Chiu School of Business // Regional Offerings // Dual Credit Program in Canmore // Alumni Spotlights

WAYNE CHIU Calgary entrepreneur and philanthropist

Introducing theChiu School of BusinessBow Valley College unveiled the Chiu School of Business to a standing- room-only crowd on January 22. The naming honours prominent Calgary entrepreneur and philanthropist, Wayne Chiu.Chiu is the CEO of top residential builder Trico Homes, Inc., and along with his wife Eleanor, founded the Trico Charitable Foundation. Through the Foundation, Chiu promotes community development through sustainable entrepreneurial social profit initiatives.

In this issue

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GERALD MATTHEWS Accounting Diploma Graduate

BOW VALLEY COLLEGE

coursework completed in high school), allowing those students a chance to complete post-secondary coursework even more efficiently.

While a business focus has been chosen to launch the program, opportunities for accounting, tourism, event planning, and other professional streams have potential to take off as BVC’s Dual Credit Program moves forward.

Chiu School of Business… (continued from page 1)

(L-R) David Allwright, Sharon Carry, Eleanor Chiu, Wayne Chiu

"This naming is an acknowledgement of a great partnership between a dynamic entrepreneur and Calgary's only Comprehensive Community College," says Sharon Carry, President and CEO of Bow Valley College. "The Chiu School of Business signals a strong, ambitious, and collective will to deliver the best and most relevant market-driven programs to meet both economic demand and community need."

Chiu, a former member of the Bow Valley College Board of Governors, explained that as a successful businessperson, he and his family wanted to strategically invest in initiatives that stimulate innovation and strengthen community.

Chiu gifted the School with $3 million – the largest single contribution to Bow Valley College.

"Our family supports social entrepreneurship and social innovation," says Chiu. "Business education is my passion and the money will be used to enhance programs for social enterprise and social innovation."

Chiu School of Business Dean, David Allwright, explains that the gift enables the School to deliver a more comprehensive learner experience. "We will enable students and industry to come together in ways that enhance and deepen learners' understanding of the business climate.

"[The gift] will allow our learners to receive mentoring from people who understand what it means to be successful in business and develop a greater appreciation for the communities in which they live."

With the introduction of the Chiu School of Business, many programs and courses have been adapted for the regional areas, providing even greater access to higher education to these areas.

The response has been exceptional.

“The classes are growing with each intake and in two years, we have trained over 45 individuals,” said Corinne Finnie, Regional Lead for the Chiu School of Business programs in the Okotoks and High River area. “Two-thirds of that group are from rural communities taking administrative programs.”

While Bow Valley College offers many online courses to help further education in rural areas, Finnie emphasizes the importance of a dynamic model which includes traditional and online delivery, and use of technology.

“Strictly online-focused delivery, although brilliant for many, is not an option for some of these learners. Education in rural communities has a ripple effect on the entire economic fabric of a community,” added Finnie. “More skilled community members attract businesses to rural communities, which provide jobs and opportunities within the rural community.”

The inclusion of course-based registration and dual credit programming also brings clear accreditation pathways within the rural communities.

Chiu School of Business regional course offerings:

• Administrative Professional, Okotoks

• Medical Office Assistant, High River

• Hospital Unit Clerk, High River

• Dual-credit program, Canmore

A Rural Reach

Dual Credit Program With the New Year, came new opportunities for students: Bow Valley College’s new Dual Credit Program, a two-year pilot program and one of eight pilot projects that are now available to students throughout the province of Alberta. The Dual Credit program was successfully launched in partnership with Canadian Rockies Public Schools at the start of 2014.

Dual Credit Programs provide Alberta high school students with the ability to obtain both high school and post-secondary credits for the same course without leaving the high school environment. The programs, in turn, help boost participation rates in post-secondary institutions by engaging students early on. “It is a great start to their post-secondary career. Students living in a rural community either have to move away from home or take courses through online learning or distance learning. Having already experienced an online environment, it is an easy step to continue to do so,” says Jane Neil, Program Coordinator at BVC.

The Dual Credit Program exemplifies BVC’s Vision 2020 goals of any time, any place, any path, any pace learning. Through this new program, it is now possible for entrepreneurial-minded students in grades 11 and 12 to complete first year business courses online. As well, it is possible for students to go as far as completing their first year certificate in business upon graduating high school.

"This is another example of the wonderful partnerships that Canadian Rockies is nurturing to best give our students choice and enhance transitioning to post secondary education. We are excited to be chosen as one of the initiatives funded in the province," affirms Chris MacPhee, Superintendent of Canadian Rockies Public Schools.

As part of the Alberta Government’s Provincial Dual Credit Strategy, which aims to “reflect the different models and approaches to support student transitions in Alberta”, initiatives such as BVC's and CRPS’s Dual Credit Program also offer incoming post-secondary students the chance to acquire preferred placement status (exemption from an institutional course or courses in recognition of

BVC President and CEO Sharon Carry with prospective Dual Credit Program learners from Banff

Success Where It Counts

“Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow,” advises writer Anthony J. D'Angelo. At 26, Senior Accounting Coordinator Dana Berquist is living proof of this. After graduating from Bow Valley College with a Business Administration Accounting Diploma, Dana has taken every opportunity for growth and enjoyed an exciting career path as a result.

Initially, Dana wasn’t certain of her career direction. Fresh from high school and at the advice of her mother to ‘just pick something,’ she enrolled in Bow Valley College’s two-year Business Administration Accounting Diploma. “Business education is pretty diverse; you can go a lot of ways with it,” she says. Through the program, Dana quickly found her place and hasn’t looked back since. “I got in there and started doing the courses. I really liked it.”

