Last fall, Smith’s program for entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs got a new name and model. Formerly the Master of Entrepreneurship & Innovation, it’s now the Master of Management Innovation & Entrepreneurship (MMIE), which Program Director Shari Hughson says “better reflects the leadership and management capabilities of graduates in the areas of corporate innovation, social impact and entrepreneurial ventures from startup to scale up.”
One of the most personalized master’s programs around, the 12-month MMIE offers the same support as an incubator, with the added bonus of a master’s education. It can be completed as full immersion on campus in Kingston, ON, or virtually from anywhere in Canada. Here are some of the different paths our students and alumni have taken through the program:
Eric Farquharson
MMIE’17
Eric completed an internship with RBC in Toronto as part of his MMIE programming. In September, he was hired full time as a Business Intelligence Lead at RBC, working with a team to develop innovative consumer-based products and services. Prior to this, he was a Program Development Analyst with Canadian Heritage.
Rizma Butt and Hakeem Subair
MMIE’17
Rizma and Hakeem launched 1 Million Teachers (1MT) in the MMIE program. A reward-based teacher development program, 1MT aims to transform teachers into life-long learners and attract new people to the profession, thus decreasing the global shortage of qualified teachers reported by UNESCO.
Marija Janjos
MMIE’17
Marija entered the MMIE program looking for a way to combine her BSc from Queen’s with a business degree. Through the program she completed an internship with the startup 7Potato, focusing on idea vetting and development. Currently, Marija is working with Ritual, a startup based in Toronto.
Simon Lee
MMIE’18
Manager of IT Innovation at LCBO, Simon is modernizing the company’s product ordering system through artificial intelligence and augmented reality. He is leveraging the support of students, alumni, faculty and staff at Smith to make LCBO|next a top corporate innovation lab in Ontario.
Emily Lowe
MMIE’18
Emily turned her love of shipping containers into a business. She is CEO and founder of Lowegistics International Inc., a global supply chain data analysis company offering solutions to clients in the oil and gas industry. She is looking to expand into the agricultural and intermodal housing markets.
