I-Phone Apps & the Holidays...!?!?!

Happy holidays, and a great new year to each of you.

I am pleased to announce that I will be staying on as the blogger for the next semester. I can’t wait to see you all back in class on January!

Alan Hochstein has informed me that the GDBA Program has its own iphone app. Looks to us that the GDBA is the first program in the entire world to have created its own special iphone application. Please check it out over the break; try all of its aspects and let me know what you think. You can download it to your iphone by searching for GDBA (or JMSB or Concordia University).

Happy Holidays

From your Friendly Blogger,

Jon

CABELLO Relief...!?!?!

As of this week exams are in full effect. I want to take the chance here to wish you all the best of luck. To help keep you motivated I have installed a countdown function in the sidebar. Check it out.

Unfortunately last week during Professor Moscovitz’s marketing class the Cabello team had a hard a time uploading their video. The video is now available on YouTube, and it looks great! See it by clicking here or the link in the sidebar.

Stay tuned for my next blog for some interesting developments that you can do over the holidays.

Your friendly blogger,

Jon

Moustaches and the Olympics...!?!?

Once again congratulations on your presentations so far. I love watching them; the quality and content has been exceptional.

Today I would like to present Patrick Logan…

My name is Patrick and I am presently enrolled in the GCBA program. I was born in Brampton, Ontario and completed my undergraduate degree in Biology at Queen’s. I then pursued a Masters degree in Pathology at McGill, and am currently pursuing a PhD in the same field. I guess you could say I love going to school!

In 2007, I co-founded the Student Vision Canada charity, an organization that raises money for vision research scholarships for undergraduate students. My professional interests are in clinical research and I am hoping to transfer my science and newly acquired business skills into the industry once I graduate.

I am a big sports fan and have participated in many sports teams my whole life. I even passed on accepting a spot at Vancouver 2010 in order to pursue the GCBA.

I may have been difficult to spot due to my disguise. I was growing my moustache for Movember – raising money and awareness for prostate cancer! But as of December 1st I will be back to my normal, handsome self.

Until next time

Your Friendly Blogger,

Jon

MBA Case Competition Information ...!

Concordia University is pleased to announce the 2010 John Molson MBA International Case Competition. Since the first edition in 1981, the John Molson MBA International Case Competition has become the world’s first, largest and most respected MBA case competition. With the participation of over 30 International schools, numerous dedicated business executives, loyal corporate sponsors and a prominent advisory board, this competition has evolved to become the signature event of Concordia’s John Molson School of Business (JMSB). This year, the competition will celebrate its 29th anniversary at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel from January 4th to 9th, 2010.

The MBA Case Competition is still looking for volunteers to help run the event. There are numerous advantages to being a volunteer such as:

- Countless networking opportunities with MBA students from all over the world, Business Executives and Sponsors.

- Watching first-class presentations unfold to address issues and obstacles faced by everyday businesses

- Having the opportunity to attend a number of parties, including a post Volunteer party in January

For more information on volunteering for the MBA Case Competition please visit them at
www.mbacasecomp.com/en/volunteers

I strongly encourage you guys to check it out...

Until Next Time

Your Friendly Blogger,

Jon

NutriPod Video...!!!!

Here it is....THE NUTRIPOD VIDEO..!!!!! ENJOY

                                Click Here to Watch

Your Friendly Blogger,

Jon

Hockey Nights in the GDBA...!

From my point of view, the presentations in Professor Ferguson’s class have been incredible. I can’t wait to see next week’s groups present.

The MBA society has invited the GDBA/GCBA program to join them for Hockey Nights. They will be starting this Saturday, November 21st at 6:30 at the Irish Embassy (1234). For those interested in pursuing an MBA this would be a great opportunity to talk to people in the program and get an idea of what to expect.

Also, I was mentioned last week on the John Molson GDBA fan page. Check it out and join if you’re not already a fan. It’s a great fan page!

http://facebook.com/JMSBgdba
 
Until next time
 
Your Friendly Blogger,
 
Jon

Student profiles are back...!

