Ivey活动预告：Meet Our Ivey MBA Students

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Joanne Tian
Graduating Class: 2012
Hometown: Beijing, China
Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Beijing Foreign Studies University
Ivey Resume: Member of Ivey Finance and Golf Clubs, Member of Ivey Dragon Boat Team, International Student Senator (MBAA)
Pre-Ivey: Senior Compliance Officer, Bank of Montreal Co., Ltd. (China)

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2011-7-15 09:43

“What do you want to get from Ivey so that when you graduate, you would judge the program as successful?”  I was asked this question in my Ivey Admissions interview. Back then, I was on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, working as a Senior Compliance Officer for BMO in China. My answer to the question was straightforward: “There are three things that I’m looking for: practical business skills, advanced financial knowledge and a bunch of good friends”.  What I didn’t say, to be honest, was that I was also looking for an increase in compensation post-MBA - probably one of the most common reasons for those who pursue an MBA.
For sure, the MBA is not a cheap investment and people who pay for it will ask for a significantly predictable return. But once in an MBA program, I found that what I asked for were only the basics.  A combination of tier one professors with talented students makes success almost guaranteed in any prestigious business school.  However, what is special about Ivey is that since the door opened, what it has handed to me is not just a set of skills but a ticket to a journey.
Like many of the students here, I am lucky to have received a top education and was promoted fast in my previous career path. The success I earned in the past made it hard for me to step out of my comfort zone, not to mention, leaving my family and coming alone to a foreign country. But,  Ivey stood out in my program selection with its professional nature and most importantly, the sincere care that the Ivey community shows to all potential students in every detail.
Once at Ivey, I was surprised that many students, both local and international, were experiencing the same insecurities as I was but I am touched everyday by the positive attitude and the generosity of both the students and faculty here. The team interaction that I experience at Ivey surpasses all that I have had before. It’s a testament to one of the essential methodologies of Ivey, which I interpret as “a good MBA is not only a learning process but a character building process”.
Different people may face different challenges based on their unique background and character traits. For me, it is the ability to speak out and defend my views powerfully and elegantly.  As the tradition of my culture renders more merits to “silent wisdom” and “juste-milieu”, I felt that I lacked the training for fluent public speaking and team discussion skills. But these, in the current global business world, are among the most important capacities for any business leader. It has been at Ivey, with the professional training by top professors and the encouragement I receive from my learning team and classmates, that I have started to face myself honestly and challenge myself every day. The benefit I receive from pushing myself in this way is beyond what I expected. The above is only one snap shot of the soft returns that Ivey has given me so far. The ticket, which I mentioned in the beginning, reveals a broader world that I never could have anticipated and gives me the confidence and ability to tackle the challenges along any route I may choose in future. My suggestion to you, especially international candidates, is to come to Ivey with an open mind, offloading the invisible pressures and challenging your preconceptions. Only by doing this will you enjoy this wonderful journey - it is your journey - not just for one year, but for a lifetime.