Meet Ivey’s MBA Class Of 2025

Imagine receiving a text. There is an emergency at work. It is all-hands-on-deck: High stakes, high pressure, high expectations, high visibility. And you only have one day – 24 hours – to get it right.

That means little sleep, unfair demands, and painful decisions.

That’s the premise behind 24-Hour Reports, one of the signature MBA experiences at the Ivey Business School at Western University. Think of it as a simulation of the real world. It starts at 6:00 p.m. on a Thursday night with a case. And it concludes at 6:00 p.m. with a team presentation and report. In between, the simulation reveals a student’s strengths and weaknesses as a leader and a teammate. In a 24-Hour Report emergency, MBAs won’t have time to prep. In the process, they’ll be saddled with incomplete data, imperfect options, and uncertain outcomes. Working together, Ivey MBAs learn how to communicate effectively, delegate responsibilities, act quickly, meet deadlines, and resolve differences. When the 24-hour limit has passed, they will defend their decisions on how they contained the damage, protected the brand, and resolved the issue.

BONDING IN A FOX HOLE

For Folahan Ajayi-Femi, the 24-Hour Reports he completed represented the biggest achievement of his time as a member of the Class of 2025. “Ivey’s unique process of frequently reshuffling learning teams simulates real workplace dynamics, requiring us to solve problems with diverse groups. Initially, these reports were daunting due to unfamiliar personalities, working styles, and language barriers. However, I have gained invaluable experience by learning from my peers’ diverse cultures and approaches. As I prepare to change my learning team again, I feel more comfortable and less anxious, having already navigated this rigorous and collaborative process.”

During24-Hour Reports, Ivey MBAs grapple with a variety of emergencies. In a healthcare case, for example, they determined whether to promote remove a surly doctor who ability to deliver great results was offset by his propensity to alienate his peers. Another time, MBAs used analytics data and tools to pinpoint which company projects offered the greatest probability for success. For an Indian motorcycle company, students evaluated whether past successful strategies were still relevant to changing market conditions. In an accounting case, teams pored over a company’s financial statements to identify potential discrepancies between its bookkeeping and GAAP regulations.

In other words, the 24-Hour Reports provide a platform for students to apply what they learned from their various courses, while tapping into the diverse work experiences of their peers. Even more, they strengthen their interpersonal and analytical skills by repeating a problem-solving process from start-to-finish.

“It’s less about the assignment, and more about the bonding that happens within your learning team,” observes Christina Gucciardi. “It’s amazing to see how much your team can accomplish when they work together towards the same goal. Looking back though, it’s even better to see how much fun you had in the process!”

Although the fun may be organic, Jessica Confalone organized an event after the final 24-Hour Report to bring her Class of 2025 mates together. “We hosted a waffle breakfast with excellent coffee and had various fun toppings with whip cream. Everyone came for one or more two servings of waffles and who knows how many cups of coffee. The best part was that we got some of the significant others of classmates to come out and everyone remarked how this made the day much less stressful. Overall, it was something they looked forward to.”

GETTING ATTENTION…FROM THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

Making 24-Hour Reports requires a diverse and accomplished class. These qualities could be considered two cornerstones of the MBA Class of 2025. Take Carmichael Norton, who describes himself as an “ex-professional athlete, founder of a sustainable fashion startup, twin, and public speaker” whose goal is to become a Renaissance Man. At TouchBistro, a software company with 450 employees and $750 million dollars in annual revenue, Norton worked in business development. Here, he won the firm’s Impact Award for developing a 60-page SMS playbook and introducing weekly improv comedy sessions at the firm. Such efforts in “revitalizing” the sales team, he says, helped boost revenue by nearly a third. In contrast, Sarvie Golestaneh could be described as the class’s resident Renaissance Woman. A pianist and architect, Golestaneh designed the exterior for a school for blind children. However, music and design aren’t her only creative outlets.

“I am a digital artist on the side, and my biggest accomplishment with my art was releasing a collection of 100 immersive spaces and almost selling out, in addition to being exhibited at the Seattle NFT Museum.”

At a food manufacturing company, Oyinda Giwa was promoted to being the operations manager –and proceeded to sell the CEO on a project that saved the firm $1 million dollars annually. Folahan Ajayi-Femi has carved out a career in consumer strategy. In his last role, he served as the senior manager for category insights for the Coca-Cola Company Africa. Similarly, Sara Harper, a former waterslide tester, climbed the ranks at PepsiCo, moving from frontline leadership to project management to product innovation.

“One of my biggest accomplishments was leading a $40M capital upgrade project for the Frito-Lay Cambridge site,” she writes. “I was responsible for developing and leading a team who were able to navigate the challenges of growth and ensure completion of this project prior to summer production. The success of this project was a testament to the dedication and hard work of an exceptional team, and I am immensely proud of their contributions.”

If you are seeking early impact, Alexis Gantous garnered high-level attention when he produced a presentation on how Iranian protests drove the growth of his firm’s apps. And he did it during the first month on the job.

“This presentation was delivered at the U.S. State Department for congressional aides, State Department staff and even representatives from the CIA. It helped to share the extent of the internet censorship that citizens of Iran were being subjected to at the time and how it could be combatted.”

