Student Success Stories
Kyle Aben
Owner, Carbon Realities Consulting; Site Coordinator, Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, M.A. in International Studies in Global Environmental Policy, University of Northern British Columbia; Bachelor of Business Administration 1999: Business and Regulatory Policy Concentration, University College of the Cariboo.
In his position with PICS, Kyle is tasked with maintaining a profile of all climate-related activities at UNBC, supporting the work of the UNBC faculty members, assisting in research, and fostering a network of climate researchers in Northern British Columbia. With Carbon Realities, Kyle has worked in British Columbia for several years preparing carbon footprints and consulting for GHG project and offsets development. Kyle has also worked as the Senior Greenhouse Gas Analyst for Canada’s 5th largest accounting and professional services firm, BDO Dunwoody.
While earning his Masters of Arts in International Environmental Policy at UNBC Kyle achieved a grade point average of 3.93 all while working full time at the Canadian Red Cross. When earning his Bachelors of Business Administration from TRU Kyle was selected to the 1999 Canadian Student Leadership Conference in Ottawa hosted by Queens University, and was a delegate and writer for the 1998 Summit on Economic Development B.C. Interior. Also in 1998, Kyle was active on SPEAC, a university environmental group nominated for the British Columbia Environmental Award for its work on campus and in Kamloops.
Kyle's undergraduate degree from U.C.C. in business administration focused on Business and Regulatory Policy. He became active on campus through S.P.E.A.C. (Students Promoting Environmental Awareness and Concerns) an environmental group nominated for the 1998 B.C. Environmental Award. In 1998 Kyle attended the Premiers Summit on Economic Opportunity as a delegate and writer, and was selected to the January 1999 Canadian Student Leadership Conference, in Ottawa.
Kyle decided to go to graduate school studying for an International Studies degree in Global Environmental Policy at U.N.BC.. Kyle is now looking into the possibility of implementing an environmental management system (E.M.S.) at U.N.B.C. to meet the ISO 14001 standard. He hopes that in the future environmental management is included in every business plan and every business school
Meaghan Crocker
Meaghan came directly to U.C.C. after graduating from Kelowna Secondary School. She wanted to get a degree at a university college with approachable professors, so she enrolled in U.C.C.'s business program, majoring in Economics.
Meaghan garnered scholarships in each of her last three years, and also had the chance to put her theoretical knowledge to use in her final year, working at Fiscal Realities, a local firm primarily engaged in consulting work for government, while completing her studies.
Meaghan, being the best overall B.B.A. student, received U.C.C.'s medal in business administration. She now works full time at Fiscal Realities as an economic research analyst, but is considering pursuing a Master's degree in the future.
Peter Dalley
Economist, Industry Canada and Instructor, Thompson Rivers University,
M.A. Economics, Queen's University 2006; Bachelor of Business Administration 2004: Major in Economics, Thompson Rivers University (then: University College of the Cariboo.)
Peter enrolled at the University College of the Cariboo immediately after graduating from Chase Secondary School in 1997. He explored a number of fields of study and eventually chose to pursue a Business Diploma followed by a B.B.A. degree with a Major in Economics. Afterwards, he spent a year at Dalhousie University in Halifax and then went on to complete a Master of Arts degree in Economics from Queen's University in Kingston.
Immediately following his graduation, Peter moved to Ottawa where he began his career as a research economist. Peter worked on a number of multi-billion dollar community economic development and industrial adjustment projects. He was also the Industry Canada lead on the interdepartmental economic analysis and modelling work that went into the development of the Canada's Turning the Corner climate change strategy and Canada's negotiating position at the United Nations Climate Change conference in Copenhagan.
As he continues to explore career paths, Peter took a leave of absence from Industry Canada in 2009 to return home and teach economics at TRU and briefly overseas at the Tianjin University of Technology in China. He is still considering returning to school to complete a Ph.D. in the event that he chooses an academic career over a professional career.
Tylor Kroad
Economic Research Analyst, Fiscal Realities; Bachelor of Business Administration 1999: Business Economics and Finance Concentrations, University College of the Cariboo.
Tylor completed his undergraduate degree at U.C.C. in business administration. His concentration was in the area of Business Economics and Finance. Since his graduation he has been working full time at Fiscal Realities, a local economic consulting firm.
Tylor is the principle economic and statistical researcher. He has experience with many types of research media, economic forecasting methods, and financial modelling techniques.
Amanda Petherick
Economic Research Analyst, Fiscal Realities; Bachelor of Business Administration 2002: Major in Economics, Concentration in Finance, Salford Exchange Program, University College of the Cariboo.
After traveling a year in Australia, Amanda came directly to UCC in order to obtain a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree. Four years later her B.B.A. Degree was successfully completed with a major in Economics and a concentration in Finance.
During her time at U.C.C. Amanda garnished scholarships from the Kamloops Lenders Society, the Kamloops Business Improvement Society and the U.C.C. International Society. In 2001, she traveled to Salford, England for an Economics Exchange. The experience was both memorable and enlightening. She is currently employed at Fiscal Realities as an economic research consultant. In the future Amanda plans to travel back to Australia and seek a Masters degree in public economics.
