“We have to love what we do. It’s not about money at the end of the day, it’s about how you feel when you wake up in the morning and look in the mirror,” describes Michael Skinner to Thursday’s eager audience. Students and faculty members of Trent’s Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) along with members of the public gathered last Thursday afternoon, at Trent’s Lady Eaton College, to listen to a panel of experts answer questions and discuss the leadership development of our future business leaders. The session was hosted by the BBA third-year Entrepeneurship class and marks the first of its kind at Trent in support of the engagement of business students within their community to develop collaborative and entrepreneurial leadership skills in correlation with the new Bonnie Patterson Annual Leadership Development Grant. Graduate students in the Sustainability MA program also joined the audience.

Students registered in the Business Administration (ADMN) program in Peterborough or Oshawa were invited to submit a proposal for a grant between $500 and $3,000. The grants will be presented in November and the winners will be selected by a steering committee comprised of Business Administration faculty, Trent Business Council representatives, the Trent Business Student Association (TBSA) and ADMN alumni.

The panel included Professor Bonnie Patterson, former president and vice chancellor of Trent University and President Council of Ontario Universities (COU); Michael Skinner, CEO Operitel/Open Text, recent recipient of GPA Chamber of Commerce award as Business Person of the Year; and Julie Davis, CFRE, vice president, External Relations & Advancement. Their message was very clear for the third year students as they prepare to embark on their careers: "It’s all about positive attitude and drive”, commented Michael Skinner. He mentioned that when searching for leaders he’s looking for someone that is fresh, full of ideas and driven by their passion.

Julie Davis commented on the importance of extracurricular and community involvement when mining resumes: “I first flip to the back of a resume to discover your extracurricular and community involvement. That’s where I discover if you can manage multiple projects and are actively involved in your community, that you have broad interests and can speak on many subjects, and that through your interests you articulate why you want this particular job/role.”

When asked about the common challenges in fostering the development of women in business, Professor Patterson described that the key is maintaining self-confidence while learning to live outside of your comfort zone. “When you live outside of your comfort zone your self-confidence is put to the test, so discover what it is that gives you self-confidence and learn to balance it while living outside of your comfort zone.” Professor Patterson also discussed the importance of women in business taking care of themselves. “It’s important to pause, recharge and reenergize the spirit” she commented.

The room was alive with eager students as they asked their questions regarding how to get involved in their community, improve resume writing, overcome character flaws, lead from behind and much more. In response, the panel was very forthcoming in sharing their own personal experiences and insights about their journeys of rising to the top of their fields in the face of adversity. Their underlying message for students as they approach graduation was very clear: maintain your integrity, drive, positive attitude and, above all, follow your passion.

For more information regarding the grant please contact Professor Asaf Zohar (Trent University Business Administration) at 705-748-1011 ext. 7554 or asafzohar@trentu.ca.