GBC Blog: Network Niagara

A few weeks ago, two members of the Brock University Graduate Business Council, Heather Pals and Courtney Blake, hosted the inaugural Network Niagara event for MBA students and local business professionals. Here Heather, a 2nd year MBA student, shares her thoughts on the event:

Heather Pals and Courtney Blake, event coordinators of Network Niagara

How did the concept of Network Niagara come to be?

Traditionally, the GBC hosts "speednetworking" events as a way to connect students with potential employers. While this concept has worked well in recent years, we thought that the fact that Speednetworking Niagara and Speednetworking Toronto were being hosted one week apart this year, that we would need to do something different. We opted out of the Speednetworking Niagara event, and decided to create an event that would mimic the true-to-life scenarios that many MBA students will face in their careers: a wine and cheese night. Mingling over cocktails, in a relaxed atmosphere, is much more reflective of the types of scenarios students will encounter throughout their careers. We decided to host the event at one of Niagara's best resources: its wineries!

Employers and students engaged in lively discussion at Network Niagara

A selection of Ravine Vineyard's wines

The food offerings at Ravine Vineyard

Tell us about the venue.

Network Niagara was graciously hosted at Ravine Vineyard in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Ravine was absolutely the most welcoming hosts, and supplied us with an evening of their premium wines and delicious appetizers. We enjoyed the evening in the Woodruff House, which dates back to the early 1800s. It was a cozy and intimate setting, perfect for our small group.

What employers did you have in attendance?

We were fortunate to have representatives join us from various industries, including the automotive industry, the financial services industry, a large Toronto accounting firm, a venture capitalist, the manufacturing industry, and the mining industry. Our MBA students, coming from various disciplines, enjoyed the opportunity to speak with such a diverse group of employers.

Employers at Network Niagara

What was the best part of the evening?

Mid-way through the evening, looking around at the local business professionals and the MBA students, engaged in conversation, at such a beautiful venue. Hearing the feedback from both students and employers has been great as well, and of course, the delicious wine from Ravine!