MSc Business Analytics student Zihan Zhang’s work this past summer helping a Northern Ontario Indigenous community adopt a digital technology both helped the community to preserve its history and future generations to connect with that history.
Zhang, who worked with the Sagamok Anishnawbek community from May to August for the Ivey Analytics Internship, collected and organized 30 years of data across various departments, standardized data-entry processes, and conducted regular audits. During the process, she and her team discovered old photos, tests, and class lists dating back to the 1990s, which could be shared with existing relatives.
“This made me realize how meaningful this project is to the community,” said Zhang. “It highlighted the profound impact of preserving local culture and taught me that real-world business is about creating value while honouring and preserving heritage. I feel blessed to have contributed to this important mission.”
Describing the experience as “an adventure,” Zhang said she had many firsts – fishing, travelling by boat, and exploring an island. She was one of 70 MSc Business Analytics students who applied their classroom lessons to a real-world analytics-driven research project or industry experience this summer through the Ivey Analytics Internship this past summer. In addition to Zhang's important work with Sagamok Anishnawbek, Ivey’s students worked on projects such as impact investing, resource and data utilization, and brand loyalty. Here is a summary of some of their experiences.
Colton Donaldson, MSc ’24 candidate
Position: Business Analyst, Decision Support and Data Analytics Department, London Health Sciences Centre
Making an impact: Currently, healthcare in Canada is under significant financial strain due to increased patients, higher care complexity, rising costs, staffing requirements, and ongoing pandemic recovery efforts. Donaldson optimized revenue generation without reducing patient volumes or services offered. In particular, he used clinical patient data to compare LHSC’s Resource Intensity Weights (RIW) to other hospitals, which may help LHSC to adjust its use of RIW factors and potentially increase its annual revenue.
The takeaways: Business knowledge, management, and organizational best practices are required for almost every career endeavour.
“I had always thought of careers like medicine as distinct from needing business knowledge. This internship has shown me that the application of business management and data analytics is required to look at what works well and what can be improved upon in any organization.”
Memorable moment: Donaldson’s work contributed to an important presentation from LHSC executives related to improving the hospital’s costs per weighted cases.
His advice: “It takes a lot of time and effort to research a company and position yourself as an applicant that fits into that organization’s goals and needs.”
Navneet Kaur, MSc ’24 candidate
Position: Business Analyst Intern at Thomson Reuters
Making an impact: Kaur developed an automated resource audit process to replace the error-prone and time-consuming manual auditing, resulting in annual savings of $30,000. She also created analytics models to support strategic decisions on Project Managers' billable hours, collaborating with teams to translate business needs into practical solutions, optimizing resource allocation.
The takeaways: Successful business operations are built on strong team dynamics and effective cross-functional collaboration and collective expertise can lead to innovative solutions.
“Ivey's emphasis on networking taught me the importance of building and maintaining professional relationships, which proved invaluable during my internship. While the program equipped me with essential hard skills such as proficiency in dashboard development software, Python, and Excel necessary for business analytics, it was the soft skills that truly set me apart.”
Memorable moment: Kaur had a one-on-one meeting with Anuradha (Anu) Dodda, the CTO and Head of Engineering at Thomson Reuters, where Dodda shared her inspirational leadership journey. Kaur and other interns also volunteered at Good Shepherd Ministries, serving food to the homeless.
Her advice: “The process involved a significant amount of networking, where I reached out to industry professionals and attended numerous events to make valuable connections. This journey taught me the importance of determination, the power of networking, and the value of staying engaged and proactive in the pursuit of career opportunities.”
Sahil Khanna, MSc ’24 candidate
Position: Impact Investing Intern at SVX
Making an impact: Khanna analyzed the Canadian impact investment landscape, identified investment opportunities, and contributed to the development of an annual market report.
The takeaways: The importance of balancing financial returns with social and environmental impacts, translating complex data into actionable insights, and agility and adaptability in responding to changing market conditions and stakeholder needs.
“The program prepared me to collaborate effectively with diverse teams and contribute to a positive team culture and its emphasis on ethical decision-making and social responsibility resonated with the core values of SVX, helping me align my work with the organization's mission.”
Memorable moment: Khanna participated in a strategy retreat with the SVX team, which involved brainstorming, strategizing, and bonding. He said this experience strengthened the team dynamics and led to innovative ideas for improving processes and impact.
His advice: “Securing the internship was a comprehensive and multi-faceted journey that required strategic planning and proactive effort. Leveraging my network was a critical component of my strategy. These connections provided invaluable insights into the industry and specific companies, including SVX, which helped me tailor my application and prepare for interviews.”
Olivia Walker, MSc ’24 candidate
Position: Analyst, Client Analytics, Bond Brand Loyalty
Making an impact: Walker did analytics consulting on projects for clients in varying industries. In particular, she collaborated with senior consultants to address marketing and loyalty challenges, analyzed customer behaviour, and identified strategic opportunities.
The takeaways: The importance of quick turnarounds, managing tight deadlines, adapting to changing project requirements – and the overall value of data insights.
“This experience really opened my eyes to the world of consulting and showed me just how crucial analytics is in this field. I got to see firsthand how data can drive decisions and create opportunities.”
Memorable moment: Walker became close friends with 12 fellow interns from Ivey and other business schools in Ontario. Together, they planned a company-wide event and participated in an internal intern innovation challenge for a major client, which helped them build strong professional and personal connections.
Her advice: “I initially focused on securing an internship with a major fashion company, but when that didn’t pan out, it felt like I had to start over. This setback allowed me to explore other companies and industries I hadn’t considered before.”
Aishwarya Kumar, MSc ’24 candidate
Position: Cloud Technical Sales Intern at IBM
Making an impact: Kumar helped IBM identify trends and patterns in its key performance indicators using the customer relationship management tool, Salesforce. She suggested best practices for maintaining data quality and contributed to client prospecting by identifying and qualifying potential leads and developing targeted outreach strategies.
The takeaways: An understanding of the end-to end sales process, patterns in data, and the importance of effective communication.
“Clear, concise, and persuasive communication can make a significant difference in building relationships and closing deals.”
Memorable moment: Kumar met the Chief Operating Officer of IBM Canada at a coffee bar and struck up a conversation with her. As a result, she gained a valuable mentor.
Her advice: “Securing an internship was about being proactive and seizing opportunities as they came. It's important to always be on the lookout and not delay applying while waiting to perfect your resumé.
More photos of students' experiences through the Ivey Analytics Internship
Olivia Walker with the Bond Brand Loyalty analytics team at a kick-off event
Sahil Khanna (left) being introduced to the SVX team virtually.
Zihan Zhang in Sagamok Anishnawbek
Navneet Kaur (holding an apple) and team serving food at the Good Shepherd Ministries
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