2020 Schwartz Annual Report WEB

The Gerald
Schwartz School
of Business
2019 - 2020 ANNUAL REPORT

DEAN’S
MESSAGE
The 2019-2020 academic year at the Gerald Schwartz School of Business was marked by transformation
and change. The school enthusiastically undertook a number of timely initiatives to enhance the educational
experience of our students and further grow the school’s established academic reputation.
One of the changes that will impact the future of education at the Gerald Schwartz School of Business
was our signing on to the United Nation’s Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME)
initiative. Being a signatory provides access to a global learning community to collaborate on initiatives
focused on corporate sustainability and responsibility. PRME also provides a global network of business
schools committed to socially responsible management education in support of the UN Sustainable
Development Goals.
The year 2019-2020 also saw the launch of our first post-baccalaureate diploma. The Post-Baccalaureate
Diploma in Enterprise IT Management is tailored to meet the increasing need for graduates with the latest
knowledge, skills, and best practices related to data analytics, business intelligence, and enterprise systems.
To help all of our students further develop their professional toolkit, Success @ Schwartz, a student-tailored
academic support and development initiative, was also launched.
And while the Gerald Schwartz School of Business is constantly innovating in anticipation of the needs
and challenges of ever-evolving educational and business landscapes, there are some things that have not
changed. The school continues to produce outstanding students whose work impress at the university
and beyond: Taylor Kennah and Mairi McKinnon each received the Frank H. Sobey Awards for Excellence
in Business Studies; our business students represented our school well by placing at regional and national
case competitions; and our alumni are carving a place for themselves in competitive arenas of business,
sport, media, and elsewhere. Schwartz faculty are managing innovating research and outreach projects,
acquiring funding from national granting agencies, and publishing in leading outlets, while delivering a high
quality and engaging learning experience for our students.
Change took another form in March when the university quickly pivoted to remote instruction as a result
of the spread of COVID-19. Classes continued online and our graduating students were able to receive their
degrees. It was not how anyone envisioned the academic year wrapping up, but I am heartened by how our
faculty, staff, and students gracefully adjusted to these unexpected and challenging circumstances.
We look forward to welcoming our new and returning students through on campus, online, and blended
learning models in the fall.
Todd A. Boyle, Ph.D.
Acting Dean of Business
1

Dr. Brad Long, John T. Sears Chair in Corporate Social Responsibility
The Gerald Schwartz School of Business Signs
on to UN Global Compact’s PRME Initiative
It’s been a big year for the Gerald Schwartz School of Business. The school has taken an additional step
in its transformational journey toward providing a more sustainable and responsible business education
by signing on to the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) initiative.
In becoming a PRME signatory, the Gerald Schwartz School of Business joins a worldwide network of
business schools (including 19 in Canada) that have declared a commitment to responsible management
education in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Organizations that join PRME are expressing their conviction that higher education institutions that
“PRME implementation boils
down to embedding the values
of corporate sustainability and
responsibility into the daily
activities of the Gerald Schwartz
School of Business.”
Dr. Brad Long
integrate universal values into curriculum and research can be contributors
to a more sustainable and inclusive global economy and can help build more
prosperous societies. Working through six principles, the United Nations
PRME initiative is a framework to promote this sense of responsibility,
urgency, and ethic in future business leaders – our students.
“Ultimately, PRME implementation boils down to embedding the values
of corporate sustainability and responsibility into the daily activities of
the Gerald Schwartz School of Business through a wide range of potential
projects, actions, policies, and structural changes,” said Dr. Brad Long,
John T. Sears Chair in Corporate Social Responsibility who introduced
the initiative to StFX. “PRME is a way of holding us accountable for
developing the responsible business leaders of tomorrow.”
Additionally, as PRME signatories, faculty and staff have access to dynamic local and global learning
communities that collaborate on projects and events addressing the complex challenges facing business
and society in the 21 st century.
PRME speaks to the core of the school’s identity: a business school grounded in the values of service
and social responsibility, within a university for which social justice, community engagement, active
citizenship, and a global sense of responsibility are hallmarks of our history and the very foundational
principles that guide our mission.
2

