Skip to main content
McMaster University
DeGroote School of Business
McMaster University
Search

DSB Main Website Search

McMaster Menu
DeGroote Menu
  • Home
  • Programs
  • About
    • About DeGroote
    • Our Leadership
    • Dean’s Corner
    • McLean Centre for Collaborative Discovery
    • Our Faculty & Research  
    • Strategic Plan 
    • Annual Report 
  • Events
  • Students
    • Student Resources
    • Student Clubs
    • Submit a Student Bulletin
    • Submit your Event
  • Alumni
    • Alumni Resources
    • Wayne C. Fox Distinguished Alumni Award 
    • DeGroote Alumni Social Impact Award
  • Staff
  • Give
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • DeGroote Directory
Search McMaster Menu
  • Home
  • Programs
  • About
    About DeGrooteOur LeadershipDean’s CornerMcLean Centre for Collaborative DiscoveryOur Faculty & Research  Strategic Plan Annual Report 
  • Events
  • Students
    Student ResourcesStudent ClubsSubmit a Student BulletinSubmit your Event
  • Alumni
    Alumni ResourcesWayne C. Fox Distinguished Alumni Award DeGroote Alumni Social Impact Award
  • Staff
  • Give
  • Contact
    Contact UsDeGroote Directory

ALUMNI  

Meet DeGroote School of Business Valedictorian Chirag Sheth

June 14, 2022 ·

Contributed by: McMaster University

Share

Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Mail Copy Link

DeGroote School of Business valedictorian Chirag Sheth graduates June 14 with an Master in Business Administration. We asked him a few questions to get to know him. Here’s what Sheth had to say.

 

Why did you choose McMaster?  

The DeGroote School of Business and McMaster University has that strong reputation, great professors, return on investment and diverse extra-curriculars that anyone would be looking for from an MBA program. For me, culture and community were a big factor in my decision-making process. I had heard that MBA programs can be pretty cutthroat at times, and that just wasn’t really my style. I remember when I got selected for an interview to the DeGroote MBA program, a member of the recruitment team, Matt Vonk, reached out to me asking if I wanted to set up a coaching session to help me prepare for the interview. That offer was something I had never experienced before. Someone from the organization reaching out to help me be successful in their interview process. I thought that if I’m getting offered this type of support right off the bat, then this speaks volumes about the culture and supportive community that DeGroote has. That made the decision pretty easy for me! 

 

What’s next for you? 

After a little bit of travelling, I’ll be starting with CIBC in August as part of their Technology Leadership Advancement Program. 

 

Can you share a great piece of advice you’ve been given?  

One that sticks with me is from a book by Drew Dudley called This is Day One: A Practical Guide to Leadership. He speaks about how in certain situations, all you need is a few seconds of courage. As a bit of an introvert, I can struggle with putting myself out there, however I’ve found that that those initial few seconds of saying yes to something, putting your hand up or making that first step to go talk to someone up is often the hardest part.

Once you get over that, the fear starts to fade away and you find your rhythm. Take those few seconds of courage and something great can come from it! 

 

Now that you’re graduating, what’s your advice for students?  

Treat your MBA or post-secondary education as your playground! I mean that in two different ways. First, it’s an opportunity to try new things and be adventurous. School is a lower risk environment where you have the opportunity to try something brand new, whether that be a course, a club, a case competition, or anything else you’re interested in. If you love it, that’s great and you’ve found a new passion. If not, that’s also fine and you can move on to the next thing. This is an opportunity to take risks and explore!

Second, make sure to have fun along the way! School is too long to have your head in a textbook the whole time, so make sure to enjoy the process and make connections with the people around you! Those are the moments you will remember the most after you’re done. 

  

Tell us about a good memory from your time at McMaster.  

I’m fortunate that I’m leaving McMaster with many great memories and great friends that I’ve made over the past two years. One moment that stands out is getting the opportunity to participate in the John Molson MBA International Case Competition, the biggest case competition across the globe. I was able to do this through Dr. Milena Head’s D700 class with my team members Brandon Kober, Stephanie Keen and Sejal Pandya (otherwise known as the SKPP Consulting Group).

This was honestly a once in a lifetime opportunity. We had a full week of daily 3-hour case competitions and presentations to senior company executives. It was a challenging and intense week, but it pushed me outside of my comfort zone and was a very memorable experience. 

What’s an accomplishment you’re really proud of?  

One thing I’m very proud of is my podcast, Building Digital Community. It started off in August 2020 as a random idea to help our incoming cohort develop relationships with one another while many of us (including myself) were struggling with remote learning and not being able to meet our peers in person. Fast forward to today, and we’ve published 60 episodes, each with a different student or alumni from the DeGroote MBA program. I think that the challenges that people are going through can often be a spark for innovation, and I’m very happy that the podcast got such a great response from the DeGroote community. 

 

Tell us about a prof or mentor figure who made a difference for you in your time at Mac.  

Honestly there are too many people to highlight here, so I may have to break the rules a little bit and mention a few more! I’ve been lucky to have some great mentors and professors over my time at McMaster.

From the mentors and previous managers I’ve had even before thinking of coming to McMaster who ultimately helped me get started on this MBA path — including people like Travis Ames, Michelle Liem, Palma Petrilli and Alexandra Lasinski — to others like Matt Vonk on the Recruitment and Admissions team at DeGroote that was a huge influence on my decision to come to McMaster which helped kick off this incredible experience.

Finally professors like Dr. Manish Verma, Dr. Milena Head, Dr. Haniyeh Yousofpour, Paul Tedesco and Dr. Candice Chow that I’ve learned so much from over the past two years. And these are all just to name a few! Nobody makes it alone in their journey and I’m incredible grateful for the professors and mentors that have helped me throughout my MBA experience. 

