Samantha Wagner ('20)

I was researching what I wanted to do after I graduated, and I saw an ad for the GDB on Instagram. I looked into the program because I knew I didn’t want to do something research-based with my life sciences degree. After chatting with the GDB program director, I knew it was something I wanted to pursue. Between the info sessions, chatting with alumni, and sitting in on a GDB class, it felt like a really good investment. It gave me the foundations of business that I felt I needed for any job I wished to pursue in the future. It also helped me to round out my skillset and set me apart from job applicants with similar backgrounds.

The business knowledge I learned throughout my time in the GDB has been essential to my success post-graduation. The focus on real-world application through case studies and the encouragement to be creative in our solutions, while still tying everything back to theory, has allowed me to bring new and fresh ideas to the companies I have been working with these last few months. The program trained me to think outside the box. A recommendation I have for prospective students is to use your classmates. I know this was something I had to learn early in the program having come from a very independent undergraduate program, but your classmates and teammates are your best resources. Help each other and you'll all be better for it, especially since the program is filled with people from such diverse backgrounds.

• Undergraduate institution: Queen’s University
• Undergraduate Field of Study: BScH Life Sciences
• Current Position: Business Analyst at AlayaCare