I have added a new profile this week. It's Mams Ferrand. If you are at all interested in putting up your profile, please email me at jo_gold@jmsb.concordia.ca

Hello, my name is Mams. I'm 25 years old and I come from France with an African background from Cameroon. Before coming to the GDBA\GCBA program I received a Bsc in Economics and a Masters in Finance from the University of Paris. Upon completing my masters I spent a year working in the banking industry only to realize I needed a business degree to round out my education. I decided that JMSB was the best option to continue my studies because of its reputation, interesting courses, flexibility, and it allows me to work on my English. My goals for this program are to: improve my business skills, learn about different disciplines and how they work, network, and most of all make new friends.

In my spare time I love to play soccer, listen to music, or watch Japanese Manga films. I also enjoy special antic literature. But my greatest passions are cooking and dancing.

Montreal has been an amazing city to live in. Since I have arrived I have always found engaging activities that are both affordable and fun. There is never a dull moment here.

Until next time

Your Friendly Blogger,

Jon

GDCSA Meet and Greet...Part 2

Last nights meet and greet was amazing! A thank you must go to Rabia, Ian, Kaitlin, and Patrick for arranging the 1st ever GDCSA event. The night was a success.

I have uploaded the pictures from last night onto the blog. Check them out in the right hand column (double click to enlarge). You can also access the pictures on Facebook by clicking here

Until next time

Your Friendly Blogger

Jon

GDCSA Meet and Greet...Part 1

Just a quick reminder that tomorrow night (Tuesday November 3rd) at 8:15 there will be a meet and greet for the GDCSA. So please stop by, have a few free drinks, and get to know your peers better. I will also be posting pictures from the event on the blog, so stay tuned.

Until next time

Your friendly blogger,

Jon

Mid-Terms Are Over!!!

Congratulations to Ian Swanson, Kaitlin Soye, and Patrick Logan for reading my last surprise blog. They all won new Concordia t-shirts.

The first ever Graduate Diploma and Certificate Student Association (GDCSA) meet and greet is taking place Tuesday November 3rd at 8:25 pm, right after Professor Moscovitz’s marketing class. The event will be held at Reggie`s on the 2nd floor of the Hall building (I have added some instructions on how to get there below). Have a few free drinks, and get to know your fellow classmates a little better.

The GDCSA has also started their own Facebook group, I strongly urge you to join. Click here to check it out...

Alan has released a YouTube video (he sings) to promote the GDBA program. It is AMAZING. Click Here to check it out. It can also be found on the GDBA website.

Below is a copy of the final exam schedule. Be careful to note the date and time of your final. (Click on it to get a better view)

Until Next Time

Your Friendly Blogger,

Jon

Shhhhhhhhhh...!!!!

Rumour has it that Alan Hochstein will be dropping into Professor Moscovitz’s class on Tuesday October 27th at 5:45 for approximately 5 minutes. When you see him write down your name on a piece of paper along with the answer to the following question, what is the street address of the new John Molson Building? You may win a fun surprise, but please keep this a secret.

P.S. The new JMSB building is on 1450 Guy

Your friendly blogger,

Jon

Mid-Term Relief Part 2

Let me take the chance here to wish everyone good luck on your exams.

For the next student profile, let me introduce Ian Swanson. Ian writes…

My studies originated from the hands-on side of scientific research; however I am working towards bridging the gap between both science and business. At the moment I am finishing my studies in cancer research and am very enthusiastic about the GDBA/GCBA program because they are the first steps across the divide. Ultimately I hope that the GDBA/GCBA program will help me develop management skills that will translate into helping Canadian scientific research grow significantly.

I am also an avid athlete, who can be found on the outdoor and indoor ice rinks playing defense, or seen pounding out the kilometers running around Montreal. Finally Montreal provides a perfect setting to help me on my quest to find the worlds best poutine (number 1 is currently the poutine Lafleurs in Verdun).

Until next time

Your Friendly Blogger,

Jon

Mid-Term Relief

For this week I have posted another student profile, hopefully it will give you all a nice little study break and help clear your heads from the holiday. Also the GDBA/GCBA student association is working on its first meet and greet event and they would like to know what day of the week works best, so please answer the poll in the right column. Finally I would like to present to you this week’s student profile on Rabia.