 

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?  

This may be the toughest question so far! I think I would have to go with teleportation. Prior to starting the MBA, I was commuting at least two hours a day, so would love to just teleport back and forth to work. Would also make travelling so much easier and more fun! 

 

What’s an important lesson you’ve learned so far?  

Be patient with yourself and take time for reflection. Growth and improvement won’t happen overnight, it’s a long game. Focus on doing small things to get better every single day and eventually they start to add up. 

 

While at Mac, did you receive donor-funded financial assistance (e.g., a scholarship, award, bursary)? Any thoughts on the importance of giving back to your alma mater to support future generations?   

I was fortunate to receive The Class of 1988 Greg Brophy Memorial Scholarship in Principled Leadership. I’ve gained a lot through my MBA experience at McMaster, so I hope to one day give back and help support and facilitate that for other future students.

Tags:   ALUMNI PROFILE CHIRAG SHETH CONVOCATION MBA STUDENT & ALUMNI SUCCESS VALEDICTORIAN

We welcome discussion on our articles. However, we reserve the right to edit or delete comments in certain situations. Please see our comment policy for details.

One thought on "Meet DeGroote School of Business Valedictorian Chirag Sheth"

  1. Prakash Bhagde says:
    18 June 2022 at 1:03 am

    Congratulations Chirag
    So happy for you and the family
    God bless

Comments are closed.

Related Stories

GRIT Week 2025: The DeGroote Impact Film Festival
July 25, 2025 · SOCIETAL IMPACT · STRATEGIC PLAN | TEACHING AND LEARNING · STUDENT

GRIT Week 2025: The DeGroote Impact Film Festival

A mother-daughter moment at graduation
July 21, 2025 · ALUMNI

A mother-daughter moment at graduation

Whelen Fellowship connects grad students with McMaster startups to drive real-world impact
June 27, 2025 · ALUMNI · DEVELOPMENT

Whelen Fellowship connects grad students with McMaster startups to drive real-world impact

Leading with joy, bold authenticity and compassionate leadership 
June 23, 2025 · ALUMNI · STRATEGIC PLAN | INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE · STUDENT CLUB

Leading with joy, bold authenticity and compassionate leadership 

Finding my way: A reflection on growth, leadership and community 
June 19, 2025 · STRATEGIC PLAN | TEACHING AND LEARNING · STUDENT

Finding my way: A reflection on growth, leadership and community 

From scrubs to strategy: My journey through nursing and the DeGroote MBA 
June 18, 2025 · STRATEGIC PLAN | TEACHING AND LEARNING · STUDENT

From scrubs to strategy: My journey through nursing and the DeGroote MBA 

Pursuing doctorates together: A story of academic partnership 
June 18, 2025 · INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Pursuing doctorates together: A story of academic partnership 

Breaking the cycle of ultra-poverty, one village at a time
April 29, 2025 · ALUMNI · STRATEGIC PLAN | INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE · SOCIETAL IMPACT

Breaking the cycle of ultra-poverty, one village at a time

Embracing change and inspiring success: David Lazzarato navigates a varied path to DeGroote’s highest honour
April 24, 2025 · ALUMNI · STRATEGIC PLAN | ENGAGING COMMUNITIES

Embracing change and inspiring success: David Lazzarato navigates a varied path to DeGroote’s highest honour

From classroom to career: The lasting impact of work-integrated learning 
March 26, 2025 · STUDENT

From classroom to career: The lasting impact of work-integrated learning 

GRIT Week 2025: MBA students drive real-world impact 
March 12, 2025 · STUDENT · STRATEGIC PLAN | TEACHING AND LEARNING · SOCIETAL IMPACT

GRIT Week 2025: MBA students drive real-world impact 

GRIT Week: Community Videos
February 28, 2025 · STUDENT

GRIT Week: Community Videos

The future of healthcare: Mike Heenan on trends and disruptions
January 22, 2025 · STRATEGIC PLAN | ENGAGING COMMUNITIES · ALUMNI · HEALTH POLICY AND MANAGEMENT

The future of healthcare: Mike Heenan on trends and disruptions

People-focused leadership: Insights from Mike Heenan
January 9, 2025 · STRATEGIC PLAN | ENGAGING COMMUNITIES · ALUMNI

People-focused leadership: Insights from Mike Heenan

DeGroote redefines grit
December 17, 2024 · STRATEGIC PLAN | TEACHING AND LEARNING

DeGroote redefines grit

DeGroote School of Business DeGroote School of Business Logo
DeGroote Instagram logo DeGroote Linkedin logo DeGroote Facebook logo DeGroote YouTube Logo DeGroote TikTok Logo
DeGroote Menu

  • Programs
  • About DeGroote
  • Events
  • Student Resources
  • Staff Resources
  • Alumni Resources
  • Give
  • DeGroote Directory
  • Contact Us
  • Faculty & Research  
Hamilton Campus

DeGroote School of Business
McMaster University

1280 Main Street West

Hamilton, Ontario
L8S 4M4
Burlington Campus

DeGroote School of Business
Ron Joyce Centre

4350 South Service Road

Burlington, Ontario
L7L 5R8
AACSB Logo

McMaster University is committed to providing websites that are accessible to the widest possible audience.  

If you require any content on this website in an alternate format, please contact dsbweb@mcmaster.ca and we will respond promptly.

DeGroote Online Privacy Policy

McMaster Brighter World Logo McMaster University - Brighter World Logo
Contact McMaster McMaster Terms & Conditions McMaster Privacy Policy
Secret Link