UNews - Bruce Thurston

Students take initiative to form entrepreneurship club

caroline.zentner — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 20:37:38 +0000

An idea hatched by Dhillon School of Business student Doyin Adepoju last summer has gained a strong foothold in a few short months. He had just taken Management 2800 — New Venture Start-Ups — with Bruce Thurston when the idea came to him.

“I thought we needed an entrepreneurship club in this school,” says Adepoju. “I am an entrepreneur and that’s what I’m in school for so, once I’m done my degree, that’s what I’m going to chase.”

He talked to Thurston about it and from there, was introduced to Steve Craig, director of external relations with the Dhillon School of Business and to Brandy Old, Agility program coordinator. Then he set about creating a team and contacted his friend Tabby Ndhlovu, also a Dhillon School of Business student. They added Tobi Dada, a kinesiology student, to the group and created an executive team of 11 to tackle the job of forming a club. While the U of L already has a club for social entrepreneurship in Enactus, the group wanted to make the club open to all kinds of entrepreneurship. Abs and Money Entrepreneurs was born.

Students interested in entrepreneurship attended the recent launch party of the Abs and Money Entrepreneurs student club.

They envisioned the club as a place for students to build a network of contacts, learn entrepreneurship skills and help them either land a job after graduation or start their own business.

“We believe anyone can be an entrepreneur as long as they have a vision and we believe that students should get the opportunity to get connected within their industry,” says Adepoju.

“At the end of the day, whatever job you go to you’re going to have to learn how to connect with the different people,” says Ndhlovu. “We also want to provide help to students in whatever ways they need, whether it’s help with schoolwork or personal skills, we want to be able to give those resources to any of our members. We’re going to go above and beyond to find the perfect resource for them.”

Adepoju became the club’s president, Ndhlovu the vice-president and Dada, vice-president development. Along with other members of the executive, they’ve been busy getting Abs and Money Entrepreneurs up and running.

“We bring in speakers and we also have different workshops where we bring in people from different industries,” says Adepoju. “That way, students get practical experience and next semester we will enter a lot of competitions as a club, such as the Chinook Entrepreneur Challenge. Our goal is to take those practical skills that we’ve been learning during the first semester and use them during the second semester. We’re also partnering with Enactus because they enter different competitions, too. That way, our members get those practical skills they need, like feeling confident enough to speak in front of a huge audience.

“We also had Jason Bacon (BMgt ’13) come to speak. He’s an entrepreneur strategist at ATB Financial. He talked about the first steps people need to take as an entrepreneur, basically, validating their idea and making sure that it’s what the public wants, not that you think it’s good.”

“Many people want to be entrepreneurs but no one ever tells them how to go about it and how much work they need to put in,” says Ndhlovu. “Nobody talks about the middle part of being an entrepreneur where you have to struggle and fall a thousand times, which is what we are trying to let our members know. They can be an entrepreneur but they should also know what it takes and everything that comes with it.”

They’d expected maybe 50 people at their first meeting but almost twice as many showed up. Abs and Money Entrepreneurs recently held a launch party, also well-attended, and has signed up more than 130 members so far.

“We knew that it was going to be impactful but we didn’t know it was going to be this impactful,” says Ndhlovu. “So many people attended our launch party.”

Despite the work, they admit they are having a good time.

“I’m loving it,” says Adepoju. “Every hurdle we’ve passed and the momentum we have right now, it’s hard to not be excited.”

“It feels like a family,” says Dada. “Some of us just met each other but it feels like we’ve known each other for a long time. It’s hard to see a team of 11 that gels so well.”

They are looking for additional members and have been putting the message out through social media like Instagram and Snapchat. They’ve also developed a website so people can sign up. The club’s next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. at Markin Hall in Room M1090.

The club’s executive is also planning a formal gala — the An$ Money Ball — with dinner and dancing for Jan. 12. Tickets are available through Eventbrite.

The club decided to donate 15 per cent of its profits from the gala to the U of L WUSC (World ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Service of Canada) Club and its student refugee program and to the Global Partnership for Education, an international organization focused on getting all children into school.