Rabia Khan

As with most students in this program, I have come from a different educational and ethnic background. Originally from Pakistan, I arrived in Montreal in 2002 to begin an undergraduate degree in Human Genetics. Despite my love for Science, business and economics have always fascinated me. After completing a B.Sc in Biology and Economics, I continued onto a PhD in Human Genetics. I joined the GDBA/GCBA program because it was an excellent opportunity to help build on my business background. After completing my PhD I hope to enter the health care consulting profession and return to Pakistan to work in healthcare management of infectious diseases such as Tuberculosis, Polio and Malaria.

Aside from science, I have a love for food. I greatly enjoy cooking and trying new restaurants and recipes. Living in Montreal has been a great opportunity to experience new culinary delights.
Throughout out my undergraduate and graduate education, I have been involved in various extracurricular activities. This year I am working with the executive committee and hope to establish a student organization for the GDBA/GCBA program.

If you have any restaurant suggestions please come by and talk to me or email me at: rabia.t.khan@gmail.com

Until next time

Your friendly blogger,

Jon

1st Student Profile…!

I have finally assembled a few student profiles, and will be posting a new one each week on the blog. I strongly encourage you to take the time to read about your fellow classmates. I hope that this experience will allow you to get to know the GDBA/GCBA student body that much better. I am still accepting entries for the student profiles so please do not hesitate to email me if you are interested. So without any further delay I would like to introduce Kaitlin…

Hi! My name is Kaitlin. I am in the JMSB-GCBA program. I grew up in Waterloo, Ontario and moved to Montreal five years ago for graduate school. I am an avid athlete and in university I played varsity field lacrosse, which progressed to a coaching role during graduate school. In the Montreal community I developed an introduction to lacrosse program for girls and boys and I coach youth soccer. To satisfy my competitive spirit I now train to run medium distances and to compete in dragon boat (although I wish I had time to row!). Professionally, I am involved in biomedical research and working to improve the quality of undergraduate science education. I am studying in the GCBA program to learn business skills and knowledge that I can apply to the academic science field. I am very excited to be part of the very first GDBA/GCBA class at Concordia!

It is also interesting to point out that Kaitlin has demonstrated a strong interest in starting a GDBA/GCBA dragon boat team.

Until next time

Your Friendly Blogger,

Jon

Getting Involved...

I was recently informed about an upcoming event taking place on October 2nd (this coming Friday), that I believe may interest those of you fascinated by the healthcare industry. It is being put on by the Concordia Business & Health Association (CBHA) and it consists of a series of speakers involved in the industry followed by a networking cocktail. Speakers participating at the event include: Steve Arless (CEO of CardioInsight Technologies), Dr. Arvind Joshi (CEO of St. Mary's Hospital) and Joe Walewicz (CFA, VP-Special Project at Paladin Labs). The event will be held from 4 to 6pm in MB 2.210, doors open at 3:30. The event will be followed by a networking cocktail in MB 2.130 ("The Cube"). Tickets for this event (including networking cocktail) are $10 and space is limited. If you are interested please RSVP today at cbha@jmsb.concordia.ca . For more information on the event please visit www.concordiabusinessandhealth.ca .

Finally I know I have mentioned this a few times already but the GDBA student Association is in the midst of forming, and they need your feedback for the first meet and greet. They want to know what event you would most be interested in (Wine & Cheese, Drinks at a bar, Coffee & Tea,…). Please send me your comments so they can get an idea of what they should plan.

Until Next Time

Your Friendly Blogger,

Jon

The Changing Market

Tuesday’s lecture on the changing market place and consumer behaviour interested many students. One student, Moayad had approached me and asked to post a quote which he found best represented both movies. “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” Charles Darwin.

Until next time
Your friendly Blogger

Jon

Congratulations to Prof. Ferguson…!

It was just announced in the university’s Faculty Council meeting (Friday, Sept. 18) that Prof. Ferguson is this year’s recipient of the prestigious Dean’s selection for the Best Teacher Award at JMSB. Prof. Ferguson, congratulations.

Prof. Ferguson’s last class where he discussed Canadian con artists seemed to have had the attention of the entire class.