With courses such as Entrepreneurship, Business Communication, Taxation, and Financial Accounting, the diploma provides students with a foundational blend of technical and practical accounting skills, along with essential business skills. Program coordinator, Tish Rutter, describes the program as one that gives students “excellent employability skills…as one of our employers said, they are ready to hit the ground running.” Dana remembers the program being “pretty compressed,” but attributes plenty of one-on-one attention and a supportive environment to her success. “The teachers were all really personable, approachable, and wanting to help.”

For Dana, one highlight of the program was participating in the Alberta Deans of Business Case Competition, where teams of Alberta's best business students from schools across the province compete in a case study requiring them to develop solutions for real world business problems. “You learn how to look at a case and present an idea with a quick turnaround,” she says. Other aspects of the program Dana enjoyed were group projects and presentations. “Learning to work in a team, create things together, and bring your idea forward...I found that useful real world preparation.”

In accordance with Bow Valley College's Vision 2020 mandate to provide learning opportunities at any time, any place, along any path and at any pace, Bow Valley College has made transfer agreements with numerous universities, allowing students greater flexibility in their studies. “Dana was the first of many of our diploma graduates who have taken advantage of our articulation agreement with the University of Lethbridge,” says Tish Rutter. The University of Lethbridge recognized Dana's BVC diploma as two full years of university, requiring her to complete just two more years in order to graduate with a Bachelor of Management, majoring in Accounting. “BVC's Business Administration Accounting Diploma gave me the opportunity to take the next step and keep growing,” Dana notes.

Hired immediately upon graduating, Dana has experienced rapid success in her chosen career. In five years at Gibson Energy, she has moved from a graduate position in Capital Accounting to a Senior Coordinator role, with five direct reports. She recently completed all requirements to become a Certified General Accountant – a process she had been working on for four years. Now, as a designated CGA, her future looks brighter than ever.

Despite her success, Dana makes time to contribute to Bow Valley College's Accounting Advisory Committee, where she holds a volunteer position offering advice on industry needs and trends. “Dana is giving back to the college by sharing her learning and experiences and providing feedback on our accounting major program, ensuring that future students obtain the necessary workplace skills to make them a success, just like her,” says lead instructor, Crystal Tulloch.

From the student who 'just picked something' to the confident professional she is today, Dana is proof that continuous learning equals continuous growth.

Originally a graduate of the University of Calgary with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts - Drama (1990), Gerald Matthews spent 15 years working full time as a professional actor before, “coming to my senses,” as he puts it.

Leaving the world of drama behind, Matthews came to Bow Valley College in pursuit of the shorter eight-month Accounting Certificate program. Six weeks in, after his first exam, Matthews saw greater potential for his career and transferred into the 16-month Accounting Diploma.

Taking every opportunity to excel during his return to school at BVC, Matthews served his peers on the Student Council and was a student body representative on the College’s Board of Governors. Eager to test his skill set further and encourage classmates, Matthews also participated on BVC’s Business Case Competition team, was a student ambassador, and worked as a peer tutor. This dedication to academics won him numerous accolades, including the Governor General’s Academic Medal, Collegiate Bronze; the Premier’s Scholarship Award for the Business & Industry; the CIBC Accounting and Financial Management Certificate Award; the Laurence Decore Award for Student Leadership; and the opportunity to speak on behalf of his classmates as Valedictorian during graduation.

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The Chiu School of Business is now a reality! On January 22, 2014, the Chiu School of Business was officially announced to a packed audience of faculty, staff, learners and dignitaries. And of course, Wayne and Eleanor Chiu were there along with their extensive network of family and friends.

One of the things that people always ask is “How will a gift like this benefit the school?” First, the naming is a strong endorsement by one of Calgary’s most respected business leaders. It is a meaningful recognition of the high quality programming that we offer our learners. Second, the gift from the Chiu family means that we will be able to provide a richer and more comprehensive educational experience to our learners – an education that will extend beyond the classroom and into the community. We know that traditional models of education are under pressure to change and evolve. This is change that we embrace, and this gift will help us develop relevant and dynamic programming that will meet the needs of our learners. It will allow us to focus on the future.

And finally, it will allow us to move beyond traditional business school programming and develop initiatives that support social entrepreneurship and innovation.

The future of the Chiu School of Business will be focused on new adventures, new horizons, and new ways of delivering richer educational experiences to our communities.

David E. Allwright, PhDDean, Chiu School of BusinessBow Valley College

InBusiness is published twice a year by the Bow Valley College Chiu School of Business. For further information, please visit us at bowvalleycollege.ca

Designed in-house by BVC Marketing & Communications | April 2014 | 1000 Contributions by David Allwright, Roxanne Alcorn, Adam Trinh, Nicole McPhee and Kimberly Budziak.

Message from the Dean

GERALD MATTHEWS Accounting Diploma Graduate

Alumnus Spotlight: Gerald Matthews

Matthews’ foray into full-time accounting work began while he was still enrolled in the Diploma program, working as a bookkeeper. Within two months of graduating in 2008, he found full-time employment in accounting with Enerflex Ltd., where he now works internationally as one of the company’s internal auditors and maintains part-time bookkeeping work for Frontenac House Publishing and the Yoga Studio of Calgary.

Most recently, Matthews completed his Certified Management Accountant professional designation, and has kept in close contact with Bow Valley College over the years. Matthews was the keynote speaker at BVC's winter 2014 graduation ceremony and continues to stay connected to BVC as a member of the Chiu School of Business Accounting Advisory committee.