Reilly Baggs

Ivey Business School at Western University

“A driven engineer and consultant looking to leverage their experience in energy and healthcare.”

Hometown: Kingston, ON

Fun Fact About Yourself: I love backcountry camping and completely disconnecting in nature. The longest trip I’ve ever done is 21 days.

Undergraduate School and Major: McMaster University, Chemical Engineering

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Sage Engineering Services, Project Lead

How has the case method enriched your learning?  The case method has enriched my learning by stimulating meaningful class discussions that demonstrate a variety of perspectives from my peers. It has forced me to think outside of my own frame of reference and consider opposing viewpoints.

Aside from classmates and cases, what part of the school’s MBA programming led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I was excited by the opportunity at Ivey to do a study trip and the leadership under fire course. Both programs represent an interactive application of our learnings outside of the classroom. This is not only fun, but an accelerated way to see how our classroom learnings translate to the real world.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment in my career so far has been the opportunity to work on a project for a COVID-19 therapeutic. While the pandemic shook our ways of working, I was lucky enough to be in a position to work on a COVID-19 treatment that had the potential to save lives. The impact I felt doing this work has driven me to seek out a high impact career in consulting.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: My biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far is facing my fear of failure.  Being afraid of failing in high pressure situations has held me back in the past. The Ivey MBA program and case method learning are designed to push you outside of your comfort zone on a daily basis and that exposure has made me more comfortable with taking risks, failing and trying again.

Where is your favorite hang-out in London (Ontario)? Why do you (or your classmates) gravitate there? My favourite London hangout is the Black Walnut café in Wortley village. It’s small but it has great coffee and baked goods. There isn’t any wifi, so it’s a great place to unplug from school work and just chat with friends. There is often a line out the door for their scones on the weekends!

What is one thing you have recently read, watched, or listened to that you enjoyed and would highly recommend to prospective MBAs? Why? I recently listened to the audiobook for Brene Brown’s Dare to Lead, which not only was a great book but integrated well into the leadership course we take in the MBA program. Even outside of the leadership course, the whole MBA program is about personal growth. To succeed in the program and in our future careers, we must all learn to perform well in teams, as leaders and as followers. I found Dare to Lead gave me an understanding of the psychology behind leadership, helping me be a more empathetic and courageous leader.

What did you do during the application process that enabled you to get accepted into Ivey? One step I took that contributed to my success was speaking with alumni. Before I even applied to Ivey, I connected with alumni that had pursued careers in my area of interest. By having candid conversations with alumni, it gave me a good understanding of what Ivey is all about and what makes candidates successful. This not only solidified my conviction that Ivey was the right school for me but helped me position my application to highlight my strengths that best aligned with Ivey’s values.

DON’T MISS: MEET MORE STUDENTS IN IVEY’S MBA CLASS OF 2023 & LEARN WHAT MAKES THE IVEY MBA EXPERIENCE SPECIAL