Ten Team Canada athletes to join Smith graduate programs
Posted on March 23, 2023
Toronto/Kingston, Ont. – Today, Smith School of Business and the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) announced that 10 Team Canada athletes will be welcomed into the Smith family.
After years of elite-level sport, the athletes joining Smith have been granted Game Plan Awards to return to school and build their business acumen across six Smith graduate programs: Executive MBA Americas, Executive MBA, Graduate Diploma in Business, Master of Finance, Master of International Business and Master of Management Innovation & Entrepreneurship. They are:
· David Ancor, Judo (Executive MBA Americas)
· John Smythe, Field Hockey (Executive MBA Americas)
· Heather Logan-Sprenger, Cycling (Executive MBA Americas)
· Louis-Pierre Mainville, Volleyball (Executive MBA)
· Kia Schollar, Canoe Kayak (Executive MBA)
· Steph Currie, Alpine (Graduate Diploma in Business)
· Mathieu Bilodeau, Athletics (Master of Finance)
· Matti Muru, Sailing (Master of International Business)
· Leah Ferguson, Wrestling (Master of Management Innovation & Entrepreneurship)
· Larissa Franklin, Softball (Master of Management Innovation & Entrepreneurship)
“High-level athletes are determined, collaborative, coachable and resilient. These are many of the characteristics we look for in students coming into our professional graduate programs,” says Wei Wang, Associate Dean, Professional Graduate Programs at Smith School of Business. “Together with Game Plan, Smith is proud to be supporting Canada’s national team athletes in developing the skills needed to excel in the ever-evolving world of business. Join me in welcoming this new class of athletes as they make their mark at Smith and beyond.”
“Elite-level athletes are used to working with the best support staff and coaches as they pursue success on the international stage,” says Cara Button, Senior Manager, Game Plan. “It is no different when it comes to higher education. Game Plan athletes realize the value of a business degree from Smith School of Business. These awards are highly coveted and the process of earning one is quite competitive. We thank Smith for the ongoing support for Team Canada athletes.”
Smith’s academic awards program is one component of the COC’s Game Plan, which empowers Canada’s national team athletes to pursue excellence by helping them plan for life after competitive sport.
About Smith School of Business:
Smith School of Business at Queen’s University is renowned for its excellence, innovation and leadership in business education. From establishing the first undergraduate business degree over a century ago to creating groundbreaking programs and courses in emerging areas, Smith is at the forefront of preparing students for the business marketplace. In addition to its rich tradition of academic and teaching excellence, Smith is known for delivering an outstanding learning and development experience. Personal attention, individual and team coaching, opportunities for specialization and a deep commitment to student success characterize the Smith experience.
About the Canadian Olympic Committee:
The Canadian Olympic Committee believes sport has the power to transform Canada. We achieve this by leading the achievement of Team Canada’s podium success and by promoting Olympic values through the Team Canada Impact Agenda. Together with our partners, the COC is committed to making sport safe, inclusive and barrier-free so more young people can play and stay in sport. Learn more at olympic.ca.