2019-2020 Schwartz Scholarship Recipients
Gerald Schwartz School of Business Welcomes
First Cohort of Schwartz Scholarships Recipients
The Gerald Schwartz School of Business proudly awarded 44 entrance scholarships to high-achieving
students that began their studies at StFX during the 2019-2020 academic year, as well as 20 bursaries.
With over $4 million in scholarships available, the Gerald Schwartz School of Business is delighted to
offer among the highest per capita financial aid in the country.
These scholarships are made available through a generous gift from The Gerald Schwartz and Heather
Reisman Foundation. They help the Gerald Schwartz School of Business—named in recognition of
Mr. Schwartz’s already significant contributions to the university— attract the brightest and most
engaged students from Canada and abroad by allowing them to focus on their studies without worrying
about the cost of university. There are six categories of awards, including the Schwartz National Scholars
awards and Heather Reisman Women in Business Scholars, which are valued at $80,000 and $30,000
respectively. Recipients of the awards are deserving future leaders who we are proud to have in our
classroom at StFX.
The winners were celebrated by University President, Dr. Kevin Wamsley, at the Schwartz Scholars
Reception this past February.
3

The Gerald Schwartz School of Business Launches
New Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Enterprise IT
Management
Students today recognize that laddering complementary credentials and building a skillset that is unique
but also in-demand will position them to become effective team contributors and leaders. That is why
the Gerald Schwartz School of Business launched in 2019-20 a diploma for students who want a strong
foundation in IT, enterprise systems, and business. The Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Enterprise IT
Management is a two-year program focused on designing, deploying and managing enterprise systems
solutions in organizations.
Students will gain hands-on experience with the most popular tools related to enterprise system design,
use, and management (e.g., SAP ERP), project management, systems analysis and design, business
intelligence and analytics, technology implementation, and mobile commerce. The diploma is open
to students with a previous degree in any discipline who want to supplement their first degree with
knowledge of the latest technology used by organizations around the world. It will allow aspiring IT
management professionals to quickly and effectively develop the robust skillset they need to contribute
to an area in which qualified professionals are in high demand.
4

Frank H. Sobey Awards for Excellence in Business Studies for undergraduate students.
Front row, left: Dr. Todd Boyle and StFX Sobey award winners Mairi McKinnon and
Taylor Kennah
Two StFX Gerald Schwartz School of Business
Students Honoured With Prestigious $30,000
Sobey Award
The Frank H. Sobey Awards for Excellence in Business Studies are awarded each year to up to eight
undergraduate business students attending an Atlantic Canadian university who demonstrate outstanding
academic achievement in business and dedication to extracurricular, community, and entrepreneurial
activities.
This year, the Frank H. Sobey Awards for Excellence in Business Studies celebrated its 30th anniversary.
To celebrate, the eight awards, which in previous years were valued at $25,000 each, were extended to
$30,000. For the 2019-2020 academic year, StFX proudly celebrates two recipients of this prestigious
award: Taylor Kennah of Bathurst, NB and Mairi McKinnon of Halifax, NS.
Ms. McKinnon’s leadership and community engagement initiatives are numerous. At StFX, she has
been engaged with the Schwartz Women in Business Society, the StFX Student Experience Office,
and StFX Service Learning for which she serves as a student leader. Mairi is also a published author,
having researched and written a business ethics case with Dr. Brad Long. She has had varied and
formative work experiences including the IWK Hospital, Beaumont Advisors Limited, and CarbonCure
Technologies.
Ms. Kennah recently served as president of the Schwartz Women in Business Society, hosted the
Women in Business Conference, which featured the theme “Make your Mark.” She is also engaged
in her local community. Taylor is the founder of Bathurst on Broadway, a highly successful not-for-profit
musical theater camp in Bathurst, NB that provides dance, drama, and theater instruction to children
aged five to 13 years.
Ms. McKinnon and Ms. Kennah as well as the six other award winners from other universities in the
Atlantic provinces gathered for a formal event at The Crombie House in Abercrombie, NS to celebrate
their superb achievements.
5

Making Their Mark: Women in Business Society
Hosts Conference at The Gerald Schwartz School
of Business
The Women in Business Society was the proud host to the Schwartz Women in Business conference on
March 6 and 7. The conference, which welcomed approximately 100 delegates, included talks by notable
speakers, socials, panels, and one-on-ones with industry leaders. This year’s conference theme was
“Make your Mark,” which aimed to promote a transformative attitude that helps emerging leaders feel
comfortable in challenging situations and to pursue unique experiences.
The conference featured keynote speaker Tisha Parker Kemp, a senior talent developer and adult
education professional with more than 20 years experience. Other notable speakers at the conference
included Lisa M. Smith, CEO of Glen Haven Manor; Sadira Jan, Partner at Stewart McKelvey; and Alice
McVittie, Associate at Davis Pier Consulting.
6

