Ivey Business School is known for providing students with transformative learning experiences both inside and outside the classroom, and with the help of Career Management, many students secured impressive internships for the summer.
Whether they were participating in international learning programs or supporting the initiatives of tech companies, Ivey students applied their knowledge, tackled real business challenges, and developed the skills necessary to thrive in their future careers. Read about their experiences and advice for success below.
Cem Ozden, HBA ’25 candidate
For Cem Ozden, working for Canadian-owned meat purveyor The Butcher Shoppe as a business development intern was a natural fit. A self-proclaimed foodie and past sales intern at Maple Leaf Foods, he was eager to build on his experience in the food industry.
From supporting client acquisition efforts to developing a plan for adding an in-house café to the company's retail store alongside other Ivey interns, Ozden’s internship was a chance to make meaningful contributions to the organization. He credits Ivey’s case method for informing his process of developing projects and managing client accounts for restaurants.
"The dynamics of the meat industry require frequent investigation of factors that impact pricing, the reasons behind them, and the overarching implications to the business and customer," he said. "It was like a real-life case in business strategy implementation."
Ozden says one highlight was the chance to work in product development. He was offered the opportunity after noticing a gap in the market during a client meeting with the owner of a Turkish restaurant. Ozden, who is Turkish, jumped at the opportunity to aid in the development of Sucuk, a traditional fermented sausage product.
“This role has provided me with many opportunities to learn, take responsibility, and experience the complex activities that happen behind the scenes of a multi-generational family owned business,” he said. “I encourage any student to make the most of the limited time they have during their internship.”
Eshna Sarwar, MSc ’24
With previous experience in business strategy, market analysis, and investor relations in venture capital firms, Eshna Sarwar wanted to hone her skills by guiding international tech startups into the Canadian market. This expertise enabled her to make an impact as a data analyst at The Upside Foundation of Canada – a charitable organization helping tech startups donate equity to charities.
Sarwar was tasked with cleaning and collecting data to identify potential prospects and alliance opportunities to pledge to the organization. She also collaborated with the marketing intern to identify user personas and trends in the organization’s internal database and learned an important lesson through this process.
“Effectively leveraging data insights is crucial for driving growth and building meaningful connections in the start-up ecosystem," she said. “Uncovering new prospects for future partnerships through internal and external data analysis is a remarkably valuable process.”
Sarwar’s advice for students is to network as much as possible and nurture those relationships.
“The connections you make can often lead to unexpected opportunities,” she said.
Jared Richstone, HBA ’24
Jared Richstone spent part of his summer in Italy as one of the 26 participants invited to the Italia Innovation Program – an exclusive course uniting scholars from around the world to engage in learning experiences through the lens of Italy’s innovative economic landscape.
Richstone said he applied to the program because he was eager to seize the opportunity for international travel and challenge himself along the way.
“The world is bigger than we often realize, and stepping outside of your familiar environment can be incredibly transformative,” he said.
Similar to Ivey’s teaching method, the program uses case studies presented by leading Italian institutions and brands, tasking participants to address the challenges faced by businesses and stakeholders in a rapidly changing world.
A key highlight for Richstone was having the opportunity to work on a consulting engagement for Poltrona Frau, a renowned Italian luxury furniture manufacturer with a rich history dating back to 1912. His team was tasked with addressing critical business challenges faced by the company and developed a strategy to ensure future brand longevity and sustainability.
Richstone’s advice for students considering international opportunities is simple: seize them!
“International experiences push you to see things from new perspectives, adapt to unfamiliar situations, and grow in ways you might not expect,” he said. “It’s not just about the significant professional benefits, but also about the personal growth, relationships you build, and broader understanding of the world that you gain along the way.”
Aiswarya Suresh, MSc ’24
Aiswarya Suresh worked as an Analytics Developer at AMD, a multinational tech company that specializes in producing high-performance and adaptive computing solutions. A student in Ivey’s Business Analytics program, Suresh wanted an internship that would allow her to harness her business analytics skills with her knowledge of electrical engineering from her undergrad.
During the four-month internship, Suresh produced AI-driven tools to improve alignment and efficiency between teams within the organization. The experience taught her the importance of people- focused work as she had previously only taken on client-facing roles in past internships.
“You may not directly work on activities that add to a final product or service consumed by a customer,” said Suresh. “But the internal work plays a vital role to ensure the internal functionalities are running efficiently.”
Suresh was also eager to take on project management tasks to utilize the management skills she developed during her time at Ivey. She discussed this with her supervisor and was able to gain experience that honed such skills. She encourages future students to do the same during their internships.
“Your internship will be a valuable experience for you, but you are also a valuable asset to the organization. Be sure to communicate what you want to gain out of this experience so your responsibilities can be adapted to fit your goals,” she said.
Jason Taijia Zhang, HBA ’26 candidate
Jason Taijia Zhang had no previous corporate experience prior to joining Mars as a strategic sales intern. So he said he feels particularly fortunate to have contributed to legacy brands like Pedigree, Iams, and Whiskas while part of the pet nutrition team for Walmart – one of the team's largest accounts.
“I got to take advantage of the experience to learn and develop in a role and industry I knew nothing about prior to this summer,” he said.
A highlight for Zhang was experiencing the lifecycle of a product from start to finish, from touring the plant where the pet food is manufactured to merchandising the finished product during his two-week retail rotation.
“It was exciting to see customer interactions in the aisles happening in real-time after understanding the sheer amount of data and research that goes into promotion planning and planogram designs,” he said.
Zhang also attended an open discussion with Mars’ Global CEO, Poul Weihrauch, who shared insights from his professional journey and advice for a successful career during his visit to Canada. Weihrauch encouraged the interns to be curious – words that align with Zhang’s own advice for students.
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions and show your genuine curiosity,” he said. “A desire and willingness to learn is just as important as the skills you bring to your internship.”
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