This fall, DeGroote welcomed 227 students to the MBA program. Representing 17 countries, the incoming MBA cohort reflects the diversity of backgrounds that define today’s business landscape.
Forty-seven per cent of the incoming MBA Cohort identify as female and for the first time in school history, DeGroote is a member of the Forté Fellowship. Thirteen students have been named Forté Fellows, a distinction that recognizes exemplary leaders from diverse backgrounds committed to advancing women in business.
This year’s cohort includes professionals from financial services, technology, engineering, health care, entrepreneurship, nonprofit leadership and professional sport. Together, they bring a broad range of experiences into the classroom, creating opportunities to learn from perspectives that challenge and expand their own.
Redefining what an MBA student looks like
If there is one thread connecting this cohort, it is a refusal to follow a conventional path.
Following a professional soccer career in Europe, Quinn Stahmer arrives at DeGroote with entrepreneurial experience as the founder of a sports-focused social media marketing business with nearly one million followers across platforms.
“Getting the opportunity to pursue such a prestigious degree while gaining valuable work experience was an opportunity I felt would perfectly complement my career trajectory post-athletics,” said Stahmer.
For Bryanna Carter, the MBA is a natural next step in a career already shaped by interdisciplinary thinking. While completing degrees in business administration and forensic science, along with a minor in anthropology, she also pursued an anti-money laundering internship with CIBC Mellon. Her unique blend of analytical thinking and business knowledge reflects the diverse experiences that define this year’s MBA class.
A class that crosses borders
The international makeup of this cohort is central to what makes the DeGroote classroom such a rich learning environment. Students have arrived from across Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and beyond, bringing perspectives shaped by different industries, markets and cultures.
After spending five years in Pakistan’s technology and telecommunications sector, Riva Effandi comes to DeGroote to strengthen her business foundation and prepare for future leadership opportunities. Effandi’s experience often led to her being the only woman in the room. She brings valuable insight into leadership and innovation in a rapidly evolving industry.
Ruo-Yu Chen joins the cohort from Taiwan, where she worked as a business analysis manager in the technology sector. Through the MBA, she hopes to broaden her global perspective while exploring new career and industry opportunities.
Troy Miller, a chemical engineering graduate from Jamaica, was inspired to pursue an MBA after seeing how technical expertise, operations and strategy come together to create organizational impact. He hopes to develop as a leader while gaining practical experience through the co-op program.
The Forté Fellows
Among the incoming Forté Fellows are students whose backgrounds span entrepreneurship, health care and community impact.
Efemena Eghujovbo brings startup experience in the consumer packaged goods and personal care industries. Pursuing an MBA will help her build a stronger understanding of business strategy and prepare her for future entrepreneurial ventures.
“My goal is to better understand what it takes to build, grow and lead a successful business. Ultimately, I hope to apply that executive knowledge when I return to entrepreneurship,” said Eghujovbo.
After beginning her career in science and later moving into sales, Anysa Meze discovered a passion for building relationships and understanding how organizations operate. She chose the MBA to build on her scientific foundation while exploring new opportunities within the industry. Outside the classroom, she also teaches dance, an experience that has strengthened her leadership and communication skills.
Riya Donnelly, a varsity basketball guard, brings experience from a nonprofit organization that provides sport and recreation opportunities for underserved and Indigenous youth and communities. She hopes to continue making a positive impact through services that improve people’s lives.
Learning from one another
Whether they are coming from engineering, financial services, health care, technology, nonprofit leadership or professional sport, members of this MBA cohort share a common goal: expanding what’s possible in their careers and communities.
Together, they arrive at the DeGroote School of Business not as a collection of resumés, but as a community of future leaders whose experiences will shape classroom discussions, challenge assumptions and help define the next chapter of the DeGroote MBA.
Are you ready to tackle integrated problems with innovative solutions and build lifelong connections? Be part of DeGroote’s tradition that celebrates diverse student perspectives, connect with the DeGroote MBA team today.
