Scott Botsford

Prior to my time at Ivey, I worked in a general management role for a transportation solution company. I found I knew one business very well but wanted to expand my horizons and develop a more complete foundation of technical skills. Therefore, I decided to pursue my MBA.

When making my MBA decision, I considered a multitude of factors in comparing schools. The Ivey recruiting team made a huge difference for me. I felt they took the time to get to know me, beyond my paper profile, and set me up for success through every step of the process. If this was the level of support the Ivey community provided before I became a student, I could only imagine the support I would receive once I was enrolled in the program.

Once I had decided on Ivey as a target school, I decided to attend a class visit on campus. Sitting in on a case discussion sold me on the learning experience I would receive at the School. Case-based learning requires robust thinking and analysis from all different angles. The learning is furthered by your classmates who provide their unique insights and share their diverse experiences. The case method as a learning tool best imitated real-life scenarios, and, therefore, represented the best way for me to develop my skills for the future.

This year has not been the year any of us envisioned when we enrolled at Ivey. The first few weeks after COVID hit, and we shifted online, were fraught with stress and uncertainty about the year ahead. I give credit to the entire Ivey community for coming together to ensure the best possible experience for our cohort. It starts with the recruiting team and its ability to fill the class with incredible people who were all determined to make the most of the situation. Through virtual social events, online study groups, and countless WhatsApp chats, we have been able to develop strong connections with our fellow MBAs just as we had hoped when we started at Ivey. The faculty and alumni have also been amazing in providing us with as typical an experience possible. The faculty moved quickly to shift content to an online environment and managed to provide engaging case discussions virtually. Ivey alumni have also been incredibly generous with their time. They are always happy to engage in coffee chats and lend a helping hand to the current class. This has been highlighted by the “Teachable Moments” series in which Canadian business leaders have come to speak to the class about their leadership experiences through the COVID crisis.

Overall, it has been an incredible year so far at Ivey, and I can’t wait to see what comes next!