Management and Economics Student of the Year: Michelle Harli
“The learning experience is transformative.”
– Michelle Harli, Co-op Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Candidate 2021, University of Toronto Scarborough
Congratulations to Michelle, our Management and Economics Student of the Year 2020!
What are you most proud of when you reflect upon your experience at U of T?
I started as a shy, reserved, but highly ambitious first-year student. Fast forward to this year: I won Teaching Assistant of the Year, a Case Competition, Student of the Year, became co-president of my club Human Resources Alliance (HRA), and landed my dream internship at Deloitte. But it wasn't just my effort—UTSC has helped me tremendously by giving me inspiring friends, faculty, and courses. I am now a confident and still highly ambitious fourth-year student ready to embark on my next chapter. I hope to be part of other students' growth and journey through my informal mentor relationships with younger U of T students.
Whose support are you most grateful for?
In the Management program, my champions are my profs! Prof. Julie McCarthy and Prof. John Trougakos are incredible supporters of my career journey, and they are great mentors to me. I've learned a lot through the meaningful opportunities they gave me as a TA and a Research Assistant. And of course I'm grateful for my friends, who continue to support and inspire me every day.
How would you describe the learning community at U of T Scarborough?
Absolutely supportive. Not only are students always helping and supporting one another, but the faculty is also top-notch. Everyone is rooting for you to succeed. There are so many innovative opportunities to learn and grow both professionally and personally.
What are your career goals, and how will you leverage your BBA to achieve them?
My goal is to do consulting initially then work on my family business back home in Indonesia. I have leveraged my BBA by really personalizing the degree around my future career goals and what kind of footprint I want to leave in the world. I found myself geared towards marketing and HR due to the more personal connection to either your customers or employees. Being able to navigate customers and ensure business viability while also motivating your employees to perform their best and aligning to the strategy is at the crux of a well-oiled firm.
Favourite Management course and why?
Such a difficult pick! I feel that each course is valuable and builds upon one another to create a holistic view of organizations. One of my favourites was MGSD05H3 Corporate Strategy: Competitive Advantage because of just how challenging the course was. It pushed me to be intentional with every word and argument that I made by asking, “Is this true, and why does it matter?”. That course allowed me to see business from a high-level corporate strategy POV and gain insight through cases to understand what makes a business successful or unsuccessful.
Why should a graduating high-school student pursue their BBA degree from U of T Scarborough?
At U of T Scarborough, you have the academic freedom to pick and choose the classes that best fit your needs. You should pursue your BBA because of the ample support and opportunities for growth not only through academics but also Management Clubs and Work-Integrated Learning. You also get to be surrounded by some of the brightest and most supportive people you'll ever meet—both faculty and students. The learning experience is amazing, engaging, and transformative.
