canada.
The Kellogg-Schulich EMBA also ranked among the top 20 in the world in the following categories:
3rd in the world in Career Progress
14th in the world in the International Course Experience category
16th in the world in the Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) category, which measures the proportion of core courses dedicated to ethical, social and environmental issues
18th in the world in the Research category
“We’re delighted to have once again been ranked the #1 EMBA program in Canada and one of the top programs globally in what is widely regarded as the world’s pre-eminent EMBA ranking,” said Schulich Dean Detlev Zwick.
For complete details regarding the 2023 Financial Times EMBA ranking, please visit: https://rankings.ft.com/rankings/2950/emba-2023.
In the heart of Toronto’s thriving tech hub at OneEleven, Schulich marked a significant milestone with the official launch of its innovative MBA in Technology Leadership (Tech MBA) Program. Over 120 guests attended the celebration event, including the inaugural cohort of Tech MBA students, faculty, alumni, and leading members of the Toronto Tech community.
Mehmet Murat Kristal, Program Director and Pamela Laycock, Chair of the MBA in Technology Leadership Advisory Council and President of the Schulich Global Alumni Network, emceed the event.
“Our kickoff event for the Tech MBA underscored the importance of such a unique program in the Canadian business landscape. The room was filled with premier technology leadership talent, all eager to uplift our students,” said Laycock.
Event highlights included the announcement of two new scholarships: The Anna Maria Ewing, MBA ’88 Tech Leadership Award and the HP Canada Excellence Award. The scholarships have a combined total value of $25,000 and will support the creation of equitable and inclusive opportunities for incoming students.
The choice of event venue was also of significance. The Tech MBA curriculum will include a Venture Studio, where students will get hands-on experience working with Tech start-ups through a strategic partnership with OneEleven, a hub for Toronto’s most promising technology companies.
“We are excited to celebrate the launch of our Tech MBA program, where innovation meets education, and the future of business leadership begins,” said Kristal.
“Schulich’s Tech MBA is a ground-breaking new program that will develop leaders who can help businesses deal with technological disruption and navigate the new tech-driven business landscape,” said Schulich Dean Detlev Zwick. “The program has strong ties to industry and is supported by a blue-chip advisory council with top leaders from the global tech and digital space.”
The energy in the room underscored the appeal of such a program in the Canadian business landscape. The Tech MBA is a product of tight collaboration among faculty, alumni, and industry partners. Schulich has a longstanding commitment to innovative business education and this program and industry support are proof that the future of tech leadership is in good hands.
To see some of the photos of the event, please click here.
This fall, Schulich welcomed 45 new incoming students to the newly launched Master of Healthcare Industry Administration (MHIA) program. The MHIA program is highly specialized 12-month degree program that combines leading-edge management education with expertise in healthcare industry.
The MHIA curriculum was designed within Schulich’s Krembil Centre for Health Management & Leadership which is a holistic initiative designed to promote thought leadership in the field of health and management through education, applied research, and industry collaboration.
“We’re excited to educate and nurture future healthcare leaders who will be trained in managing dynamic environments,” stated Amin Mawani Director of the MHIA program.
In support of the program, four scholarships have been awarded to incoming students. Shayan Siddiqui (MHIA Candidate ’24) was honoured with the prestigious Robert Krembil Scholarship of Merit – MHIA, which fully funds MHIA’s tuition and includes support for living expenses. Shayan shares, “Words cannot adequately express the depth of my appreciation for the generous contribution towards my education and professional development.”
Hiba Mohiuddin (MHIA Candidate ‘24) is one of the proud recipients of the Dr. L. O. Bradley Leadership Entrance Award valued at $12,500. “This generosity has profoundly impacted my educational journey,” said Mohiuddin. “It reminds me of Dr. Bradley’s legacy and motivates me to pursue my passions with an even greater determination.” Diego Bernal (MHIA Candidate ‘24) also received the Dr. L. O. Bradley Leadership Entrance Award and shared, “This scholarship is a beacon of hope, enabling me to further my studies at a top-tier business school like Schulich,”
Nasim (Roxana) Saba (MHIA Candidate ‘24) was granted the Benoît Lauzé Scholarship of Excellence, valued at $10,000. Ms. Saba shared, “I would like to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude for being selected as a recipient of this esteemed award.”
“Contributions from the Krembil Foundation, the Family of Dr. L.O. Bradley, Schulich alumni, and friends and former CIBC colleagues of the late Benoît Lauzé, have been instrumental in making these scholarships possible,” shared Amin Mawani. He continues, “Schulich is thankful to our donors for making these scholarships possible.”
To learn about setting up a scholarship for MHIA or other Master-level students, please contact advancement@schulich.yorku.ca.
This past August, Schulich Business Excellence Academy (SBEA) wrapped up its third year with an in-person closing ceremony dinner. Students were invited to the Schulich campus where they celebrated with their virtual cohort and were presented with a Certificate of Completion.
This year’s class, comprising a diverse group of high school participants, was led by Schulich undergraduate mentors affectionately referred to as “pod leaders”. The program featured guest speakers from alumni, faculty, and industry experts. Through engaging in gamified activities, students explored various topics, including self-discovery, personal branding, financial responsibility, and developing confidence and networking skills.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Instructor, Special Advisor to the Office of the Dean, and SBEA Academic Program Director states, “The goal of the program is to help participants build soft skills, gain business knowledge, and become competitive applicants for post-secondary education opportunities. We hope to see many of these participants as students at Schulich and other post-secondary programs.”
