“And the employee of the year award goes to Sleiman Sleiman...” said the MC at the gala dinner for the Sapphire Award – Employee of the Year, back in May 2016. I felt great pride and accomplishment to be the employee of the year at a national level, but something deep down felt vacant. I felt I peaked too soon, so I resigned the very next day!
The job market for chemical engineers wasn’t at its best for the past couple of years. Add to that the licensing and regulation issues, it became clear that continuing in an engineering career would be difficult in the long run. Furthermore, I wanted to improve various aspects of my life, namely professional ones, and I found that being the best employee was limiting to my potential.
With all that in mind, I decided pivot in my career and pursue greener pastures. I chose to move from the technical world to the business world, and to start a new life and adventures in Canada, with a world-class MBA as my debut in the country.
You only do your MBA once, so I had to pick carefully. My choice landed on the Desautels Faculty of Management because of its international reputation and brand. In a world were borders are fading, McGill remains an eye-catching name to carry. The MBA class profile at McGill drew me closer in.
In addition to a brand, I wanted an immersive educational experience while switching careers. I wanted to feel my individuality and uniqueness in experience during my academic tenure. The small class size at McGill allows for that. Two months into the program, I know everyone in my class, from where they came, what they did before the MBA, and what they plan on doing after.
The sense of community and support presented in this class confirmed that my choice to come here was the right one.
Conveniently, McGill lies in the heart of one of the world’s best cities. Big cities in other parts of the world often represent congestion, pollution, and high levels of stress. Montreal is anything but that! It’s a laid back and beautiful city with a vibrant lifestyle and diverse cultural influence that captured my heart when I first visited in 2015. The city continues to win my heart every day since I have arrived here, as there is something new to explore every time I leave my apartment.
I look forward to spending my time at Desautels and furthering this new life in Canada and actually, I cannot think of a better label than “McGill Graduate” to wear as a newcomer to this country.
I am positive the next couple of years will be filled with new experiences to live, new challenges to conquer, and new friendships to be made!
About the author
Sleiman Sleiman (MBA'19) is originally from Lebanon and graduated from the University of Toledo in 2009 with a BSE in Chemical Engineering. He then proceeded to do a ME in Engineering Management at the American University of Beirut, where he graduated in 2012. After working as a product engineer and business development manager for 6 years at API, he joined the Desautels MBA in September 2016.
Desautels MBA Program
- Find out how Desautels’ small-size cohort creates unique opportunities by contacting our Student Ambassadors.
- Connect with a recruiter to learn more about pursuing an MBA at McGill.
