Paloma Stuart

I am an international student from Lima, Peru. My interest in knowing other countries and people led me to Spain where I attended business school. Later, I went back to Lima where I joined Ernst & Young (EY) as an Assistant, working mainly in risk management and process improvement projects. I always wanted to do an MBA and Canada was always my destination for it. So, after some years as a Senior Consultant at EY, I was ready for that new challenge: I wanted to go back to school and have a more holistic education about business, based on real cases. Therefore, I decided it was the right moment for me to pursue my MBA.

When I was researching MBA programs, I considered three criteria: The length of the program; its popularity; and, the school’s culture. Since I already had six years of work experience, for me, it made more sense to just do a one-year program. Ivey was the best option since it is the best in Canada, and I liked the supporting environment the administration and faculty provide. Every time I met with Ivey's recruiting team, I felt I was not just another student. They made me feel they really cared about me, and wanted to make sure I was a right fit for the school, but also that the school was a right fit for me.

I think the Admissions Committee chose me to be a part of Ivey MBA Class of 2021 because of my work and life experiences. Working in consulting gave me the opportunity to know different functions and industries, and exposed me to different situations that would be useful while doing the MBA because they gave me a better understanding of all the topics we would discuss. Moreover, while doing my business undergrad abroad, I took as many opportunities as possible to participate in exchange programs and internships in different countries. This gave me the opportunity to meet people of different backgrounds and helped me learn how to be more inclusive, something that is very valued by the school.

MBAs are always full of new experiences, but, this year in particular has been a surprise to everyone! COVID-19 made us transition to online classes and, although, there were some technical issues, classes continued. Interacting with faculty and classmates has been challenging but everyone worked hard, supported each other, and were as social as possible while keeping safe. In the end, it is a matter of attitude; if people want to make it work, it will happen!