“The reason we’re doing that is because we believe education is the way to sustainability and with sustainability comes innovation and entrepreneurship,” says Adepoju.

Dhillon School of Business to launch new minor in Family and Small Business

caroline.zentner — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 17:39:58 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students who want to establish or advise a small business can take a new minor this fall that will give them the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed.

“From evaluating market opportunities and testing assumptions to analyzing financial resources and spotting growth opportunities, the Family and Small Business minor will give students broad knowledge of small business enterprises,” says Bruce Thurston (BASc ’78), a Dhillon School of Business faculty member.

Thurston has already taught two sessions of the first course in the minor, New Venture Startup. Students explore their business ideas over a semester, from conception to market analysis. The current summer session course has 15 students assigned to five teams. Their ideas have spanned the gamut: a refund fee for recycling paper products from a restaurant, a keto food cart, an app for medical information, an app for home-cooked meals and a heated apparel business.

“We have students work in teams because entrepreneurs don’t work by themselves,” says Thurston. “Students must also go out to find if there’s a need for the product, how important it is to people and if they are willing to pay for it.”

The course takes students on a bit of a rollercoaster ride, he says. Typically, their enthusiasm takes a dive when they start looking at the marketplace and talking to people about their business idea. But Thurston says that’s the only way to find out if their idea has merit. Students can then tweak their business propositions based on the feedback they get. The class wraps up with a Dragon’s Den-style pitch in front of a panel of judges. Teams have 10 minutes to deliver their pitches and another five minutes for the judges to ask questions.

“These external judges have seen a lot of entrepreneurial ideas and they’ll provide feedback about the presentations,” says Thurston. “Students come away with an understanding of what it takes to launch a small business.”

Other courses in the minor include small business management, growing a business, financial management and small business diagnostics. Several elective courses, such as management for not-for-profit organizations, are also offered. The minor is open to second-year students from all disciplines. Over the next two years, the U of L will offer the full complement of courses and begin to phase in the minor at the U of L’s Calgary campus. The minor and other family and small business initiatives at the U of L are supported through funding from RBC.

“RBC saw the need and was willing to invest in the U of L,” says Thurston. “Their clients are small to very large corporations, but they’re often focused on the family and small business segment, which is the dominant business group in Canada. Their support for family and small business funding ties in well with the Dhillon School of Business and its focus on entrepreneurship and innovation. The timing is right.”

A Case of Excellence

david.kirby — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 15:27:15 +0000

Five ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge management students have proven they have what it takes to advise a board of directors how to govern in an ethical and responsible manner, and earned a $10,000 prize for their efforts.

In March 2013, Faculty of Management students Britney Anderson, Sahib Chhatwal, Jaden Evanson, Tasneem Kapacee and Sean Maddocks took first place at the Certified Management Accountants (CMA) and Certified General Accountants (CGA) Alberta’s Board Governance Case Competition in Calgary. The students had six hours to analyse a case about board governance that was based on a fictitious, not-for-profit company and create a presentation with their recommendations. Those presentations were then evaluated by a judging panel of esteemed business leaders.

Management students Tasneem Kapacee, Britney Anderson, Jaden Evanson and Sean Maddocks are taking their management skills into the boardroom. (Not pictured, Sahib Chhatwal). (Photo by Leslie Ohene-Adjei)

Case competitions further engage students in the learning process, says management professor
Dr. M. Gordon Hunter. Together with fellow Faculty of Management professors Glen Baker and Bruce Thurston (BASc ’78), as well as accounting student and former case competition participant Eric MacLeod, Hunter coached the U of L team to their win.

“The students learned how to apply their accounting knowledge at a high level within an organization. They took financial data and applied it to board management,” says Hunter.

From a student perspective, case competitions provide opportunities to apply theory and practice.

“We had to do a lot of research on best practices in board management. All of it is applicable in the real world,” says third-year accounting student Evanson, adding that preparing for the competition meant going beyond lessons learned in the classroom.

