Alumna Basmah Ismail-Sidi accomplishes career advancement throughout MBA program
Basmah began her education at Seneca College with a double diploma in international business and business management, followed by a Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resource Strategy and Technology. As a lifelong learner, she knew she didn’t want to stop there and chose to pursue her MBA at the University of Fredericton (UFred).
Basmah wanted to continue her education because of her love of learning and to become a more well-rounded business partner. She knew that her education from UFred would improve her understanding of overall organizations, which would benefit herself and those around her.
When she began her search for an MBA program, she focused on finding an online program within Canada that would allow her to continue working full-time and caring for her family. With this in mind, she decided UFred would be a perfect fit.
“I realized that for me to become a strategic business partner for any company, I needed to better understand business the key elements that support an organization. Thus began my search for an MBA program. The flexibility of completing an MBA online while working full time and caring for a family made the program even more appealing.”
Program benefits: creating meaningful connections with like-minded professionals
While at UFred, Basmah found many opportunities for networking within her courses. This helped her create professional connections with other students who understood what she was going through as a working professional and a mother who had returned to school.
“While I was taking my MBA, the pandemic hit the world. Everything changed for so many of us, and the networking aspect helped us stay grounded. Since we were all experiencing similar challenges at home and in the workplace, we shared ideas and advice on how to support our workplace while trying to balance working from home with our kids.”
Her connections stretched beyond her peers to her professors as well. Each course brought a new professor that she found taught not only from their academic knowledge but also from their industry experience. The connections she created are ones she believes will last a lifetime.
Using education to propel career advancement
While completing her MBA, Basmah had the chance to change roles twice, once to a new industry at a similar level and the second time in the form of a promotion. She said, “The MBA supported me to shape my career path in an agile learning environment.”
When asked about her future goals, one of her main focuses was around her family:
“Education is an important component of my life, and I hope to share my passion for learning with my son as he grows up.”