Where business meets industry

Naliya John says hands-on experiences throughout her business education have helped her build confidence, make meaningful connections and prepare for what comes next. (Photo: Supplied)

As Naliya John approaches graduation next spring, she is well aware that it’s the professional relationships she’s fostered with local communities that lie at the heart of her business education.

Those connections are central to the Axford Impact Series, a four-year experiential learning program made possible through Eric Axford’s generosity. Now, part of his recent $500,000 endowment gift will help sustain and expand opportunities for Alberta School of Business students to work with community partners, tackle real-world challenges and develop skills they’ll carry into their careers.

“One of the most valuable things I got out of it was networking and becoming more confident in that,” says John. “I learned how to reach out to people, what to reach out about, and how to introduce yourself. It’s something I’m going to bring with me forever.”

For the capstone project of her degree last year, John worked with a group of students helping the Edmonton Community Foundation develop strategies to reach vital new communities.

The Impact Series challenges students to create real societal impact through project-based courses. It started during the pandemic, tasking 1,200 first- and second-year students with helping the Edmonton Downtown Business Association restore vibrancy to the city’s downtown core.

It has since grown to provide four courses, one in each year of the Bachelor of Commerce program, thanks to Axford’s continued generosity and other donors who have followed Eric's lead in supporting the series.

“I thought it was time I step up again to help take this to its next level and also help sustain it,” says Axford.

“We launched the series initially to help immerse students in the reality of business as a means to impact the ‘triple bottom line’ of economic, environmental and social/community goals.”

The response from students has reinforced his commitment.

“Since then I’ve had such terrific feedback from the students, some even saying the [experiential learning component] was the genuine highlight of their entire school year.”

The community projects allow students “to apply the critical thinking and experience they’ve gained to make an impact with a client partner,” says Leo Wong, associate dean of the School of Business.

With Axford’s support, adds Wong, the faculty wants to take the series to “the next level and to make each of the four years as immersive and transformational as possible,” expanding the number and variety of off-campus field trips.

For John, those opportunities offer something traditional classroom learning can’t always provide: the chance to navigate complex situations, build relationships and learn through experience.

“A course setting where there’s a right or wrong answer is not always the most helpful,” she says. “But in experiential learning, there’s a lot of nuance, helping you understand social dynamics, with the freedom to make mistakes and learn.”

It’s that kind of learning Axford hopes to sustain. Through his $500,000 endowment, future generations of business students will have more opportunities to build their confidence, strengthen community connections and discover what they can accomplish beyond the classroom.