The North Island College School of Business marks a milestone in 2019 – 150 graduates of the bachelor of business administration degree.
Members of the class were honoured at the annual Spring Mixer on May 30. They will cross the stage at NIC’s Comox Valley graduation ceremony on June 20.
“It’s an incredible milestone for this program,” said Ali Mayboudi, chair of the School of Business. “This degree was the first applied business degree in B.C. and the first degree established completely by NIC.”
Keisha Disher is one of the grad class of 2019. Before starting the program, she knew she needed to go back to school, but was not sure what to study.
“I was taking classes part-time while I was working, trying to figure out what I wanted to do,” she said. “When I took my first marketing course, it just clicked. From there, I knew I wanted to study business.”
The breadth of the program allowed Disher to explore further to find her specialty.
“I figured out early on that accounting wasn’t for me, but marketing was fascinating, learning about consumer behaviour and what influences it,” said Disher. “It’s something that is happening all around us all the time, but most people don’t notice it.”
Disher was recognized as part of the 150th alumni class with a surprise visit by Heather Buchanan, a budget analyst in NIC’s finance department, who one of the first two students to graduate from the program in 2006.
“It was the first of its kind when it launched, and it’s wonderful to be part of that legacy,” said Buchanan. “It certainly helped me in my career path, and it’s wonderful to be part of a growing group of alumni.”
Disher is looking forward to graduation day but notes the occasion is bittersweet as it marks the end of her time at NIC.
“I can’t say enough about the program,” said Disher. “The instructors are incredible. They challenge you to push yourself but are also incredibly supportive. It was Bill who encouraged me to apply for my current position with the provincial government, which I’m really enjoying. They truly want you to succeed.”
The next cohort of NIC’s bachelor of business administration degree begins in September.
For more information on NIC’s School of Business, visit www.nic.bc.ca/business