There was some confusion with a last minute room changes during the week, but it seems to have cleared up now. Alan and Dave will be in Tony Mancini’s statistics class on Sept 24 to take one last picture at the start of class.

The GDBA/GCBA program is also starting to form its own student association. Rabia Khan and Alanna Bartolini have both shown interest in taking part as class representatives. From an undergraduate student’s point of view, I urge you to make the most of the student association, not only for enhancing your GDBA/GCBA experience, but also for your fellow classmates. They can help you.



Until next time

Your friendly blogger,

Jon

Room Change for GDBA 502/2 AA

Please note that effective immediately, GDBA 502/2 AA (Tony Mancinì's Stats Class) will be held in room MB S1.430

Your friendly blogger,

Jon

Week 1 Down… 12 More to go…!

After spending my first week in class with you, I realized that the GDBA/GCBA program has one of the most diverse group students I have ever encountered. Not only have I met students from a variety of educational disciplines, the majority of you are also from around the world. Having a rich diversity in the classroom is an invaluable asset, which a number of leading educational facilities constantly strive to achieve. In fact as a student, I myself could probably complete a 50 page essay discussing the importance of diversity in the classroom, and still barely scratch the surface. The GDBA/GCBA educational experience will certainly be improved given this factor.

In order to take advantage of this opportunity I have decided to create student profiles that would be integrated into the GDBA blog. This opportunity allows you to share information with your peers regarding your: origins, home town or country, previous employment or education, hobbies, secret talents, etc. In creating student profiles I plan on strengthening communication among the GDBA/GCBA student body which will hopefully improve the overall academic experience. If you are at all interested in participating in this opportunity please email me at jo_gold@jmsb.concordia.ca within the next few weeks. Please note all participants will be consulted in what information they feel most comfortable sharing on the profile.

Finally, the GDBA/GCBA program has established its own student association. The GDBA blog will be incorporated into the association as a platform for discussing upcoming events, and also for surveying you the students on various ideas. I strongly urge you all to take part in the GDBA/GCBA student association as much as possible.

Until next time

Your friendly blogger,

Jon

Below are some pictures from some topics that were in class this past week

The ever popular bathrobe industry                     Earl Jones

Reminders from GDBA 504 Marketing

It was a pleasure meeting all of you last night in Professor Moscovitz’s class. Despite some confusion which had some students walking into the wrong classroom, the first ever GDBA/GCBA class was a complete success. Today’s Blog will be a short one with a few quick reminders from last night’s lecture.

- Next weeks class on September 15th will be in MB 6.255 (for that week only)

- Looks to me like it is important that you begin forming your groups ASAP. Please take advantage of the comments section for this posting to list your name and coordinates so that others may contact you with regards to group formation.

Fisher Price was discussed in class.  I've inserted their logo below.


Your friendly blogger,

Jon

Welcome to the First Day of Class...!

Welcome to your first day in the GDBA/GCBA program. Starting school can be nerve wracking at some times so don’t worry you’re not alone. Study hard and enjoy the program.

Alan Hochstein, the director of the program and the professors who have been selected to teach in the GDBA and GCBA Programs have made short videos for you. To see the videos go the the GDBA web page: (http://johnmolson.concordia.ca/graduate-programs/graduate-diploma-administration), click on "Program Overview" on the left hand side of the page, and then on "Course Schedule". Do you think these are any good? Did you find them interesting at all? Let me know.



Jon
 

Welcome to a special GDBA/GCBA Blog...!

Congratulations on your admissions to the GDBA or GCBA program!
The GDBA/GCBA Blog is being created especially for you in order to make your learning experience more informative and enjoyable. Each week the GDBA Blog will be updated with interesting information about what went on in the class and what is happening outside of the class. You can even send me notes that I can post to the blog as well. The Blog may also contain comments from the professors and from Alan Hochstein, the Program Director.

Please note that all of the material for the course is discussed in the class with the professor. The blog is an additional add-on to keep you close to the Program outside of class time. It will not contain information needed for the course. I welcome you all too please Subscribe to the GDBD/GCBA Blog and also to submit your feedback and comments.

Good luck on the upcoming semester

Sincerely,

Jon Goldstein

GDBA/GCBA blogger