That opportunity to gain practical experience was also appreciated by Kapacee, a fourth-year accounting student. “I realized the importance of a cohesive team,” she says. “We had to recognize what people brought to the table and play to everyone’s strengths.”

2012 Alumni Honour Society Inductees

trevor.kenney — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 20:05:19 +0000

Introduced in celebration of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's 35th Anniversary in 2002, the Alumni Honour Society recognizes the achievement of successful alumni within the global community. The alumni inducted into this prestigious group have served as role models to our students and the broader ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community through success in their vocation, outstanding community service or superior accomplishment in their avocation.

René Barendregt (BASc '71)

René Barendregt has been a faculty member of the Faculty of Arts & Science at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge since 1982 and took on the role of associate dean in 2001. Dedicated to his profession and respected by his peers, Barendregt's work in the field of physical geography is currently funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada. In addition to his research, Barendregt has served the U of L community as a member of the Board of Governors, the Senate and the General Faculties Council.

Viola Cassis (BA '97)

Viola Cassis started her career in international humanitarian work with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), where she was instrumental in revising the organization's guidelines on the prevention and response to sexual- and gender-based violence, and helped to develop policies to ensure gender-equitable access to UN refugee interventions. Cassis currently works with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and has been involved in various CIDA programs in Afghanistan. She has made field visits to Kabul and Kandahar to liaise with Canadian Forces, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, and other government agencies.

Marilyn Smith (BFA '96) (Multidisciplinary)

Marilyn Smith has more than 30 years of experience in the arts and culture sector and is currently the executive director of the Southern Alberta Art Gallery (SAAG). Since Smith took on this role in 1999, SAAG has increased revenue over 200 per cent, while membership, programming and sponsorship have also increased. Recently Smith oversaw renovations of SAAG and implemented a three-year strategic plan designed to capitalize on the new facilities. Last fall Smith was honoured with the 2011 Rosza Award for Excellence in Arts Management from the Rosza Foundation.

Gayle Strikes With A Gun (BEd '88)

Raised on the Piikani Nation in southern Alberta, Gayle Strikes With A Gun has been a leader in education for 25 years. After completing her bachelor of education, she worked as the project co-ordinator for the Four Worlds development project, an initiative aimed at helping Blood and Peigan women develop the skills and training necessary to prepare them for post-secondary education at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Over the course of her career, she worked as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent and acting superintendent in schools across Alberta and in the Northwest Territories. In 2011, Strikes With A Gun was elected the first female chief of the Piikani Nation where she remains committed to helping her people's youth.

Bruce Thurston (BASc '78)

With close to 35 years of experience in business, Bruce Thurston brings a wealth of knowledge and skill to his teaching role in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Management. He is also currently the CEO and president at Management Resource Services, a company that provides management consulting and training in leadership
development, organizational change, workforce diversity and staff development. In addition to his professional responsibilities, Thurston has generously served the community by volunteering his time with local organizations including the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce, the Society of Management Accountants of Alberta and the Southern Alberta Art Gallery.

Keith Walker (BASc '79)

As the director of Library Services at Medicine Hat College, Keith Walker is respected for the innovation and passion he brings to his profession. As the first college librarian to serve as president of the Canadian Library Association in the organization's history, Walker successfully led a major review and restructuring that saw the organization's first balanced budget in over a decade and a doubling of memberships. In 2003, Walker received the Community and Technical College Libraries Outstanding Academic Librarian Award and the Industry Canada Award. The following year, he was honoured with the College and Technical Libraries Innovation Achievement Award.

This story first appeared in the June 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the entire issue in flipbook format, follow this link.

Hunter receives prestigious FCMA designation

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 22:13:21 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Management professor Dr. M. Gordon (Gord) Hunter was recently designated a Fellow of the Society of Management Accountants of Canada (FCMA).

The FCMA, presented to Hunter and five other Albertans, is a prestigious national honorary designation that is awarded to CMAs who, through their own outstanding achievements, bring distinction to the management accounting profession and serve as role models for others.

