Learning From My Fellowship Honouree’s Experiences

Hi everyone, my name is Nishika and I am a part of the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) Fellowship program. As a member of the program, I was given the opportunity to be paired with a distinguished Honouree member of the SAF Alumni. My Honouree was none other than Russ Weir. Russ is an acclaimed industry professional who is currently the Office Managing Partner at BDO Canada, LLP.

At the end of November, SAF organized the Fellowship Café with the aim to introduce and facilitate meaningful conversations between current students and Honourees. I was very excited for this event as it was a pathway to network with Russ and learn more about his inspiring experience of over 35 years in Assurance and Accounting services. Being in the industry for so long, he was the best person to provide the right guidance to aspiring CPAs like myself. He also shared how BDO played a vital role in his career and allowed him to interact with clients and form a special bond. This conversation provided me with a broader perspective on the industry’s progress and how soft skills are essential for the workspace and crucial for personal development.

Russ also provided me insightful tips on how to make the most out of my upcoming first co-op work term. He advised me to focus more on the bigger picture - how the business operates and how it makes money - as opposed to only focusing on the tasks at hand while learning as much as I can each and every day. I had a really great time learning from Russ’s experiences as he instilled confidence in me for my upcoming work term.

I’m so grateful to the School of Accounting and Finance for giving me this amazing opportunity to “meet” and connect with an industry professional as a part of the Fellowship program and learn about their amazing professional experiences. SAF really cares for its students and goes out of its way to prepare them for their future careers!