Michelle Jodhan, Pod Leader, at the closing ceremony dinner
Reflecting on her experience as a pod leader and current Schulich undergraduate student, Michelle Jodhan added, “Students were placed in small group settings, it was a great experience for pod leaders to see them grow and make friends over the summer!”
We extend our appreciation to Scotiabank, the Lead Sponsor of SBEA for supporting the program and empowering youth to be active participants in their educational journey.
“Scotiabank is proud to support the Schulich Business Excellence Academy’s mission to empower young talents from diverse backgrounds,” said Elias Berbari, District Vice President, North York at Scotiabank. “Through ScotiaRISE, Scotiabank’s $500 million commitment to helping individuals, families and communities strengthen economic resilience, we are proud to support programs like SBEA to increase access to opportunities and create a brighter future for our communities.”
To learn more about the Schulich Business Excellence Academy, visit SBEA Program.
Schulich hosted a milestone celebration event last week that featured the renaming of the School’s Executive Learning Centre in honour of Dean Emeritus Dezsö J. Horváth.
Horváth, who led the School for 32 years and is the longest serving Dean of any major business school in the world, was praised for his “visionary leadership and distinguished service”. As Dean, Dr. Horváth helped Schulich attain international prominence and renown. He transformed Schulich into a global business school and expanded its reach and influence around the world. He also spearheaded the development of innovative degrees and pioneering programs and helped make Schulich a world leader in the field of Responsible Business, among others.
The naming is the latest honour for the former Dean. Other awards and recognitions he has received over the course of his career include being named International Dean of the Year in 2004 by the Academy of International Business in recognition of his “outstanding leadership in various aspects of internationalization” and being appointed to the Order of Canada in 2008 for his academic leadership and sustained commitment to business education.
“Serving as Dean of the Schulich School of Business was the greatest accomplishment of my career – and also the most satisfying and enriching,” said Dezsö J. Horváth, Dean Emeritus of the Schulich School of Business, in his keynote address. “Throughout my career, I was fortunate to be surrounded by incredibly talented and capable people. I had a strong faculty. Tremendous advisory boards. A loyal and successful alumni network. And most of all, a dedicated and highly professional team of staff members.”
He concluded his remarks by addressing the members of the Schulich global community and said: “You cared about our School. You believed in what we were trying to achieve. And you made us successful! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Schulich Dean Detlev Zwick presented Dean Emeritus Horváth with a replica plaque in recognition of the honorific naming, describing it “as a proclamation of the high esteem in which you are held by the Schulich and York communities and as a sign of the sincere gratitude we share for all that you have done.”
A number of leading members of the Schulich community attended the event and paid tribute to Dean Emeritus Horváth, including: Seymour Schulich, OC (Hon LLD ’03), the School’s chief benefactor and one of Canada’s greatest entrepreneurs; Robert Krembil, CM (MBA ’71, Hon LLD ’00), an individual synonymous with health care research and philanthropy in Canada; Rob McEwen, CM (MBA ’78, Hon LLD ‘05) and Cheryl McEwen (Hon LLD ’19), benefactors of the School’s Rob and Cheryl McEwen Graduate Study & Research Building; Leslie Dan, CM, O Ont (Hon LLD ’10), one of Canada’s leading entrepreneurs in the field of health and medicine; Bill Graham (MBA ’86), former President of Schulich’s Global Alumni Network; and Paul Tsaparis (MBA ’84), Chair of York University’s Board of Governors. Other prominent members of the Schulich community who attended the event include Rick Waugh, OC (MBA ’74, Hon LLD ’07) the former Deputy Chairman, President & CEO of Scotiabank.
York University President and Vice-Chancellor, Rhonda L. Lenton, who was on business overseas, provided a special videotaped message, as did a number of other individuals who worked closely with Dean Emeritus Horváth, including: John Hunkin (MBA ’69, Hon LLD ’04), former Chair of the Schulich Dean’s Advisory Council; G.M. Rao (Hon LLD ’11), Chair of the School’s India Advisory Council; and, representing Schulich students from over the years, former Graduate Business Council President Kiki Oyerinde (IMBA ’20). York University Provost and Vice-President, Academic, Lisa Philipps, gave a toast at a special private luncheon following the naming celebration.
One of the highlights of the naming ceremony was the announcement of the prestigious Dezsö J. Horváth Visionary Leadership Award, to be awarded annually to an entering Schulich MBA or Tech MBA student who demonstrates academic excellence, leadership and potential. The inaugural recipient of the award, Asma Afrin Hassan, a student in Schulich’s new Tech MBA program, was announced during the ceremony.
The Dezsö J. Horváth Executive Learning Centre
The building naming was made possible thanks to the generous support provided by Seymour Schulich and the Schulich Foundation, Robert Krembil and the Krembil Foundation, Rob and Cheryl McEwen, and Leslie Dan, among others.
The newly renamed Dezsö J. Horváth Executive Learning Centre first opened in 2003 and includes an 11-storey hotel, lecture halls, breakout rooms, a fireside lounge, a penthouse boardroom, and an 80-seat private dining room.
Schulich Dean Detlev Zwick and York Board of Governors Chair Paul Tsaparis co-chaired the event. Marcia Annisette, professor of accounting at Schulich and York’s newly named Vice-Provost Academic, served as the Master of Ceremonies.
The event was organized by the 