Hunter is the fourth
U of L faculty member to achieve this designation. Past recipients of the FCMA in the Faculty of Management include
Dr. Murray Lindsay, as well as instructors Bruce Thurston (Lethbridge campus) and Tim Spielman (Calgary campus).

Faculty of Management Dean, Dr. Robert Ellis, says that Hunter's dedication to research, teaching, and his association with CMA Alberta, allow him to continue providing relevant and student-centred learning opportunities.

"Gord has made exemplary contributions to scholarship, teaching and to the professional community," says Ellis. "I speak for all our faculty members when I say that we are very proud of Gord for being honoured by his peers in the Society of Management Accountants."

In his current role as a professor of information systems at the U of L, Hunter teaches several courses and, in 2009, developed a new accounting information systems course. He has been an advocate for the CMA designation in several capacities, including acting as a coach in the CMA Alberta Board Governance and JDC West Case competitions. He has also been a CMA
ambassador in the post-secondary community at CMA Alberta events.

Hunter has continually shown a commitment to enhancing the profession and designation through written publications; developing, delivering and overseeing a variety of post-secondary courses; and sitting on international conference committees.

For a look at the full issue of the December Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Billboard

trevor.kenney — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:42:57 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President Dr. Bill Cade chats about what's happening in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community

I am constantly impressed by how much activity we have here on campus, generated both from within and from external sources interested in what we are doing.

This was readily apparent this past month with a number of high profile events that thrust the
U of L into the spotlight and touched on a variety of our hallmarks.

Fall Convocation was an outstanding affair and once again showcased our many exceptional graduates. The event was enhanced greatly by the inclusion of our honorary degree recipients, Paul Brandt and Son Soubert. Their commitment to humanitarian efforts provided an inspirational backdrop for the new graduating class and served as a great starting point as they embark on their professional careers.

The link between the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the professional world has never been stronger, and that is evidenced by the many partnerships the U of L has cultivated with its business partners. Recently we welcomed the Certified General Accountants Association of Alberta to campus as they announced a major donation to fund the CGA Faculty Fellowship in Accounting and support the operating costs of the new Markin Hall Finance Trading Floor.

Prior to that, the Faculty of Management received accreditation from the Canadian Management Accountants Society, effectively earning a stamp of approval from the very society to which many of their students will gravitate upon graduation. I spoke personally with one of our students recently who cited this accreditation as a major factor in his appreciation of the program, as it gave him the opportunity to bypass the CMA Entrance Examination upon graduation. He also credited management professor Bruce Thurston for his real-world approach in the classroom.

With the many co-op work arrangements we have throughout our faculties and a constant eye on the changing needs of the professional world, our programs continue to graduate competent, confident students who are able to hit the ground running in their chosen careers.

In addition to business interests on campus, we have hosted a number of governmental representatives in recent weeks. Deputy Premier of the Northwest Territories, Michael Miltenberger (BASc '75), visited the Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building, as did Alberta Minister of Environment, Rob Renner, and deputy minister Jim Ellis. As well, Alberta Health Minister Ron Liepert toured the new Markin Hall building.

It is extremely important that we maintain a positive working relationship with the various levels of government as it helps both our interests in shaping the future of our province.

We enjoyed a very interesting Board of Governors meeting this past month as we set up shop in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's new daycare facility. It is a beautiful building in a picturesque setting and a real testament to the spirit of co-operation that exists on campus.

I want to give a huge amount of credit to Vice-President (Finance and Administration) Nancy Walker for seeing this project through to its completion. She was responsible chiefly for bringing members of administration around to the view that we should work with our partners to bring daycare to campus once again, and it is highly symbolic to have completed this project.

Hearty congratulations to the Pronghorns women's rugby team, who pounded their way through the Canada West championship tournament to capture their fourth straight conference title. I anticipate another celebration in the offing as the Horns head to Vancouver to try and claim their third consecutive CIS championship. You have made the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ proud – good luck and Go Horns!

UNews - Bruce Thurston

Students take initiative to form entrepreneurship club

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A Case of Excellence

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2012 Alumni Honour Society Inductees

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Billboard

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