THE BEST OF TIMES

Despite their professional achievements, the Ivey MBA program has stretched the Class of 2025. Alexis Gantous, for one, did something “scary” and “out of character” for himself. He ran to be his 75-member section’s representative – and won! Sara Harper also embraced leadership after being selected to the curriculum committee for the LEADER Project. At the same time, Christina Gucciardi has taken a leap of faith at Ivey by “learning to use my voice”—in her words.

“Speaking up can feel daunting in a room full of talented peers, but everyone has valuable insights to share. Ivey’s MBA program encourages you to openly question your own ideas and challenge the ideas of others. That’s not always easy. Finding my voice was a pivotal point in my MBA journey, but the real growth has come from learning how to use my voice. Both skills have pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me realize the kind of person and leader I want to be.”

By being open, the Class of 2025 has created unforgettable memories. For Mackenzie Fulton, a mechanical engineer, that moment came at the Ivey Get Connected event. Here, he engaged with Ivey alumni in downtown Toronto last summer (and enjoyed “delicious food” and “A+ breakfast smoothies”). At the same event, Mayeesa Shamiha, a project manager, met with a sales engineer at her dream employer – Google. Sara Harper’s best moment – so far – happened in Chicago at the Forté MBA Women’s Leadership Conference. Aside from the networking and workshops, Harper says the one of the highlights was a session on negotiation conducted by Diane Fennig, an expert in leadership development and executive search. That doesn’t count what happened after the Forté sessions, however.

“Outside of the conference, we were also able to explore the city and make meaningful memories as an Ivey Forté fellow group,” Harper adds. “Specifically, the Chicago River Architecture Tour was a fantastic experience for our group!”

Sometimes, the best memories actually took place in the classroom. In one class, Carmichael Norton studied a case on the 2002 WorldCom accounting scandal. In the next class, the WorldCom whistleblower, Cynthia Cooper, stopped in to dive into the details. Sarvie Golestaneh notes that her big moment came when she presented his Discount Cash Flow (DCF) model. Once afraid of people judging her work, she decided, ‘If other people can be so confidently wrong, why can’t I’?. In the same spirit, Golestaneh decided to bring some humor to class.

“Our first presentation was for Communications class, where we were representing “Meta”. We even made sure to color coordinate, wearing blue and black. Our second presentation was a lot more fun. It was for the Managing Operations course. We were encouraged to be creative with this one and we made it into a gameshow – got great feedback from the class afterwards too!”

THE BEST PLACES TO MEET

Off campus, you’ll find many class members hanging out at Barney’s Patio in downtown London. A class review? “Beautiful ambiance, coupled with great drinks, delicious food, and affordable prices,” says Oyinda Giwa. On campus, the Graduate Pub – Grad Pub for short – is another popular spot.

“At first glance, it is unremarkable,” admits Jessica Confalone. “After a particularly brutal 24-Hour Report, a few classmates and I decided that we needed to go somewhere close by to blow off steam. We kept repeating this activity after the next series of reports or exams. With each visit, the group grew a little more in size, eventually including people from both sections. Somewhere along the way, this “unremarkable pub” became a routine that we openly would joke before an exam. We’d say, “Grad Club after?” – to which the only natural response was, “Of course, we can’t break tradition.” It is a place with cheap, good beer and even better pub food. More than that, it is an atmosphere where we can truly exhale, forgetting the stress of the day.”

Those aren’t the only spots where you’ll find the Class of 2025. Christina Gucciardi cites the walking trails along Fanshawe Lake. Similarly, Sara Harper lists the Elgine beach volleyball courts the Westminster Diamond softball fields among her favorite spots. And let’s not forget Richmond Row, adds Mayeesa Shamiha.

“It’s perfectly surrounded by beautiful parks, ideal for a jog or a bike ride. After a refreshing outdoor workout, there’s nothing better than heading to one of the local cafes for a coffee and brunch.”

A STUDENT TOWN

Ivey alumni are equally bullish on Ivey’s London location. Home to 420,000 people, the Forest City is known for its four distinct seasons, rollicking festivals, and affordable housing. Amanda Jones, a 2024 Ivey MBA grad, likens London to Ottawa. “[It is] a small city with a lot of green space, about two hours from a much larger city [Toronto]. I love that I can walk five minutes and be next to the river or hop on a bus and be downtown in fifteen minutes. Everyone lives within a tight enough radius that events can be held without having to worry about how far anyone has to commute. Toronto is also close enough for a day or weekend trip to attend bigger events or short getaways.”

Jones’ classmate, Colton James, adds that London could be described as the quintessential student town. “[It] is not too big for people to get lost in the crowd and not too small to run out of things to do. It is a perfect balance between having too many events or activities that keep people from independently exploring the city and not having enough attractions so that life becomes monotonous. This dynamic fosters Ivey MBA students to stick together outside of the classroom. We had countless social events throughout the year ranging from picnic barbeques, cultural celebrations, trivia nights, and attending ice hockey games. The “student town” has helped foster many friendships outside of the classroom that I hope to have for life.”

On campus, Olivia Petric, another 2024 MBA grad, looks back fondly on the Ivey Olympics. “Every year, the MBA cohort competes for the Ivey Cup through a series of physical, strategic, and intellectual challenges. This event brings together all students from the cohort as well as some professors. In my opinion, the event is special because it takes place after the initial recruiting period. The Ivey Olympics gives the cohort an opportunity to destress and reconnect with classmates after an intensive period of interview preparation.”

Next Page: An interview with the MBA faculty director and profiles of 12 members of the Class of 2025.