News@Ivey · Communications

MBA students give back to London for Social Impact Day

Aug 10, 2022

MBA students took time out of their busy schedules to give back to the local community for their annual MBA Social Impact Day on August 9. Almost 100 students, divided into small groups, participated in various volunteer opportunities with eight different organizations:

Community Living London – running a Zumba class for people with developmental disabilities and their families;
Habitat for Humanity Heartland Ontario – organizing and sorting donations and painting part of its ReStore;
Humane Society London & Middlesex – a mixture of hands-on volunteering and providing advice on the organization’s capital campaign;
London Food Bank – organizing and stocking donations;
PHSS – running a baseball game and “jamming session” with music and dancing;
ReForest London – providing maintenance and care to newly planted trees
Ronald McDonald House Charities Southwestern Ontario – baking for the families staying at the House; and,
YU Ranch – re-planting native plant species around the property to replenish the immediate area.

Before volunteering, the students heard from London Ward 6 Councillor Mariam Hamou. In her presentation, Hamou spoke about the importance of giving back to the community and how students and future leaders can make an impact.

Thank you to RBC for providing breakfast to fuel the students for their day of giving back. And thank you to Ivey’s Centre for Building Sustainable Value for providing supplies for the students’ volunteer work.

Making an Impact

Giving back to the community is an important part of Ivey’s new purpose: Inspiring leaders for a sustainable and prosperous world. Through experiences like MBA Social Impact Day, students learn first-hand how they can make a difference within their communities and around the world.

Students volunteering at the Humane Society London & Middlesex (HSLM) used their classroom learnings to help the organization with its capital campaign, which aims to raise $10 million to construct a much-needed new facility.

“This was a timely opportunity for us to have the Class of 2023 volunteer at HSLM,” said Steve Ryall, Executive Director at HSLM. “Having Ivey volunteers experience the shelter today, and join our team in conversation about our future plans, was incredibly valuable. Fresh perspectives and diverse feedback are always appreciated and make our organization stronger."

Learnings from Social Impact Day

The students learned there are many different ways to give back to the community and this experience enhanced their formal education. Here are some of their reflections:

“Our biggest takeaway at Ronald McDonald House was learning about all the behind-the-scenes work (cooking, kitchen stocking, planning, logistics, etc.) that goes on to provide a welcoming environment for kids and their families.” – Tyler De Souza

“I learned that giving back to the community is something I’ve been missing since moving to Canada as an international student. We’ve all been so busy with our studies, recruiting, and MBA activities that we forget there is a greater community around us whose members are appreciative of the time we spend with them. I will surely incorporate volunteer work in my future plans. For some of us who recently moved to Canada, it was great to learn about initiatives that this city and the provinces have to help people with developmental disabilities.” – Shreya Gupta

“I learned that I need to take time to reflect on and recognize the privilege I have. Too often, we pay attention to our own lives and what is happening with us and forget about how much of a positive impact we can have in our community. In the past, I have taken for granted being able to play sports or music, while some people with complex physical needs cannot. I also learned that I don’t have to be in a leadership position to give back to the community, I can simply volunteer in an initiative or for an organization that I find inspiring.” – Max Garcia Ondarza

“Today was a good reminder of how privileged I am to have never had to learn how the food bank works or what resources are available from it. It was also a good reminder of how close so many Canadians are to needing access to it. It also reminded me that it's not always about big actions or big donations, but that giving just a small amount of time can make a huge difference in someone’s life.” – Jaclyn Robertson

“The MBA program teaches us about leadership in the context of business. But this day focused on community leadership and how we can make an impact in our society with simple efforts like these.” – Rahul Karippath

“Studying a case about YU Ranch and then visiting the cattle farm was a wholesome experience. I was able to learn about and see the farm’s core competence studied in class and understand how it changed the game in farm sustainability.” – Michael Rychlewski

“Steve Ryall, Executive Director HSLM, gave us some insights that I will take with me. He said a factor in HSLM’s success is that he has great relationships with his team members and trusts they are experts in their areas. All of us are going to leave Ivey ready to change the landscape of business around the globe, but have to remember that we’re not able to do that alone and we’re not experts in everything. By building mutual trust, letting the experts take the reins, and being their support system and champion, we are going to go much farther in our careers and see a more positive impact from our actions.” – Jon Bertulli

“The stories shared by the volunteers/staff helped me appreciate the importance of the London Food Bank. It is very easy to live in a capitalist bubble and assume everything is fine, but these stories and our field experience helped to humanize people living in dire conditions, and emphasized the need to contribute individual and corporate time and resources to take care of people for the betterment of society.” – Saudamini Singhania

Below are some more photos from MBA Social Impact Day 2022.