Age: 20
Program: Ivey School of Business at Western University
Year: Fourth
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Meet Ceci Ma: a fourth year Ivey student! Is there anything this girl can’t do? She’s the Co-President of the Ivey Finance Club, a member of the UWO Dance Force, and is heading to Los Angeles next year for her new job! Ceci is ambitious and hard working but also knows when to take time for herself. We wish her all the best next year! Read all about her below.
What made you decide to come to Western/Ivey?
I decided to come to Western after I got accepted for an AEO status and thought I would have a lot of optionality with the two plus two program. By majoring in applied math and minoring in Latin, I was able to study what I was interested in while still being able to pursue business school. I joined PBSN (Pre-Business Students’ Network) and got exposed to the business side at a very early time at my time here at Western. I wanted to maximize my opportunity to learn everything I could and gain some perspective. I then interned at a law firm and worked on the business side of things. I learned a lot about business interactions, and I realized that this was the perfect medium for me. For the first and second summers in university I did quantitative analysis and coding in Toronto and learned that I loved working with a team.
So far, what is the most valuable thing you learned in your undergrad?
As much as it’s important to value what other people think about you, as well as their opinions on you, it’s even more important to be reflective on how you stand with other people and how you present yourself. At Ivey, there’s career pressure and high expectations. Not only from yourself but from other people. You have to learn to look back and identify what makes you feel happy and fulfilled. You have to think about what adds value or energy to your life and keep those things in your life. That’s the reason why I joined UWO Dance Force. I really liked being involved on campus but I needed a few hours in the week where I could get away from it all. When I hang out with my dance friends, no one talks about careers or their grades or anything like that. In my third year I was always writing reports and assignments, and over time I realized that a little bit of down time is healthy and essential! You don’t have have to work 95% of the time to do well.
Is there something people would find surprising about Ivey?
I think the biggest thing you don’t realize when you enter Ivey is how supportive everyone is. I talked about how we all have very high expectations for our careers, but we don’t have the type of relationship where we’re competitive in a destructive way. I think a lot of people come in expecting Ivey to be sharp-elbowed with everyone competing for certain jobs. Instead, I found that HBA2s will help HBA1s. Last year I felt really lost at one point. I decided to reach out to my older colleagues and classmates and they helped me out as much as possible! The culture of collaboration and everyone trying to help one another to the best of their ability was definitely something I wasn’t expecting. I’m trying to give back now! I think part of the success of this program is made by classmates helping each other out: you prep for interviews together, you study together!
Do you have any role models?
My parents. It’s a very typical answer, especially from someone who grew up in an immigrant family, but it’s true. They dropped everything to come to this country and even had to redo their university degrees. Most degrees aren’t recognized in Canada so both my parents had to go back to school and get degrees at U of T. There are days where I feel like I take a lot for granted, but seeing them work so hard for everything they have now is something I keep in mind. I try to be as independent as I can and my parents have shown me that when you work hard and put in the effort, you can get to anywhere you want to be.
What are your plans for next year?
In the upcoming year I’ll be in Los Angeles! I’ll be doing investment banking at a boutique investment bank. It’s incredible and I love the city! I worked there this past summer and I really liked the experience.
For any first or second years interested in Ivey, what advice would you give them?
One: Don’t let it take over your life! You don’t have to fit a certain mold and have to be that typical “business student”. Explore activities that you really enjoy. Find your individuality and space. You should present and carry yourself a certain way when you’re working, but it’s important to let your personality show through that as well.
Another piece of advice I found from people I’ve met is that you have to be willing to do as much as you can by putting the most you can into everything you do. Don’t just work to meet minimal expectations!
What personally motivates you on a day to day basis?
I try to set very clear short-term goals. I’ve come to realize that procrastination doesn’t work. It’s important to think about your goals and start thinking about the incremental work you’ll have to do in order to achieve it!
How do you manage your time?
I have an agenda that I follow. I have a bit of a type A personality so I really enjoy writing out a schedule, making a timeline and crossing things off my to-do list. It’s how I can manage those back to back sessions or classes.
How do you relax in your spare time?
Dancing is one of the ways I do relax. I see it more as time for myself and time to have fun as opposed to another commitment of mine. I also really like to cook. Food is necessary, but I like turning into a hobby.
What’s your go to dance routine?
I love girl power songs like Beyoncé. They make me feel really confident and sassy! Embodying that type of character on stage can bring out certain confidence. The power walk and the strut: it’s just so much fun!
What are you most proud of so far in your life?
I think my greatest accomplishment was being able to help so many people this year. In the finance club at Ivey, I helped out third years with recruiting and interviews. By being a positive influence to them, I feel as though I can bring them new opportunities and jobs! This is something I’d never expected: to have such a big impact on so many people. Being a positive influence to students who have gone through the same stressful experiences that I went through last year is definitely something I’m proud of.
I think another accomplishment of mine is having a more positive mindset. I was having a lot of trouble in second year and felt anxious all the time. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life. I took a step back, asked for help when I needed to, reached out and focused on myself for a bit. Now my mindset is more optimistic and I try to see the good in things. Not just things about myself but the behaviours of others. Once you’re not so negative about things you can add a positive vibe around other people and it will change the way you feel about yourself and everything else.
Are there any skills you would like to learn?
I said I liked to cook… I’d like to be able to cook well [laughs]. I can make pasta and eggs really well, but I’ve always wanted to be able to make the types of dishes from home. I can’t make really good Chinese food like my mom does. I would love to be able to make something like that one day. I always crave it and want it…I just need to be able to make it!
FAVOURITES
Book: “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl and “The Name of the Wind” by Patrick Rothfuss.
Spot on campus: There’s an area in the Ivey building with desks right by a Starbucks. I could stay there all day!
Website: Sephora. I’m an online shopper!
Makeup product: Nivea Lip Balm.
Heroine: Sophie from Howl’s Moving Castle.