The desire to connect with a diverse range of students and professional mentors is what drove me to apply to the School of Accounting and Finance’s (SAF) Fellowship Program. Through this opportunity I have been fortunate enough to not only connect with upper years who are also in the Accounting and Financial Management (AFM) Program, but also alumni who are excelling in the industry.
I had the opportunity to connect with an upper-year mentor and industry mentor in finance. Once I was placed with my mentors based on my career goals, we would meet twice a term, via a phone call or in person. The flexibility was especially helpful during co-op terms where I was out of the city.
Whenever possible, we tried to meet in person, as I believe face-to-face conversations foster stronger relationships and more meaningful discussions. Since my upper-year mentor and I were both involved in the Student Investment Fund (SIF), we were also able to catch up after meetings and classes, making it easy to stay connected.
The fellowship experience has allowed me to capitalize on what I believe is one of the most valuable aspects of the program; the guidance from my mentors. My upper-year mentor has helped me navigate and prepare for SIF presentations, course specializations and has helped me think intentionally about decisions that align with my long-term goals. Since they had recently gone through many of the same decisions, their advice was both practical and relatable.
On the flip-side, when I was in co-op, having an industry mentor was crucial when it came to learning about how finance recruiting works, specifically, the public equities and pensions industries. One conversation that stood out to me happened when we were having lunch in Toronto. My industry mentor and I were discussing the changing recruiting landscape, career development and the importance of continuously building skills and relationships and how these skills go beyond just the work you put into your university/college program.
Throughout the mentorship, both mentors created an environment where I felt comfortable asking questions and seeking advice, making the experience both enjoyable and impactful. Looking back, the program has exceeded my expectations by helping me to grow professionally, expand my network and gain greater confidence in pursuing my career goals. It has also given me the spark I needed to pursue the same path and one day be able to give the same advice to the next cohort of Fellowship students.