Markus Balsicas, MBA 24′, Canada
Basic Information
- Name: Markus Balsicas
- Program and year: MBA 2024, Specialization in Strategic Management
- Nationality: Canadian citizen (since 2022); Filipino citizen (before 2022)
- Previous education background: Schulich School of Business York University, BBA 2017 (Specializations: Finance, Organizational Behaviour)
- Current company and role: Ceva Logistics, Finance/Business Analyst
Interview Questions
1.Tell us about yourself.
I am a fully naturalized Canadian citizen now but I was born and raised in the Philippines before moving to Canada in 2012 on a student visa, initially to finish my secondary studies and then continue my educational journey. After completing high school, I was enrolled in Schulich’s undergrad BBA program as an international student and graduated in 2017. During my time at Schulich I achieved the following:
- accepted York’s International Entrance Scholarship of Distinction;
- was part of the 2016 Schulich Exchange Program as one of the students sent to Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan;
- successfully completed specializations in both Finance and Organization Behaviour.
Upon graduation, I initially worked as a retail sales associate for Virgin Mobile (part of Bell’s Mobility business) before transitioning to the logistics industry where my career has progressed ever since. My experience in the logistics industry began in an Operations Management Trainee role and advanced to a Finance/Business Analyst position by the time I began my Schulich MBA.
Outside of my school and work, I love to travel (particularly in Asia during my younger years but more into road trips within Southern Ontario these days) as well as read up on 19th and 20th century history (nerd alert!) as I have been an avid history buff even from my youth. I used to keep myself busy with extracurricular activities, I was an editor-in-chief for a school paper,a Boy Scout back in my high school in the Philippines , and a member of several Schulich clubs (York Finance Club, Schulich Accounting Society) as well as the Filipino Student Association at York during my undergrad years.
2.Why did you decide to pursue an MBA program at this point of your career?
I decided to pursue an MBA program at this point in my career for two particular reasons.
The first was that given my career progression and the current position I have, I felt that I was in a stage where the scope of my work was becoming more centered on overall strategic thinking and corporate governance which was starting to go beyond my undergraduate studies which were more function-specific and specialized in nature. This viewpoint made me realize that any future career progression (whether within my current organization or elsewhere) would need familiarity with business administration concepts from a higher management perspective. Rather than just solely relying on accumulated field experience, I believed that complementing such experience with MBA studies would make me better prepared for the next stage of my career.
The other reason was that on a personal level, I was in a better position to begin MBA studies now than at any point in the past or even possibly the future. Setting aside that I have only recently achieved the amount and quality of field experience and career progression that would be required to begin considering an MBA, my own personal life has reached the stability needed to handle it between having completed the naturalization process of being a Canadian citizen, having a stable job to afford basic necessities on my own, and not yet having family responsibilities that would take over as the main priority (although I am engaged to be married soon after I graduate). With all these factors, I felt everything was aligned to begin my MBA journey.
3.Why Schulich?
With regards to why I chose Schulich as my school of choice for pursuing my MBA, there are three particular reasons. The first reason is that the school’s Accelerated MBA option and WE MBA program stream allow me to be able to complete my studies in much less time than I would have elsewhere with much more flexibility in selecting time schedules (i.e. evening and weekend classes, summer term). The second reason is that even from my undergraduate years, I was very familiar and accustom to Schulich’s high teaching standards, and quality of course delivery. I felt that I was always learning something new and knew my fellow classmates better every time I stepped into class. The final reason is that the school’s events and clubs always provided additional opportunities to further one’s interests as well as grow valuable and strong connections with people across the Schulich community (students, alumni, instructors, support staff).
4.What word or phrase describes your Schulich experience so far?
To summarize all my previous points, the phrase I would use to describe my overall time at Schulich is, a career-defining and life-changing experience. I owe much of my immigrant success story to the learnings, opportunities, and experiences I have had because of this institution, whether it was during my undergrad years where I was still earning my stripes in becoming a true business professional or now in my MBA studies which feels more like a homecoming back to a beloved alma mater to round out my career experience with proper business theory and structure.
5.What is the most memorable moment at Schulich?
Given the many memorable experiences I have had at Schulich for both my undergraduate and graduate studies, it would be hard to single out a specific event and deem it as the defining moment to describe either stage of my education, but I can better describe two general aspects of my experience that I enjoyed the most. The first aspect I enjoyed are the course learnings, especially in my elective courses, as they feel very relatable and grounded to real-world experiences, generate insightful discussions from both course instructors as well as classmates, and have great applicability to my work and overall career experience. The second aspect would be the available opportunities to connect and participate with other community members outside the class settings from club events to volunteering opportunities (such as the MBA Open House) to exchange programs (though I only joined the undergraduate version) to student alumni events as they provide overlapping levels of engagement for me even long after I have completed my studies. Part of this virtuous loop is why I’m back for my MBA even though I’ve already had 4 years of it from my BBA.
6.What is your plan after graduation and how has Schulich helped with that?
I have to admit, I don’t necessarily have any fixed career plans after my graduation given that I like where I’m at in my current career progression and role, but I do generally feel that the future path would further involve corporate management whether I am in the current organization/industry or not. That being said, I feel that the MBA program provides me a more well-rounded business background to take that next step (whether horizontally between functions/industries or vertically up the management ladder) and provides me a better foundation from which I can choose my own destiny.
7.What would you like prospective students to know about Schulich’s MBA program?
To be honest, there’s quite a lot of things that I would be able to tell prospective students about Schulich’s MBA program (or even the school in general given my undergraduate history) that it would be hard to summarize in words and would be better delivered in a friendly one-on-one conversation over coffee. However, if there was one nugget of knowledge I would want to impart to prospective students, it would be that it is an all-around quality experience in professional development. Between the flexibility of course timetables and degree offerings, the high calibre of its course offerings and instructors, and the many community events that immerses you with colleagues as well as esteemed alumni, every aspect of the program is geared towards providing students with the best opportunities to express their knowledge, expertise, and talent in whichever aspect of the program they want to apply themselves to. As long as one is willing to devote their time, effort, and energy towards whatever they pursue in the program, the sky’s the limit!
8.What advice do you have for someone who considers pursuing an MBA program at Schulich?
If there is one over-arching piece of advice I would give to someone considering the MBA program at Schulich, it would be to keep an open mind and immerse yourself in the Schulich experience as much as you can. These two would need to go hand-in-hand in order get the best experience possible from your MBA journey. With an open mind, you would be able to apply yourself to any opportunity you take with the heart and mental awareness to be able to soak in the lessons you will learn from that moment. By immersing yourself in the Schulich experience, you would be able to maximize the life-changing and career-defining moments that would leave a mark on your professional memory for years to come. Some days, you will be questioning your choice to even pursue this path with the many challenges that your academic, extracurricular, or personal priorities will impose on you (sometimes simultaneously)! But if my past experience with Schulich has been any indication, I know that you would cherish the lessons you will learn through this journey and the Schulich community will feel for you as much of a second home as it has felt for me.