Kim, who graduated from Ivey in 2023 with a dual degree in MSc International Business with CEMS Masters in International Management, believes that achieving success in the business world is increasingly intertwined with responsible stewardship of the planet. To this end, innovation and progress must work together on a global scale to ensure the investments and foundations laid today last for generations to come.

“This involves adopting policies and practices capable of transformative change within the current business landscape,” Kim says, who was also part of the Ivey Sustainability Club (in collaboration with the Ivey Center for Building Sustainable Value).

Kim credits Ivey for teaching her business fundamentals such as strategy and finance, but she is also grateful for the CEMS program that allowed her to live in London and Hong Kong where she dove deep into sustainability initiatives.

Because the CEMS MIM is a joint master’s paired with some of the most respected business schools and global companies and NGOs in the world, Kim says she and the program were a perfect match for her adventurous spirit and diverse interests.

“The CEMS program is so international and well regarded and Ivey is the sole representative in Canada,” she says. “I don’t think people understand just how much of a genuine privilege it is and I’m very fortunate to have been a beneficiary of it.”

Kim argues that this privilege is part of the Ivey experience that remains somewhat undiscovered yet holds tremendous potential for graduates in their careers and in their lives.

“I want more people to experience for themselves the scope and scale of opportunities that can come out of this program,” Kim says. “Every member of my cohort has echoed this sentiment and have come out of the program a more well-rounded and better person.”

Kim says that most people understand that Ivey has an impressive presence on the Canadian education scene. But she also says that it has a far-reaching global presence that shouldn’t be underestimated.

“Often if you mention ‘Ivey’ while abroad, people perk up,” Kim says. “For so many international students, Ivey is seen as a gateway to the so-called ‘North American dream.’”

For Kim, the prestigious Ivey alumni network was also a gateway to a backpacking adventure in the UK and Europe before her studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science. While in London, she used her Ivey network connections and reached out to Katelyn Bauer, who graduated from Ivey five years earlier in 2018. Bauer, also a seasoned traveler, welcomed Kim to stay with her in London. In fact, a few years later, Kim met a friend of Bauer’s while in an interview for a position at a Toronto firm, post-graduation.

“Katelyn opened her home to me,” Kim explains. “When you’re associated with someone from Ivey, there’s a baseline of trust that opens doors. There’s automatic common ground.”

Kim continues to be on the move as she lives out her business goals and dreams, searching for new “bigger and exciting” roles. Soon, she’ll be embarking on a new challenge at Toronto’s Guidehouse, a global consulting leader working in the energy sector.

Kim, like many Ivey and CEMS grads, believes the program has helped inspire her life and career journeys.

“Together, they not only helped me discover a career path that resonates with my passions but have also enriched my life with unforgettable international experiences and lifelong friendships that span the globe.”