Kate Turley
Law Student, University of British Columbia; Bachelor of Business Administration 2001, Business Economics and Human Resource Management concentrations, University College of the Cariboo
Kate spent a year in Denmark in 1995, just after she graduated from Kamloops Senior Secondary. While pursuing a B.B.A. with concentrations in Business Economics and Human Resource Management at U.C.C, Kate co-owned and operated a performance lighting rental company, and took time out of her busy schedule to read to the blind.
Kate participated in a student exchange program while at U.C.C., spending her second year of study at the University of Salford in England. The exchange program was one of the highlights of Kate's university experience. Furthermore, Kate received U.C.C.'s medal in Business Administration for being the best overall B.B.A. student. She is currently studying law at U.B.C. and working part time at Fiscal Realities, a local economic consulting firm.
David West
Financial Negotiator, Transitions Career Consultants; Bachelor of Business Administration 2000, Business Economics and Finance Concentrations, Canadian Securities Course - Canadian Securities Institute
David completed his undergraduate degree at U.C.C. in Business Administration. His concentration was in the area of Business Economics and Finance. Since his graduation he has been working full time at the Royal Bank in Kamloops as a Personal Banker until April of 2000 where he became employed with Transitions Career Consultants, a local Human Resource Development Corporation funded company. David is one of two full time budget negotiators for clients looking to upgrade current skills. David continues to pursue his Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Dianne West
Master of Science in Administration with specialization in Marketing, Concordia University, 2004; Bachelor of Business Administration 1999, Concentration in Business Economics and Marketing, Salford Exchange Program.
Dianne West a graduate of UCC's BBA with concentration in Business Economics and Marketing, has completed her Masters of Science in Administration degree at Concordia University in Montreal with a specialization in Marketing.
Dianne's thesis is entitled "Gender Differences in Images of Pleasure: A Study of Food Preferences and Consumption Behaviour,". She is examining the role of imagery in consumption. Through analysis of the mental imagery, Dianne considered the range of pleasures associated with food consumption, such as social, emotional, physical, and intellectual pleasures. She found that the novelty of a product (whether the product is familiar or novel) and image (whether no image is used, an emotional image is used, or a sensory image is used) affect attitude toward the ad, attitude toward the product, and purchase intention. However, the results did not support sex differences.
During the fall of 2002, Dianne taught at U.C.C. Organizational Behaviour, Small Business Management, and Marketing Research. Dianne was hired during the winter 2004 semester on a short notice to teach in the business program.
Robert Wycherley
Business Analyst, Community Futures Development Corporation of Thompson County; Bachelor of Business Administration, 1999, Business Economics and Finance Concentrations, University College of the Cariboo.
Rob completed his undergraduate degree at U.C.C. in business administration concentrating in Business Economics and Finance. Since graduating he has been working for Community Futures Development Corporation of Thompson Country, a local economic and business development corporation dedicated to promoting regional economic development through the support of small business.
Rob has been a Business Analyst for the past 1.5 years and is responsible for the delivery of the Self Employment Program. He was previously the Community Economic Development Intern, responsible for the development, coordination and delivery of projects to provide communities with the tools to promote economic growth, attract investment and encourage business expansion/retention.
Over the past year Rob has been a member of the Certified Management Accounts Association of B.C., and has been taking professional courses to obtain his C.M.A. designation.
Norm Lavallee
Research Economist, Fiscal Realities Economists LTD; Bachelor of Business Administration 2009 (Co-op): Economics Major/Finance Minor, Thompson Rivers University
Norm completed his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 2009 with an Economics major and Finance minor. During this time, he completed three co-op work-terms: two with Bank of Montreal and one with Fiscal Realities Economists LTD. Since graduation, he has continued working full time at Fiscal Realities as a Research Economist and has travelled to various destinations outside of North America. Norm has also co-authored an article with André LeDressay and Jason Reeves entitled First Nations Trade, Specialization and Market Institutions: A Historical Survey of First Nation Market Culture.
Jason Reeves
Research Economist, Fiscal Realities Economists
Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons.) 2003, Business Economics and Finance Concentrations, University College of the Cariboo
In 2001, Jason began working part-time at Fiscal Realities while completing his studies at UCC. When he graduated in 2003, Jason received the Top Economics Graduate Award. After graduating, Jason continued to work full-time at Fiscal Realities. He conducts economic forecasting, financial modeling, and research related to economic development on First Nation lands.
In 2009, Jason co-authored an article with André LeDressay and Normand Lavallee entitled, 'First Nations Trade, Specialization and Market Institutions: A Historical Survey of First Nation Market Culture' that was published in Aboriginal Policy Research Volume VII by Thompson Educational Books. Jason conducted a seminar on mapping for economic development with Canada Lands Survey System data and Google Earth for the Tulo Centre of Indigenous Economics (Residential and Commercial Development on First Nations Land, APEC 264) in February 2010.
Brant Shapka
Bachelor of Business Administration 2009: Major in Economics, Thompson Rivers University
On October 18, 2010, Brant won a Joseph Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship offered by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Canada. The Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS Master's Scholarships program seeks to develop research skills and assist in the training of highly qualified personnel by supporting students in the social sciences and humanities who demonstrate a high standard of achievement in undergraduate and early graduate studies.
Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship is valued at $17,500.