Cultivating Success at The Gerald Schwartz
School of Business
At the Gerald Schwartz School of Business, we invest in student success and advancement. That’s why
the 2019-2020 academic year featured the launch of Success @ Schwartz, an academic support service
that helps students develop the professional toolkit they need to succeed in their studies and in their
future professional lives. The services provided by Success @ Schwartz are specifically tailored towards
the type of work and projects students will encounter in the business environment, including report
and essay writing, presentation development and delivery, collaborative project management, time
management, note taking, and studying. Staff from Success @ Schwartz also offers individualized
instruction to students and gives numerous classroom presentations.
At the heart of Success @ Schwartz is the desire to make sure that Schwartz students get the support
they need right when they need it. “If there is a need for group work instruction, we do it. If there is a
need for group tutorial sessions for particular courses, we do it, and move them online in a hurry as well.
If there is a need for training in presentation work, we do it. This year we did all of those, and when new
needs become apparent to the students or faculty, we can act quickly and not wait until the following
academic year,” remarks Dr. Mark Leeming, Learning Skills Coordinator at the Student Success Centre
and Success @ Schwartz.
To provide services that will really benefit students, Success @ Schwartz couples their services with
providing Schwartz students with access to state-of-the-art equipment, including a newly renovated
presentation and collaboration room featuring a high-quality video recording camera and a large-screen
monitor with conference call capabilities. Students are encouraged to book this room to practice and
record presentations, to work on collaborative projects, and to participate in online meetings or discussions.
This is just yet another way the Gerald Schwartz School of Business makes sure its students are provided
with the opportunities they need to succeed.
7

Sarah Bruce, Eilysh Keith, Christian Vandervoet and Zoe Butson
Maxwell Gauthier, Isabel Hunter,
Jonas Lawrence and Hannah Leonard.
Zoe Butson, Cameron Fritz and
Jonas Lawrence
Schwartz Students Impress at Regional and
National Case Competitions
Schwartz students Zoe Butson, Eilysh Keith, Sarah Bruce, and Christian Vandervoet took home first place
at the Regional CFA Society Ethics Challenge Competition. The strong showing earned them the right to
participate at the national competition, which will be scheduled in the future.
Maxwell Gauthier, Isabel Hunter, Jonas Lawrence and Hannah Leonard travelled to Halifax in November
to participate in the Scotiabank Ethics in Action competition. Ethics in Action is a student-led initiative
that exemplifies the importance we place on values-led management. The case competition challenges
students with complex ethical dilemmas they are likely to face in today’s corporate world. The Schwartz
students did not disappoint, taking home third place, and its accompanying $1,000 prize.
JDC Central (JDCC) is the largest undergraduate business school competition in Central Canada,
which brings over 700 student delegates together from Ontario, Québec and Atlantic Canada. Cameron
Fritz, Zoe Butson and Jonas Lawrence represented the Gerald Schwartz School of Business fantastically,
placing third in the Business Strategy stream.
8

Emma Logan
Marie Wright
Schwartz Alumni Success Stories
Emma Logan ‘19 competed for Team Nova Scotia in the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. She also won
her first Canadian women’s curling championship.
Marie Wright ‘16 received the honour of “Best Documentary” at Mosaic Festival Halifax for her film
“Transform.”
2019-2020 Gerald Schwartz School of Business
Graduation Awards:
The ONEX Corporation Gold Medal • Joshua Donald Stewart, Antigonish, NS
CIBC Wood Gundy Prize in Finance • Samuel Joseph Studnicka, Novi, MI, USA
CPA NS Award of Excellence • Joshua Donald Stewart, Antigonish, NS
East Coast Credit Union Prize in Entrepreneurship • Joseph Hunter, Waterloo, ON
Killam Apartment REIT Prize in Marketing • Molly Ann Mullin, Orangeville, ON
Schwartz Prize in Enterprise Systems • Ji Xu, Antigonish, NS
Schwartz Prize in International Business • Luke Singh Bhatia, St. John’s, NL
Schwartz Prize in Management & Leadership • Maxwell Joseph Gauthier, Freeport, Bahamas
9

Joshua Stewart
David Kyle Mattie
Additional Graduation Prizes Awarded to
Business Students:
Ambassador of Switzerland Book Prize for German • Christian Lucas Vander Voet, Milton, ON
Dr. D.J. MacDonald and Dr. A.B. MacDonald Memorial Prize for Economics
• Danielle Anastasia Lucier, Dover Centre, ON
The Governor General Graduate Medal • David Kyle Mattie, Antigonish, NS
10

The Gerald Schwartz School of Business
3090 Martha Drive • Antigonish, NS • B2G 2W5