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UFred celebrates its first Bachelor of Business Administration graduates

Published on Aug 22, 2026

The University of Fredericton is proud to recognize the first graduates of its Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program.

UFred’s first BBA graduates are proof that progress can happen from anywhere, at any age. By completing the program, these graduates have helped turn a new academic offering into a growing community of business professionals. As the BBA community at UFred continues to expand, our first cohort will always hold a special place within it.

Ready to put their BBA to work

UFred’s BBA program supports many different directions. Graduates may use the degree to grow in their current field, pursue new professional opportunities, build a business or continue their education with an MBA, Master of Digital Marketing, or other graduate-level degree.

Alumni like Yashika Sharma are already showing how varied those possibilities can be. Her BBA experience strengthened her confidence and helped prepare her for further university study. After receiving multiple law school acceptances, she is now ready to pursue a long-held goal.

Another example is Blake Swetlikoff, whose story shows how an online BBA can support the demands of a professional athletic career. While playing hockey across North America, Blake still managed to complete his undergraduate degree. His BBA helped him discover new business possibilities within the sport — and prepared him from wherever he chooses to go in life.

Blake Swetlikoff completed his BBA while training, travelling and competing across North America as a professional hockey player

Structure that works with your life

UFred’s BBA is delivered entirely online and does not require students to attend scheduled live classes. Courses still follow a fixed structure, with weekly expectations and assignment deadlines that help students continue moving through the program. Within that schedule, students decide when and where they complete their work.

Someone may study before beginning a morning shift, while another student may focus after their children are asleep. Others may use evenings, weekends or the time between professional commitments such as lunch breaks. The course schedule creates accountability, but students have room to build routines around the realities of their own lives.

For people who cannot relocate, leave the workforce or organize their responsibilities around a traditional campus timetable, this flexibility can make a business undergraduate degree much more attainable.

Connected learning from anywhere

Students do not complete the BBA in isolation. The program connects people across Canada and beyond. Faculty-led discussion boards and group work create opportunities for students to engage with professors and one another.

People from different industries, communities and career stages are all learning together, enriching the learning environment with multiple perspectives. A concept can take on new meaning when it is considered by a student working in finance compared to another working in healthcare, for example.

UFred BBA students also develop relationships that extend beyond a single course. Over time, familiar classmates can become trusted collaborators and sources of encouragement.

Education you can use right away

The BBA at the University of Fredericton combines academic rigour with professional relevance. Students develop a foundation in areas including accounting, economics, communication, ethics, analytics and management. Their studies conclude with applied capstone work focused on real business challenges.

Because many BBA students continue working while they study, new learning does not need to remain theoretical until graduation. A student may apply a decision-making framework during a meeting, bring a different perspective to a workplace challenge or communicate an idea with greater confidence — all thanks to something they learned during their BBA.

UFred is deeply proud of its first BBA graduates and excited for what they will do next in life. These alumni demonstrate what can happen through discipline and a dream, especially when their education offers flexibility and support. We look forward to seeing the impact our graduates make in the world, and we are honoured to have been part of their educational journey.

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