Blog

Going into the DECA Leadership Development Academy (LDA) Conference in my first year with DECA, I didn’t know what to expect. With the shift to online learning, I am going to be honest; I didn’t expect anything more than another Zoom meeting, which because of the pandemic, I've gotten very used to and tired of. But I was so surprised by the wealth of information that I was able to gather from all the presenters.

DECA LDA inspired me to believe in myself

Hello everyone, my name is Lochan and my blog is about the DECA LDA conference run by the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF). Firstly, I would like to give a big thanks to DECA for accepting me into this program with open arms.

I would like to start by explaining the events that led me to the LDA.

“While I am stuck in isolation,

Keeping my distance and staying away,

Two things brightened my pandemic stay:

One was my XBOX Madden NFL gameplay and the other,

The fantastic learning through DECA!!”

The importance of teamwork in a virtual setting

The CFA Society Ethics Challenge was a commitment over the course of several months, starting in late 2020 and carrying on into May 2021. The various rounds involved preparing for case studies, writing reports, creating presentations, and ensuring we were performing to the best of our abilities in order to succeed.

hEDGE inspired me to believe in myself.

Today’s accounting and finance professionals face many adverse challenges, now more than ever. Attending and competing in the 2021 Achieve Case Competition while representing the University of Waterloo and the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) was not only a great learning experience but also a time to showcase courage in redefining the future and overcoming challenges. 

I admit I am a little sad to be signing off from the hEDGE Financial Services Conference executive team. These past three years I’ve spent organizing the conference have been one of the most rewarding yet challenging experiences. However, I would not have had it any other way. The hEDGE experience has forever transformed the way I think, lead, and work within a team — and it was definitely for the better. There were three key lessons I picked up over the years that I know will accompany me for the rest of my career.

After five rounds of elimination, our CFA Institute Research Challenge (IRC) team moved on to the Global Finals, making us the only 3-person team and the third Canadian team in history to make it to the top 5 worldwide.

After winning first place in the Canadian division of the Venture Capital Investing Competition (VCIC), our team was fortunate enough to participate and move on to the global finals.

After winning the Canadian finals of the Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) back in March of 2021, my team and I were very excited to move onto the global finals in April. It was definitely a very fun and unique competition!