Dean's Report: July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024
Welcome to the inaugural Dean’s Report from the Gustavson School of Business, a reimagining of Gustavson’s Year in Review, where I will highlight stories from our community as well as the School’s performance.
This July 1, 2024, marked my one-year anniversary of coming ashore. It’s been 365 wonderful days filled with purpose, passion and adventure, but most of all people. I am truly grateful for the warm welcome extended to me by our students, alumni, staff and faculty—Gustos—as well as by colleagues and community members at UVic, in Victoria, and beyond.
Since the fall of 2023, the School has embarked on a strategic review of our academic programs and priorities to assess how we are enacting our values and pillars and to reflect on whether these are changing. I am honoured to lead Gustavson on this journey of reaffirming who we are, while also reimagining who we will be, as we embrace our shared future. I look forward to reporting on our progress in the coming year.
But as always, Gustos continue to have a positive impact on the world around them. A few examples are highlighted in this report, including Dr. Emily Salmon (PhD ’24), who is enhancing management theories with Indigenous insights and perspectives, and Jayesh Vekariya (MBA ’19), whose company is revolutionizing the menstrual care industry. Our School itself charges forward, celebrating two 20th anniversaries in the last year and announcing the new Pat Elemans Fellow designation for Applied Portfolio Management Program graduates.
Happy reading!
Anita Bhappu, PhD
Dean & Professor
Gustavson School of Business
Rankings
We develop responsible leaders for a better world
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
GRADUATE STUDENTS
EXECUTIVE PROGRAMS PARTICIPANTS
PhD grad Indigenizing business in Canada
"Canada’s natural resources generate economic value for the country," says Emily Salmon, newly minted PhD graduate, "but they also present challenges for cultural practices and values that really exist within a specific geographical space."
Her research on community benefit agreements (CBAs) for Indigenous communities challenges conventional wisdom and aims to provide actionable results for these communities.
Student & alumni highlights
Gusto takes Dragon’s Den deal
Garett Senez (MGB ’11) secured $2M on Dragon’s Den for his startup Quark Baby. The investment will propel Quark to new levels, enabling cross-border expansion of his company, which was created to improve parenting with innovative and affordable baby products.
Co-op student of the year
Isabel de Verteuil (MBA) was named UVic’s Business Co-op Student of the Year. Her dual passion for the environment and data management shone during her co-op term as a strategic planning analyst at the BC Environmental Assessment Office.
Scaling a startup
Our 2024 Tiny Summit brought together short-listed alumni entrepreneurs to pitch businesses for $24K in funding. This competition supports scaling UVic grads and inspires earlier-stage Gustavson entrepreneurs to grow their companies with expert advice.
UVic Emerging Alumni recipient
Jayesh Vekariya (MBA ’19) received UVic’s Emerging Alumni Award. As CEO and co-founder of joni® 21st-Century Period Care™, he is revolutionizing the menstrual care industry using a triple bottom line approach—people, planet and prosperity—to create a self-sustaining social enterprise.
Around the world with our student exchange ambassadors
Our BCom students share their experiences around the world through the student ambassador program. Watch these videos and more on our social media channels.
We cultivate partnerships for positive impact
TOTAL ALUMNI
MENTORS
CO-OP PLACEMENTS
CO-OP EMPLOYERS
A global mindset is fundamental to our outlook at Gustavson. We are proud to have partnerships with more than 100 leading universities around the world.
DEYA celebrates 20th anniversary—and first Indigenous recipient
October 17, 2023 marked the 20th anniversary of the Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year Award. We celebrated Bobbie Racette, founder and CEO of Virtual Gurus. Racette's story is a testament to embracing discomfort for growth, finding strength in moments of self-doubt, and persisting with unwavering determination.
Student-run investment program recognized with new designation
All Applied Portfolio Management Program graduates will now receive the Pat Elemans Fellow designation to recognize their hands-on investment education and industry experience.
Saurabh Suryavanshi Award invests in perseverance
A new award for students of UVic’s Applied Portfolio Management Program is named for one of the program’s most beloved instructors—the legendary Saurabh Suryavanshi.
20th annual RBC Case Competition
March 25 marked the 20th anniversary of the RBC Case Competition. BCom students completed several rounds of competition in January and February, winnowing down to just five semi-finalist teams. They vied for victory in front of RBC judges, staff, faculty and past competition winners.
About the competition
Rewind to 2019 for this first-hand perspective of the RBC Case Competition: a student’s account of the full day in 30-minute increments.
Meet the 2024 winners
Kendra Anderson, Sophia Frers, Austin Jeffrey, Hiroko Mahoney and Timothy Szo won the 20th annual RBC Case Competition.
We champion research that makes a difference
JOURNAL ARTICLES
BOOKS & BOOK CHAPTERS
JOURNAL EDITORSHIPS & EDITORIAL BOARDS
ACADEMIC CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Indigenous knowledge shapes sustainability project
A research team led by Gustavson researcher Matt Murphy secured a $2.5M grant to help integrate Indigenous knowledge into sustainability projects. The initiative, called the Balance Co-Lab, is an international collaboration of Indigenous governments, researchers and non-governmental organizations.
“This project is very critical to the empowerment and self-determination of Indigenous governments and peoples,” says Cloy-e-iis Judith Sayers, president of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council and a member of the project’s Council of Senior Advisors.
Research highlights
Canada’s entrepreneur shortage—here’s one way to fix it
Half as many Canadians are starting businesses today compared to 20 years ago—despite small to medium-sized businesses creating 98% of jobs. Gustavson’s Claudia Smith and Brock Smith unveil a path to cultivating more entrepreneurs and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset.
What’s in a place? New framework for community leadership
From natural resources and geographic strengths to cultural history and the feeling we call ‘home’, community leaders are taking new approaches to draw on and enhance their local places. Researchers explore this work through a new framework. Gustavson’s Natalie Slawinski is lead editor and coauthor on the book published this year.
How loud are the ghosts of your organization?
A new study coauthored by Gustavson’s Roy Suddaby and Diego M. Coraiola finds that leaders long departed are still active participants in conversations happening today. The international research group presents a case study of Procter & Gamble, applying a new framework that focuses on core moments of organizational existence.
Sustainability reporting
As societal and environmental pressures grow, companies face increasing demands for greater corporate disclosure about their environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices. But does this transparency truly lead to more sustainable business practices? Gustavson's Douglas Stuart takes a deep dive into whether reporting alone is enough to drive meaningful change.
Generosity at Gustavson
It is a difficult time to pursue a university education. Students are living closer than ever to the financial breaking point—so last year Gustavson launched the Gustavson Student Emergency Bursary to provide a safety net to students facing financial crisis.
As a student, there are a lot of things to manage. I have a part-time job, but all of the expenses—tuition, rent, food—they pile up. Receiving financial support took a weight off my shoulders and allowed me to focus my mind on my studies.
Even more than that, it’s given me so much more passion and determination to do my very best. Not only do I have less to worry about, the fact that I received support is also a driving force to do my best. It’s so inspiring to feel that someone is there for you and your education. That someone cares and wants you to succeed.
Thank you
You’ve made it to the end—thank you for exploring our inaugural Dean’s Report! We hope you will stay connected with Gustavson in the coming year as we celebrate our 35th anniversary.
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