Fifth season of MARS Apprentice concludes

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BY Dan Borrelli

March 23, 2009

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/apprentice09.jpg” caption=”The 2009 MARS Apprentice candidates with marketing lecturer Mandeep Malik. Photo by Justin Lee.”]The milestone fifth season of MARS Apprentice 2009 concluded last week with four commerce students receiving full-time paid internships at sponsor companies.

More than 160 students, family, and industry sponsors came out to celebrate the night's theme “Transform: The Challenge to Change.” The Closing Ceremonies were sponsored by Xerox Canada, and the keynote speaker was Tina Tremblay, director of Talent Management at Xerox Canada. Tremblay spoke about the transformations that students will undergo as their career progresses. She noted that people must always be willing to take risks, and that risk taking never gets easier. She encouraged the students find something that they love and devote themselves to it.

The Closing Ceremonies announced the winners of several awards:

  • Xerox Leadership Award: Vanyely Saavedra. Chosen by the program co-ordinators, the award recognizes drive to move the group forward and inspire others.
  • Epiphany Team Leadership Award: Mikhael Metauro. Chosen by his peers for ability to build enthusiasm and inspiration in a team environment.

    • Four students received full-time, paid internships at sponsor companies:

  • Frito Lay: Mike Alaimo
  • JAN Kelley Marketing: Sinthuja Jeyarajah
  • RBC Royal Bank: Jonathan Royal
  • Canadian Tire Financial Services: Mikhael Metauro

    • MARS Apprentice gives students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience working with some of the biggest companies in Canada. Over the past six weeks, two teams of 12 undergraduate Commerce students have put their business skills to the test in challenges from sponsoring companies. Students have developed new advertising campaigns, tapped new customer markets and created new products. The winning team of MARS Apprentice 2009 announced at the closing ceremonies was Sapphire Corp.

    “For the last several years, our marketing lecturer Mandeep Malik has been seizing opportunities in industry, building relationships and giving students the chance to develop key skills through programs like MARS Apprentice, Canada's Next Top Ad Exec, Synergy Business Camp, and High School Business Heroes,” said MARS Apprentice co-chair Daniel Borrelli. “Students learn real world knowledge that will stay with them in their future careers and beyond. It has been Malik's dedication, driving effort, and creativity that has helped DeGroote and the MARS Apprentice program reach spectacular new heights.”

    Current sponsors include Frito Lay, RBC Royal Bank, JAN Kelley Marketing, Canadian Tire Financial Services, Research in Motion, Rogers, Xerox, Epiphany Coaching, and TEKsystems, and Aerotek.
    Jonathan Royal and Jaskiran Sidhu, both participants in the fifth season, were selected as co-chairs of MARS Apprentice 2010.